There can be no talk of moral victories this time, only acceptance of an era coming to a sad end as Australia knocked England out of the World Cup.
England suffered the deeply galling experience of being eliminated by their bitter rivals. Not so long ago they would have eaten a target of 287 for breakfast. Now they can barely lift the fork to their mouths.
It says it all that of their six defeats at the World Cup, this was the one when they competed for the longest but a 33-run win for Australia is comfortable in ODI cricket. It is now five consecutive defeats for England and they have been bowled out in each game. This once aggressive, dominant batting line up is cowed and broken.
Ben Stokes shouted “oh no” when he paddled a catch to short fine leg on 64, and put his bat down on the side of the boundary as he walked off to prevent him doing any damage to the dressing room. A World Cup campaign he described as “crap” on Friday was about to get worse and he knew it.
They had hope while their talismanic leader – he may not be captain but he is still the ringmaster – was fighting hard against a lack of form but with 118 still needed when Stokes was out, belief drained away. At least they managed almost to bat out the overs, in the previous three games they did not go beyond 35 and two players made fifties after none since the Afghanistan match. Small crumbs.
How has it come to this? Poorly led and poorly prepared, England thought it would be all right on the night. Instead they bombed and are out of the tournament with two group games to go.
Their thoughts are on the flight home, the end cannot come quick enough but that is a dangerous mindset. They play Netherlands on Wednesday. Slip on that banana skin and it will come crashing down for good for a few of them. They finish against Pakistan next Saturday at Eden Gardens during the Diwali holidays and we can expect fireworks on and off the field that night. Pakistan are in the middle of one of their miraculous comebacks and scrambling for the last four.
England have only qualification for the Champions Trophy to play for, and that requires winning both games. Matthew Mott’s job is to rally his players, support them and inject self-belief but he has been totally unable to lift their confidence since they lost their opening game.
The coach may pay the price but ultimately the senior players have to take responsibility. Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root and Jos Buttler contributed 14 runs. Bairstow was out first ball of the innings, strangled down the leg side, a sorry end for a player who has not been able to summon his mongrel spirit. He looks shot.
𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗦𝗧 𝗣𝗢𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗕𝗟𝗘 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗧! ❌
FIRST-BALL DUCK FOR JONNY BAIRSTOW! 🦆 ☝️ pic.twitter.com/kdr7Df5TSG
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) November 4, 2023Root is no better. He was dropped on seven, a dolly at cover, and fiddled at one outside off from Mitchell Starc that was given not out but his face said it all when Australia reviewed. Buttler, desperate to find the boundary, holed out after scoring one off six balls. He is tense and miserable, looking as if he is back playing Test cricket again.
For the third game in a row England picked an unchanged team leaving Harry Brook on the bench. He is the only one of the top six almost guaranteed to play at the next World Cup. In fact he could be captain by then. Why not give him experience? Brook must play the last two games and it should be Root or Bairstow that makes way to send a message and start the reset now.
England were tentative under pressure again with the bat. Adam Zampa bowled his 10 overs for three for 21, England rarely playing a shot in anger against him. They used to hammer spin, not anymore. He bowled superbly but England let him take control, failing to hit him for a single boundary. They averaged 79 against spin in 2019, 20 here as old demons on turning pitches in India have been reawakened.
Stokes battled hard, knowing he is out of nick and got out just as he was starting to tick. Dawid Malan was the most free flowing but could not stay in, falling two balls after reaching his fifty. Moeen Ali replayed a few hits from his back catalogue but no one could hang around long enough to make a difference, which is what happens when confidence is flat.
The bowlers did a decent job, knocking over the dangerous openers – Travis Head and David Warner – with 38 on the board, exposing Australia’s soft underbelly. Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne should not play together and only were here because Glenn Maxwell and Mitchell Marsh were unavailable. Without their power, Australia could only cobble together a score. Smith and Labuschagne put on 75 off 96 and were contained easily.
Australia lost wickets at crucial points, England always pegging them back as Buttler handled his bowlers well and they fielded sharply. Wood deserved better than two for 70 as he had Australians hopping around again and Chris Woakes was dead-eyed, just like he was in the Ashes while Adil Rashid controlled the middle overs well but Zampa’s late hitting, 29 off 19, lifted the score to dangerous levels..
Australia’s attack is strong, they fielded brilliantly, taking every catch after Marcus Stoinis dropped the goober off Root, and with power to add in Maxwell and Marsh they are peaking at the right time. England are bottom of the table. You really have to rub your eyes looking at it. Surely it is upside down. Sadly not.
