Australia beat England as Ben Stokes is out obstructing the field

England were 169 from their target when the Stokes incident happened

England fell 2-0 behind in the one-day series as Australia won at Lord's in a contest overshadowed by Ben Stokes's obstructing the field dismissal.

Midway into England's reply, Stokes was given out for 10 after the ball hit his hand as he took evasive action.

Steve Smith struck 70 and Mitchell Marsh 64 from 31 balls as Australia made 309-7 from 49 overs.

England skipper Eoin Morgan fired four sixes in a defiant 85 but they were all out for 245 to lose by 64 runs.

It was only the sixth dismissal for obstructing the field in the 3,861-match history of one-day internationals and the first for an England player.

The third game of the five-match series takes place at Old Trafford on Tuesday.

The controversy

In the 26th over, with England 141-3, Stokes pushed a defensive shot back at bowler Mitchell Starc, who hurled the ball towards the stumps as the batsman left his crease.

Stokes turned away and dived back in an attempt to regain his ground, but the ball was stopped by his outstretched left hand.

Umpires Kumar Dharmasena and Tim Robinson consulted TV umpire Joel Wilson, who applied Law 37, deeming that Stokes had "wilfully" obstructed the field.

Reaction

Australia captain Steve Smith: "It was blatantly out. The ball wasn't going to hit him, Stokes was out of his crease, he put his arm out and got in the way of the ball.

"I thought it was the right decision at the time and I still think it's the right decision."

England skipper Eoin Morgan: "It would have been very different if we were fielding."

Asked if that meant he would have withdrawn the appeal, Morgan replied: "Yep."

Fomer England captain Michael Vaughan did not agree with the decision

There was some cricket too

Early morning drizzle led to an hour's delay and the match was reduced to 49 overs per side.

In addition to the assured Smith and man-of-the-match Marsh, there was a 16th ODI fifty from former skipper George Bailey (54), while Glenn Maxwell (49) and Shane Watson (39) scored at well above a run a ball.

The much-maligned Watson struck successive mighty sixes into the top tier of the famous Lord's pavilion and 115 were added from the final 11 overs.

In the England innings the crowd, incensed by the Stokes decision, cheered a thrilling late rearguard as Morgan and Liam Plunkett hit nine fours between them and recorded a fifty partnership in just 19 balls.

They shared a ninth-wicket stand of 65 - a record for England against Australia - but Plunkett had his stumps shattered by the crowd's pantomime villain Starc before Morgan was last out, caught at long-off to give pace bowler Pat Cummins figures of 4-56.

David Warner, who retired hurt with a broken thumb after being hit by the second ball of the match from Steven Finn, was later replaced in Australia's squad for the rest of the series by Aaron Finch.