Australia crashed out of the Champions Trophy after suffering a 40-run loss against table- toppers England by Duckworth-Lewis method in the crucial ODI.
Australia’s loss paved the way for Bangladesh to clinch a maiden berth at the semifinals of the Champions Trophy. The Tigers had stunned New Zealand by five wickets in Cardiff yesterday.
Opting to bowl, England’s Mark Wood (4/33) and Adil Rashid (4/41) returned with superb four-wicket hauls as Australia suffered a late batting collapse to post 277-9, thanks to a 71-run unbeaten innings by Travis Head.
Aaron Finch (68) and Steve Smith (56) scored twin half centuries at the top to lay the foundation but Australia lost five wickets within 15 runs as they failed to accelerate in the end overs.
Chasing 278 to win, England were reduced to 35-3 in the 6th over but Eoin Morgan (87) and Ben Stokes (102) resurrected England’s runchase with a strokeful 159-run innings in 26.1 overs for the fourth wicket here.
After their dismissal, Stokes and Butler (29) then guided England to 240-4 in 40.2 overs when rain once again returned to interrupt the play. The match was abandoned then and England win by 40 runs on Duckworth-Lewis method.