Australia defeat England by 33 runs: as it happened
5:03PMHere's the table ... if you can bear it
4:57PMAdam Zampa is man of the match
I thought we put up a competitive total, the ground got really wet. For me, length control, attacking the stumps, trying to read the batter. Probably came out as well as it ever has tonight.
4:51PMEngland officially out of the running for the semi-finals
They may have 15 more days to call themselves ODI world champions but their goose is cooked.
4:49PMAustralia win by 33 runs
We knew it was over, realistically, after the defeat by Sri Lanka but there were glimmers of hope today. Australia’s bowling and, especially, catching were simply too good for a team that has not just gone over the hill but is far away from the required form to survive in India.
4:46PMWicket!
Rashid c Inglis b Hazlewood 20 Needing 34 off 12 balls Rashid threw everything but the kitchen sink at a Hazlewood cutter and top-edged it, sending it straight up the periscope and the keeper pouched it.
4:46PMOVER 48: ENG 253/9 (Rashid 20 Wood 0)
The first ball is full and on middle and Woakes whisks it for a hard-run two to fine leg.
Woakes digs out the yorker for a single, putting Rashid on strike. Fine leg goes back to the boundary.
It’s a full toss and Rashid top-edges it for six! That looked high and should have been a free hit in my view.
He follows it with another full toss that Rashid pats through midwicket for a single.
Woakes misses his pull from the off-cutter.
Then Woakes holes out off the full toss.
4:44PMWicket!
Woakes c Labuschagne b Stoinis 32 Caught on the deep square leg boundary pulling a full toss. That should have sailed into the crowd. Ach! FOW 253/9
4:39PMOVER 47: ENG 243/8 (Woakes 29 Rashid 13)
Rashid pulls the first ball for a single to long on. Woakes swings and misses at the short off-cutter then jams out the slow yorker for a single.
Rashid pulls the next slow cutter for a single through square leg but then ...
Woakes smears an off drive for six. Cummins was going for the yorker but missed it.
The last ball is a slow bouncer and Woakes collars it for a single.
England need 44 off 18. Now here comes Stoinis
4:35PMOVER 46: ENG 233/8 (Woakes 21 Rashid 11)
Hazlewood’s cutters play havoc with the batsmen’s timing and they can only take a single apiece off the first four square of the wicket but then Rashid gets up en pointe to swat a pull through mid-on for four. Green gave chase, dived, lost his trousers and parried it into the rope.
England need 54 off 24. Cummins comes back for his 10th over, saving Stoinis for the 48th and 50th should he be needed.
4:31PMOVER 45: ENG 226/8 (Woakes 20 Rashid 5)
Cummins is saving the two from his fifth bowler and goes for the jugular himself. Rashid swipes the slow, short cutter for a single and Woakes swings and misses at another. Woakes drives for a single before point stops Rashid’s flashing cut. No run. The last ball is another short, slow one and Rashid pats it round the corner for a single.
England need 61 off five overs. Two from Stoinis, one from Cummins, two from Hazlewood who will continue for the 46th.
4:27PMOVER 44: ENG 223/8 (Woakes 19 Rashid 3)
Hazlewood starts with a short cutter and Willey pulls it off the bottom edge for four. The ball raced away to the rope and he didn’t middle it. The next ball is short but into Willey’s body and he can’t free his arms in the pull, short-arming it high to deep fine leg.
Rashid plays a wristy square drive for two that would have been four save for Warner’s committed dive. After Rashid tucks a single off his body, Woakes smears a short ball for four to end the over. Hope? Almost certainly not but a tantalising scintilla remains.
4:22PMWicket!
Willey c Zampa b Hazlewood 15 Terrific running, diving catch at deep fine leg off Willey’s top-edged pull. Diving headlong with both arms outstretched the ball stuck in the palm of his right hand as if it was iron and his hand a magnet. FOW 216/8
4:20PMOVER 43: ENG 212/7 (Woakes 15 Willey 11)
Starc has one over left and comes round the wicket to Woakes and starts with a wide. The next ball is in the slot, though, an Woakes steps away to leg to play an inside-out lofted cover drive for four. Woakes gets off strike with a leg-bye and Starc comes back over the wicket to Willey, drops short and the left-hander cuffs a pull for two.
Reverse swing for Starc now, late on, and the ball arcs into Willey’s pads and he flicks it off his toes for a single. One ball to go and again Starc sticks it in the slot for Woakes who creams a square drive for four. Thirteen off the over.
