Chalk up this round to Google (NSDQ: GOOG). Norwegian browser maker Opera has dumped Yahoo (NSDQ: YHOO) in favor of Google, making it the default search engine on the company’s mobile web browsers, Opera Mobile and Opera Mini. The partnership sees Google reinstated as Opera’s search engine of choice for its mobile browser with Google’s search box sitting directly on the browsers’ start page. Just over a year ago, Opera replaced Google with Yahoo. The battle for mobile search looks as if its going to be fought out deal by deal. Two weeks ago, T-Mobile Europe said it was replacing Google with Yahoo as its default search engine for its mobile portal Web ‘N Walk.

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While Opera makes an internet browser as well, it’s best known for its free mobile browser Opera Mini, which the company claims has 35 million cumulative users browsing some 1.7 billion pages a month. Much of that traffic is apparently being generated through searches. Opera Mobile, geared toward more high end smartphones, and costs $24 to download, has shipped on more than 100 million phones (release).