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Rediff.com  » Cricket » England knocks out Australia, Bangladesh qualify for semis

England knocks out Australia, Bangladesh qualify for semis

Source: PTI
Last updated on: June 10, 2017 23:37 IST
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Ben Stokes

IMAGE: Ben Stokes celebrates after completing his century. Photograph: Gareth Copley/Getty Images

England knocked Australia out of the ICC Champions Trophy following a convincing 40-run victory via the Duckworth-Lewis method in a crucial rain-hit Group A match, in Birmingham, on Saturday.

England rode on Ben Stokes's brilliant hundred and some incisive bowling by Mark Wood and Adil Rashid, who returned with four-wicket hauls each at Edgbaston.

Australia's loss paved the way for Bangladesh to clinch a maiden berth at the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy after they had stunned New Zealand by five wickets in Cardiff on Friday.

IMAGE: Ben Stokes, left, with Eoin Morgan. Photograph: Gareth Copley/Getty Images

Opting to bowl, Wood (4/33) and Rashid (4/41) returned with superb four-wicket hauls as Australia suffered a late batting collapse to finish on 277 for nine.

Aaron Finch (68) and Steve Smith (56) scored half-centuries at the top to lay the foundation but Australia lost five wickets within 15 runs to lose the momentum. It was Travis Head's unbeaten 71-run innings which helped them manage a respectable score.

Chasing 278 to win, England were reduced to 35 for three in the sixth over before Eoin Morgan (87) and Ben Stokes (102) resurrected England's runchase with a counter-attacking 159-run partnership in 26.1 overs for the fourth wicket.

After Morgan's dismissal, Stokes and Jos Butler took England close to victory, reaching 240-4 in 40.2 overs, before another rain interruption brought an early end to the game as England were declared the winners.

Ben Stokes

IMAGE: Ben Stokes hits a boundary. Photograph: Gareth Copley/Getty Images

With England already through to the semis, the pressure was on Australia to perform after washouts against New Zealand and Bangladesh hurt their chances of making the last four.

Australian pacer Mitchell Starc dealt a blow in the first over itself, dismissing opener Jason Roy leg before wicket for four.

Seamer Josh Hazlewood then dismissed Alex Hales (0), before getting rid of Joe Root (15) early to leave England tottering at 35 for three when heavens opened up and play was stopped for around 40 minutes.

Eoin Morgan

IMAGE: Eoin Morgan hits out. Photograph: Gareth Copley/Getty Images

After resumption, Morgan and Stokes went on the attack as they raised England's 50, in the eighth over. The duo attacked at every possible opportunity to race past the 100-run mark in 14.4 overs.

The two batsmen shared their 100-run partnership in 93 balls, before taking England across the 150-mark in the 24th over.

In the 32nd over, however, a terrible mix-up cost Morgan his wicket as England slipped to 194 for four.

Stokes and Butler (29) then guided England to 240-4 in 40.2 overs when rain once again returned to interrupt the play.

IMAGE: Mark Wood celebrates with his teammates after dismissing Australian captain Steve Smith. Photograph: Gareth Copley/Getty Images

Earlier, Travis Head propelled Australia to a respectable 277 for nine with his fiery unbeaten 71-run knock after England's Mark Wood and Adil Rashid caused a batting collapse.

Put into bat, Aaron Finch (68) and Steve Smith (56) blasted twin half-centuries at the top, while Head scored an unbeaten fifty down the order after England decided to bowl.

Seamer Wood (4/33) and spinner Rashid (4/41) snapped four wickets each to cripple Australia in the death overs at Edgbaston in Birmingham.

In their must-win encounter, World champions Australia lost opener David Warner (21) in the eighth over when he edged a Wood delivery and was caught by wicketkeeper Jos Buttler.

IMAGE: Adil Rashid celebrates with his teammates after taking the wicket of Pat Cummins. Photograph: Gareth Copley/Getty Images

Finch and Smith steadied the innings after the early wicket as they put up a 50-run stand in 8.5 overs. The duo rotated the strike well and picked up odd boundaries to guide Australia across the 100-mark after 18 overs.

Meanwhile, Finch completed his 50 from 47 balls in the 17th over with the help of seven fours before he was dismissed by Ben Stokes in the 23rd over with Eoin Morgan doing well to judge a high catch on the off-side.

Travis Head

IMAGE: Travis Head hits out. Photograph: Gareth Copley/Getty Images

Moises Henriques made 17 before he holed out to the fielder at mid-on off Rashid as he attempted for a big hit down the ground.

Captain Smith completed his half-century off 68 balls in the 31st over but he fell in the very next over with pacer Wood causing his downfall.

Head and Glenn Maxwell (20) looked to counter-attack as the duo added 58 runs off 62 balls before Australia suffered a sensational batting collapse.

Steve Smith

IMAGE: Australia captain Steve Smith. Photograph: Gareth Copley/Getty Images

Maxwell, Matthew Wade (2), Mitchell Starc (0), Pat Cummins (4) and Adam Zampa (0) all departed in quick succession as Australia lost five wickets for 15 runs in the space of 26 deliveries.

Head hit some lusty blows towards the end to finish on 71 not out from 64 balls, laced with five fours and two sixes, to take Australia past the 270-run mark.

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