England require 75 off 42.
Hazlewood is coming back on.
4:14PMOVER 42: ENG 199/7 (Woakes 7 Willey 10)
Zampa to bowl out and Woakes cannot beat the offside ring off the first three deliveries. The right-hander flicks the googly for a single leaving two balls for Willey to see out. He blocks the first which looked like a slider and misses out on a cut from the last.
Brilliant figures: 10-0-21-3.
4:11PMOVER 41: ENG 198/7 (Woakes 6 Willey 10)
Starc returns. Willey adopts the two-eyed stance of his old man, albeit left-handed in his case, and whisks the first ball through midwicket for four. But after a swish at thin air outside off, he has to chisel out a shooter then plays a glorious back-foot cover drive for four that was positively Caribbean.
Starc angles the ball across the left-hander for a third wide and then Willey chops one into his knee off an inside edge and hops a single. England need 10 an over and take 11 from the 41st with Woakes off-drive for a single to add to Willey’s bounty.
4:07PMOVER 40: ENG 187/7 (Woakes 5 Willey 1)
Michael Atherton said England’s hopes rested on a partnership of 30 or 40 from Woakes and Moeen to set a platform for nine, 10, jack, but it wasn’t to be. And Zampa strikes from his first delivery with the replacement ball. By taking the wickets of Buttler, Stokes and Moeen, Zampa proves himself yet again Australia’s most valuable bowler. After nine overs he has three for 20. Odds on for man of the match barring a miracle.
4:02PMWicket!
Moeen c Warner b Zampa 42 He obviously felt it was time for Zampa to go, went for the slog sweep and holed out to cow corner about 2m in from the boundary. FOW 186/7
4:00PMOVER 39: ENG 186/6 (Moeen 42 Woakes 5)
Cummins bounces Moeen and he takes on the hook, top edging it over fine leg for four. The next ball is a bit fuller but not by much and Moeen flinches it off his body for a single. Woakes is tied up for three dot balls, unable to pierce the field but then plays a very deft and clever uppercut for four.
England need 101 off 66.
The umpires agree to a ball change from Zampa’s end.
3:57PMOVER 38: ENG 177/6 (Moeen 37 Woakes 1)
Very tidy over from Zampa. I would have thought there was an argument to send Willey or Wood in ahead of Woakes. Both are more explosive batsmen and England are in need of haymakers here as they’re way behind on the judges’ cards. Moeen works two singles into the onside and Woakes gets off the mark with a flick behind square.
3:53PMOVER 37: ENG 174/6 (Moeen 35 Woakes 0)
Cummins comes on for Hazlewood and is targeting Moeen’s chest and armpit. The left-hander gets on top of the bounce and pulls him along the ground for two singles. Livingstone’s rotten tournament with the bat continues and that looks like being that for him outside the T20 format as an international cricketer.
3:50PMWicket!
Livingstone c sub (Abbott) b Cummins 2 Tied him down with a couple of dot balls looking for the off-cutter into his pads then feeds him a shorter one that he pulls hard to midwicket where Abbott takes a terrific catch diving to his right. FOW 174/6
3:46PMOVER 36: ENG 171/5 (Moeen 33 Livingstone 1)
Cummins brings Zampa back, leaving two overs still to be found from Stoinis/Head/Green, though Green seems unlikely. And he gets Stokes who was trying to hit it over that man. He stays on his haunches for a moment and turns his hands upwards in resignation before departing.
Wicket!
Stokes c Stoinis b Zampa 64 ‘Oh no!’, shouts Stokes as he spoons a sweep to the man at short fine leg. And that may well be that. FOW 169/5
3:41PMOVER 35: ENG 169/4 (Stokes 64 Moeen 32)
Good afternoon. Hazlewood is carrying on for a seventh over and Moeen starts by tucking a single off his hip. Stokes, on the charge, is beaten by one bowled into the left-hander’s pads and it gates him as it arrows down the legside. Hazlewood sticks to that line from round the wicket. This time Stokes stands still and lets it go by for a wide.
Cummins has three catchers/sweepers out on the legside, trying to get Stokes to hole out off the shorter ball but he rolls his wrists on a cross-bat swipe and jogs the single. Hazlewood pitches up to Moeen who laces him through the covers with a beautiful cover drive for four. What a shot, what an artist when he delivers.
England need 118 off 90 at 7.86 RPO.
