Lahore, Pakistan, ICC Champions Trophy Group B: England vs Australia

Duckett scored 165 and Root scored 68 for England’s 351-8 victory in 50 overs, with Dwarshuis scoring 3-66.

This thrilling match between England vs Australia showcased impressive performances from both teams.

Australia 356-5 (47.3 overs): Inglis 120*, Carey 69; Rashid 1-47

Australia won by five wickets

The English Champions Trophy campaign started unfavorably when Australian batsmen exceeded 352 to defeat Ben Duckett’s 165 in Lahore.

Only Josh Inglis hit a spectacular 120 not out from 86 balls to finish the chase with five wickets and 15 balls left.

Opener Duckett brought England to 351-8, the greatest score in Champions Trophy history.

It was the largest score England had failed to defend in one-day internationals, made worse by the fact they had their old opponents 136-4 at one stage.

From there, Inglis, Australia’s number five born and reared in Yorkshire, put on 146 in 116 balls with Alex Carey to get his team back into the fight.

Carey, having been dropped on 49, was caught for 69 with 70 runs needed from 51 balls, and Inglis took over.

He blasted England for six sixes – the third bringing up his first ODI century in 77 balls and the sixth clinching the biggest successful chase in a worldwide 50-over event.

It heightened anxiety England missed totally on capitalizing on reaching 200-2 after 30 overs on a good batting ground – a surface only improved under lights.

If Jos Buttler’s England finishes in the top two and makes it to the semi-finals, their next two group-stage games against Afghanistan on Wednesday and South Africa next Saturday now provide little opportunity for maneuvering.

Given their form entering the tournament—four series losses in a row and losses in 10 of their past 14 ODIs—if England’s confidence was low, this will feel like a body blow.

Duckett batted in the responsible fashion many have requested of this side, but Inglis punished them for failing to kick on to an even higher total.

England could not assist itself even if the arrival of dew under the lights made batting simpler.

Brydon Carse exposed England’s limited bowling options by striking for 69 in seven overs.

Jofra Archer dropped a basic catch to eliminate Carey.

The match remained in balance at that moment, needing 104 runs from 73 balls, but Archer’s mistake was compounded when he took the next over and was hit for consecutive fours.

Archer also had Glenn Maxwell, who ended 32 not out from 15, caught late on, only for the judgment to be overturned because of a waist-high no-ball.

By that point, the game was done with 11 runs remaining.

England stays in Lahore for the Wednesday game against Afghanistan, who South Africa crushed on Friday.

The loser will probably be kicked out.

Living in Yorkshire until just shy of his fifteenth year, Inglis struck a century on Test debut against Sri Lanka last month.

Having walked in with England under control, he showed minimal affection for the nation he used to call home.

Archer deleted Following their partnership of 95, Travis Head was caught and bowled for two.

Mark Wood nicked off Steve Smith for five, and spinners Adil Rashid and Liam Livingstone dismissed Marnus Labuschagne and Matthew Short respectively.

When England had 29, the closest they came to dismissing Inglis was a Livingstone delivery that barely missed leg stump between bat and pad.

He started with elegant, precise strokes, but by the end, he was pushing the ball over third man – the signature shot of fellow Yorkshireman Joe Root.

The knock of Duckett should not be overlooked.

It beat Andrew Strauss’ 158 against India in 2011 and was England’s highest score in any global 50-over event (World Cup or Champions Trophy).

They tried to attack on the powerplay, but in the sixth over, Carey caught Phil Salt diving one-handed at mid-on and took a simpler catch in the same spot after a chip from England’s new number three, Jamie Smith.

They were 53-2.

After that, Duckett stopped taking risks and sweeps.

Only 31% of his shots in reaching 50 were attacking – the lowest percentage when reaching the landmark in his ODI career.

A partnership of 158 with Root, who was similarly composed and looking close to his best for his 68, built a platform and steered England from early danger.

When Root went lbw to Adam Zampa, Harry Brook sliced the leg-spinner for backward point for three.

Captain Jos Buttler slog swept to deep mid-wicket for 23.

Duckett dug in to ensure England’s innings did not fall away.

Hitting the spinners straight and the quicks with cuts and pulls, he reached three figures in 95 balls.

He played his first reverse sweep on 103 and was battling cramp by the time he was dismissed lbw on the sweep by Labuschagne in the 48th over.

Buttler said after the game that he was pleased with his team’s score but that, given their strength, they could have had more.