Try this:
<select id="sel">
<option value='1'>One</option>
<option value='2'>Two</option>
<option value='3'>Three</option>
</select>
<input type="button" value="Change option to 2" onclick="changeOpt()"/>
<script>
function changeOpt(){
document.getElementById("sel").options[1].selected = true;
alert("changed")
}
</script>