3:35PMOVER 34: ENG 162/4 (Stokes 63 Moeen 27)
Marcus Stoinis is brought back into the attack. Stoinis strays too straight and Moeen flicks away off his pads for four. Fine-leg can do nothing about that. Stoinis then drops too short and Moeen pulls him away for four in front of square. The partnership has just passed 50.
That is it from me. I will leave you in the very capable hands of Rob Bagchi, who will take you to the conclusion of this match. Can England get over the line?
3:29PMOVER 33: ENG 152/4 (Stokes 62 Moeen 18)
Josh Hazlewood is back into the attack. Moeen plays one of the best shots of the day. He drills a straight drive past Hazlewood for four, with the full face of the bat. The England 150 is up. They need 135 runs from 102 balls.
3:22PMOVER 32: ENG 146/4 (Stokes 61 Moeen 13)
Another six from Stokes. Head does not drop too short but Stokes rocks back and launches over deep mid-wicket. Moeen needs to stay in and support Stokes; he does not need to take any risks.
Drinks are taken.
3:19PMOVER 31: ENG 138/4 (Stokes 54 Moeen 12)
What a way to go to 50! Starc drops a bit short and Stokes launches him over square leg for six. That was a magnificent shot and England will need the miracle man to keep going.
3:14PMOVER 30: ENG 128/4 (Stokes 46 Moeen 11)
More changes in the bowling attack as Head is back on. Are England going to go after him? England only manage three singles thought. Pat Cummins will be delighted with Head getting through some overs fairly cheaply here.
“At the moment is drifting away and you feel if Stokes goes then all hope will drain out of the rest. They have competed, but for that to be seen as progress shows how far England have fallen. Buttler looks like he is playing Test cricket again: tense and fighting with himself to break free. Root is totally out of form and where has Bairstow’s mongrel gone? They can’t wait for the flight home.”
3:11PMOVER 29: ENG 125/4 (Stokes 44 Moeen 10)
Mitchell Starc is back into the attack. Pat Cummins has definitely shuffled the pack with his bowlers, constantly making changes to unsettle the England batsmen.
Moeen gets really good contact on a pull shot but finds the fielder. A few yards either side and that would have been an easy four.
Brilliant cricket all-round. Stokes cuts backward of square and it looks like it was going for four but Warner dives to prevent it, to keep it down to two. Off the last ball Moeen pulls in front of square and runs through for two.
3:06PMOVER 28: ENG 119/4 (Stokes 41 Moeen 7)
Two straight wides down the leg-side from Zampa to start off his latest over. Only one more run comes off the over though, which comes off the final delivery.
3:02PMOVER 27: ENG 116/4 (Stokes 41 Moeen 6)
Moeen gets a thick edge on Cummins’ first ball of his latest over and it flies away for four. Third-man could not get across because it travelled so quickly. Off the last ball Stokes pulls away and Head down at fine-leg cannot prevent the boundary. Stokes moves into the 40’s.
2:58PMOVER 26: ENG 107/4 (Stokes 37 Moeen 1)
So needless from Buttler. Moeen Ali is the new man at the crease. From the last 24 balls there have been just six runs and two wickets. Moeen is off the mark fifth ball with a single down to long-on.
2:55PMWicket
Buttler c Green b Zampa 1
What on earth are you doing Jos? The England captain looks completely frazzled. That is awful as he holes out to Green at long-off. Two wickets in quick succession is exactly what England did not need. That just about sums up Buttler’s tournament; terrible. FOW 106/4
2:53PMOVER 25: ENG 106/3 (Stokes 37 Buttler 1)
After the wicket of Malan, England need to rebuild and be patient again. The required rate is not too high and with the batsmen England have at their disposal they can easily catch up. Maiden over from Cummins.
Remember if you want to have your say you can give your opinion in the comments section at the bottom of the blog.
2:50PMOVER 24: ENG 106/3 (Stokes 37 Buttler 1)
Adam Zampa is back into the attack after the wicket of Malan with Buttler new at the crease. Just the three singles from that over.
2:46PMOVER 23: ENG 103/3 (Stokes 35 Buttler 0)
England captain Jos Buttler is the next man in. He gets an outside edge off the last ball but it falls a long way short of Green at first slip.
2:44PMWicket
Malan c Head b Cummins 50
Malan goes to 50 but a few balls later he is gone. He attempts to sweep Cummins but only skies it. It goes a long way up but Head holds on and Australia have a key breakthrough. FOW 103/3
2:40PMOVER 22: ENG 101/2 (Stokes 34 Malan 49)
England cannot afford to let Head just speed through these overs only going for three or four singles an over. Stokes is not going to allow him to as he comes down the wicket and drills it back over Head’s head for six! The England 100 is up. He gets lucky off the last ball as he tries a repeat but gets an inside edge. Not the best shot Stokes has ever played. He could have been stumped there.
2:37PMOVER 21: ENG 92/2 (Stokes 27 Malan 47)
Malan comes across his stumps to Stoinis and flicks him down the fine-leg for four. A few balls later he gets a little lucky. He goes for a pull and gets a top edge. But it lands safely and rolls away for four more. Malan is approaching 50.
2:34PMOVER 20: ENG 82/2 (Stokes 26 Malan 38)
Pat Cummins will be happy to see Head go for just three runs. England just need to pick the pace up here a little, nothing too dramatic but keep the scoreboard ticking over. They might think about targeting the part-time bowlers like Head and Stoinis to force Cummins to go back to his front-line bowlers.
2:31PMOVER 19: ENG 79/2 (Stokes 24 Malan 37)
Marcus Stoinis is coming into the attack. More good running from these two, which has been a trait of this partnership. Stokes comes down the ground and absolutely nails a pull, but it is straight at Starc at mid-wicket. One yard either side and that was four. Stokes will be so annoyed that he did not smash that for a boundary.
OVER 18: ENG 75/2 (Stokes 22 Malan 35)
Travis Head is coming on to replace Zampa. The off-spinner will get the ball to turn away from England’s two left-handers. Five singles come from the over.
2:24PMOVER 17: ENG 70/2 (Stokes 20 Malan 32)
Good running between the wickets there. Malan drops it down and it is not far away from going onto his own stumps. But Stokes calls him through and they get a single despite the fact that the ball did not go far away from the stumps.
That is Stokes’ best shot of the day by a country mile so far. He nails an on-drive, one of the hardest shots to perfect, just past the stumps and away for four. These two have brought up the 50 partnership, an important rebuild after yet another woeful start in this tournament.
2:19PMOVER 16: ENG 62/2 (Stokes 14 Malan 30)
Four runs come from the first over after the drinks break. The required run rate is 6.62.
This is the state-of-play as it stands. England are still alive, just!
2:12PMOVER 15: ENG 58/2 (Stokes 12 Malan 29)
Mitchell Starc is back into the attack, replacing Cummins. Five runs from Starc’s first over back into the attack.
Time for a drink.
2:09PMOVER 14: ENG 53/2 (Stokes 9 Malan 26)
Just three singles come from Zampa’s second over. There has not much been as much dew as had been expected so it will be interesting to see how much of an impact Zampa will have in this innings. England just need to continue building this partnership.
2:04PMOVER 13: ENG 50/2 (Stokes 8 Malan 25)
Malan whips Cummins off his pads away for two to deep mid-wicket. Cummins then digs it in short and Malan pulls away. He did not keep his eyes on it all the way but he just about keeps it down. Stokes then pulls away, not completely convincingly, for a single. The 50 is up for England.
2:01PMOVER 12: ENG 45/2 (Stokes 7 Malan 21)
Adam Zampa is into the attack to replace Hazlewood. Stokes is on just seven off 28 balls but he has to remain patient and stay in there. Things will get easier for him the longer he stays in. He cannot afford to give his wicket away now.
The game is over due to the rain in Bangalore and Pakistan have won miraculously on DLS by 21 runs. That means England are just about still alive, just!
1:58PMOVER 11: ENG 44/2 (Stokes 7 Malan 20)
Malan is slightly fortunate as he cuts away and gets a thick outside edge for four. Not quite where he intended it to go but he and England will take it. England need this partnership to just keep building.
1:53PMOVER 10: ENG 38/2 (Stokes 6 Malan 15)
England keep hitting the fielders at the moment. But they need to remain patient and not do what Stokes did against Mohammed Shami and India last time out. What a shot! Malan gets down on one leg and sweeps Hazlewood for six over square leg. That is an outrageous piece of cricket. Clearly Malan had had enough of hitting the fielders, he just went over them.
That is the end of the first powerplay.
1:46PMOVER 9: ENG 31/2 (Stokes 5 Malan 9)
Australia captain Pat Cummins has replaced Starc, who bowled an impressive opening spell. A good quick single from Malan off the first ball. It was Starc fielding at mid-off who was perhaps relaxing after this spell. Good fielder identification from Malan. Stokes makes great contact with a cut but finds Labuschagne. He will be annoyed he did not find the gap. Stokes repeats Malan’s trick with a quick single up to Starc at mid-off.
1:42PMOVER 8: ENG 29/2 (Stokes 4 Malan 8)
Stokes gets a bit of width from Hazlewood and he cuts away for three after good fielding from Warner. Malan then attempts to pull but it gets high on him and he is lucky it lands safely behind square.
OVER 7: ENG 25/2 (Stokes 1 Malan 7)
Australia really have given nothing away here. Not bowling too short or throwing up wide ones. England have batted poorly, yes, but Australia have been right on the money straight away. Malan just about gets an inside edge on that Starc inswinger. If he had not got any bat on that, he would have been plumb. Off the final ball Malan gets a bit of width and he smashes it through cover point for four. That is Malan’s real strength.
1:34PMOVER 6: ENG 20/2 (Stokes 1 Malan 3)
Hazlewood bowls a maiden over as Stokes is being cautious at the start of his innings here after two early wickets. The required rate is not too high so England can afford to take it easy for the next few overs in order to rebuild.
“It looks as though the incredible match in Bangalore is going to be rained off with Pakistan ahead on the DL method and on the brink claiming an incredible victory after conceding 400. It means Australia will have the glory of knocking England out of the World Cup if they win here, which feels very likely at the moment.”
1:29PMOVER 5: ENG 20/2 (Stokes 1 Malan 3)
Ben Stokes is in at number four. Marnus Labuschagne was convinced of a ‘massive noise’ and he was right on this occasion. I think most Australians would say that you would never trust Labuschagne with a review but he was spot-on here. Stokes is off the mark with a single.
1:26PMWicket
Root c Inglis Starc 13
There was an edge and Root is gone. He looked like getting out nearly every single ball he faced and his miserable innings ends. Once again England in big trouble. FOW 19/2
1:25PMIs Root gone this time?
Australia are convinced they have Root caught behind but nothing given. They review and it did sound like an edge. It sounded like a massive edge...
1:21PMOVER 4: ENG 19/1 (Root 13 Malan 3)
Stoinis has gone off to receive some treatment on his finger after that dropped catch in that previous over.
This has been a tight start with the ball from Australia, keeping the pressure on England. Root is a lucky, lucky boy. He tries to run it down to third man but it comes off the edge. Australia have two slips in place and it just evades the grasp of Smith at second slip and runs away for four. A big appeal for LBW from the last ball but Root got outside the line. He is living a charmed life at the moment.
1:17PMOVER 3: ENG 14/1 (Root 9 Malan 3)
Root dropped! He plays a cover drive aerially and Stoinis drops a sitter at cover. What a massive let-off for Root! Starc follows that up with an absolute seed to Malan. He gets a full ball to nip away and it somehow misses both Malan’s bat and the stumps. Malan takes a quick run to Zampa mid-on. That was close but Malan was safe. He probably identified it was Zampa fielding at mid-on, who is not the greatest fielder.
In Bangalore they did not last long and they are back off for rain. Pakistan are still ahead on DLS.
1:12PMOVER 2: ENG 11/1 (Root 7 Malan 2)
Josh Hazlewood will open up from the other end. Just three runs, including a wide, come off Hazlewood’s first over.
1:07PMOVER 1: ENG 8/1 (Root 6 Malan 1)
Malan gets off the mark with a single off the last ball of a dramatic first over.
1:07PMNot out
Brilliant umpiring from Erasmus. It pitched in-line, hit in-line but was going just over. Not out.
1:06PMIs Root in trouble?
Joe Root is in at number three and gets underway first ball with a punch for two through the off-side. That is glorious from Root. He drives past Cummins’ right-hand at mid-off for four. Root at his best. But is Root in trouble? Australia appeal but Marais Erasmus gives it not out. Australia review...
1:01PMWicket
Bairstow c Inglis b Starc 0
Mitchell Starc will open the bowling for Australia and he has a wicket first ball. Bairstow is caught down the leg-side and is gone for a golden duck. That perfectly encapsulates England’s campaign in one ball. Pathetic! FOW 0/1
𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗦𝗧 𝗣𝗢𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗕𝗟𝗘 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗧! ❌
FIRST-BALL DUCK FOR JONNY BAIRSTOW! 🦆 ☝️ pic.twitter.com/kdr7Df5TSG
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) November 4, 2023“That was Bairstow’s fourth duck on this ground after three on the nightmare covid tour here a couple of years ago. Really, that one was lame. A tentative glance at a ball swinging down leg from Starc. After stumpgate, the Aussies enjoyed that. Labuschagne was laughing his head off.”
12:58PMPlay about to get back underway
Australia are already out there, ready to take the field. Jonny Bairstow and Dawid Malan will open the batting for England. Can England bat properly today and chase 287 to win this game?
“I don’t want to sound a note of doom and gloom but England have won just one of their last nine chases in ODI cricket and that was in 2021. There is a good atmosphere tonight at the Modi Stadium. The official attendance is 33,000, bigger than any in England but about a quarter of the ground’s capacity.”
Meanwhile they are back on after rain in Bangalore. Pakistan require 170 more to win in 18 overs. It has been adjusted as they have lost overs.
12:49PMEoin Morgan on Sky Sports
“The only criticism I would have of England is how long they waited to get Rashid into the attack, given his record against Australia and Steve Smith.
“I probably would have turned to Rashid before Livingstone, to give him two or three overs to get into the game.
“The dew has not started falling yet, which is a little concerning. Jos Buttler, having elected to chase, would have expected the dew to form by now.
“If conditions don’t change, this is going to be a hell of a chase because Australia are an in-form team that are hard to stop.”
12:47PMRicky Ponting on Sky Sports
“I thought England were excellent and Australia were just a little bit off. England executed their plans, their ground fielding was good.
“Yes, Australia got away a little bit at the end but it doesn’t quite feel enough. They will rue the fact there were starts but that no one went and made a big score.
“Green getting out was a pivotal moment in the game. He was going nicely, the partnership with Stoinis was building.
“Then he played a shot I have never seen him play before in his career.”
The thoughts of Adil Rashid
“Yeah, it came out OK today, it was pretty nice to get into a rhythm early on. It was nice to get wickets in the first ten overs, which helped the spinners coming in in the middle to get that rhythm.
“For myself, you’re just trying to keep it pretty simple, bowl a few leggies, a few wrong ‘uns, trying to see if they pick - some days they do, some days they don’t. I got a wicket, fortunately for me.”
On bowling slower:
“I think it’s more of a gut feeling in the middle, you’re trying to assess it quite quickly. If the batsman are struggling with the slower pace then I try to stick to that, if they get hold of me I try to crank it up a bit more. So it’s on the day what’s required and today I felt bowling slow with a bit more revs, things were happening.
“We finished tremendously well, and all the way through. The boys put in, the bowlers put in as well, it was a good first half.
“It was quite a good pitch, I think we bowled well as a unit, up top, in the middle and at the death as well. We’re pretty pleased with that.”
12:43PMOver to England's batsmen
“With all the pressure gone, of course, England looked to be enjoying their cricket again. There were laughs and smiles, and not nervous ones.
“Stage 2: can a batsman lead them out of the mire? Not a quick 20 or 30 - we have seen far too many of those in this World Cup - but a long hard-working innings, keeping the ball on the ground mostly because it’s a slow pitch - and taking it deep to exploit Australia’s nerves.”
12:37PMReview at the interval
“England need 287 to win, a good performance in the field for the second match running has given them a chance against Australia, especially as the dew will fall and batting should become easier. But England need a good start, otherwise the bad memories will come flooding back quickly. It is three matches since an England batsman scored a fifty, and that was Harry Brook and he has not played since. Says it all really. Runs from Jos Buttler will be important. He has had a good game so far, handling his bowling changes well, but it will all be in vain if the batsmen fluff it again.
“Mark Wood deserved so much more than 2-70, bowling rockets and pushing back Australians like he did in the summer. Chris Woakes with 4-54 was excellent and his early blows of Warner and Head set the tone because without the unavailable Maxwell and Mitch Marsh, Australia had no firepower in the middle overs and drifted.”
12:29PMWicket and end of innings
Starc c Moeen b Woakes 10
That is the end of the Australia innings. Woakes again takes pace off the ball like the Zampa wicket and Starc can only find Moeen at cover. Australia are bowled out for 286 and England will require 287 runs to win this match. FOW 286 all out
12:25PMWicket
Zampa c Buttler b Woakes 29
England will have to bowl the last over with an extra man in the circle. Finally Zampa falls. He skies it and it goes a long way up. Buttler calls it and takes the catch. FOW 285/9
OVER 49: AUS 285/8 (Starc 10 Zampa 25)
David Willey will bowl the penultimate over. England are one over behind so they might have to have an extra man in the ring for the final over. How many times has this happened today? Starc skies it but Willey cannot get back in time and Root at long-off cannot get in time. Zampa then hoicks over mid-wicket for four. England will be annoyed that they are leaking runs here but will feel hard done by as they have had no luck. To prove that point Zampa tries a ramp and it hits the toe-end and runs out for a single.
12:18PMOVER 48: AUS 276/8 (Starc 8 Zampa 23)
Chris Woakes is back on. He goes short but Zampa pulls him away behind square for four. These are frustrating runs for England to concede, especially with their struggles with the bat so far in this competition. Zampa pushes the final ball of the over through cover for a couple.
12:13PMOVER 47: AUS 268/8 (Starc 7 Zampa 16)
Wood has been so, so unlucky. He bowls a ferocious bouncer at Zampa who gets something on it but it goes just over Buttler and away for four. Next ball he backs away and hits Wood through mid-on for four more. A batsman’s game is one-day cricket! This is just ridiculous! Zampa skies it into the leg-side and once again it falls safely.
12:09PMOVER 46: AUS 257/8 (Starc 7 Zampa 5)
David Willey comes back into the attack. Off the final ball Zampa skies it and Buttler tries to run back to catch it but it bounces just beyond him.
12:04PMOVER 45: AUS 250/8 (Starc 3 Zampa 2)
Adam Zampa comes in at number ten and he gets off the mark with an inside edge. The 250 is up for Australia. Five overs remain.
12:01PMWicket
Cummins c Malan b Wood 10
Mark Wood returns. Once again he is so unlucky. He bowls a good ball to Cummins but the Australian captain guides one down to third-man for four. But he has his second wicket. He bangs it in short and it comes off the splice of Cummins’ bat. It loops into the air for the easiest of catches for Malan at short mid-wicket. That was too quick for Cummins. FOW 248/7
OVER 44: AUS 243/7 (Starc 2 Cummins 6)
What an eventful over that was! Boundaries and an important wicket for England. Mitchell Starc is the new man at the crease.
Wicket
Stoinis c Bairstow b Livingstone 35
Liam Livingstone is going to return to the attack. You would imagine Stoinis will take him on. And he does as he launches a sweep over deep mid-wicket and into the crowd. Livingstone then drops short, Stoinis waits on the back foot and smashes it over Livingstone’s head for four.
But Livingstone has his man. Stoinis tries to go again but picks out Bairstow at deep mid-wicket, who takes a good catch. FOW 241/7
“Big over for England from Livingstone. Buttler had to find one more over from Moeen or Livingstone and when the first three balls cost ten runs you feared for England. But Bairstow exemplified England’s excellent fielding today, taking a good tumbling catch over his head as Stoinis looked to launch another leg side six. England have picked up wickets at key times all day. No Australian has stayed in, they keep getting pegged back. England are in a great position here.”
11:52AMOVER 43: AUS 231/6 (Stoinis 25 Cummins 6)
Cummins gets fortunate there as he slices it just over point’s head for a couple. Cummins then plays a great drive straight down the ground but Root does well running across from long-on to prevent the boundary.
11:48AMOVER 42: AUS 226/6 (Stoinis 24 Cummins 2)
Adil Rashid comes back into the attack to bowl his final over. Just two runs come from that over and that is Rashid bowled out. He finishes with excellent figures of 10 overs, 2-38.
11:44AMOVER 41: AUS 224/6 (Stoinis 23 Cummins 1)
Australia captain Pat Cummins joins Stoinis at the crease and is off the mark with a single second ball.
11:43AMWicket
Green b Willey 47
Important breakthrough for England! Green comes across his stumps and tries to sweep over fine-leg, who is very square. But he misses and his leg stump is taken out of the ground. As the saying goes, ‘You miss, I hit!’ FOW 223/6
11:38AMOVER 40: AUS 220/5 (Stoinis 20 Green 47)
Stoinis pulls Woakes in front of square for four. Too short from Woakes.
Ten overs remain in Ahmedabad. What total will Australia reach? What will England be happy chasing? Remember you can have your say in the comments section at the bottom of the blog.
11:34AMUnlucky Wood
“Lies, damned lies, statistics… and bowling figures. Mark Wood’s figures of 8-0-52-1 so far don’t begin to reflect his effort and his impact in dismissing Marnus Labuschagne. Through the decades of Odis medium pacers have usually got away with much better figures. Posterity needs to know that Wood busted a gut in the Ahmedabad heat.”
11:33AMOVER 39: AUS 212/5 (Stoinis 15 Green 45)
David Willey has come back into the attack. He bowled five overs up front in the first powerplay. England have let Australia back into this game. When Inglis fell, Australia were 117-4.
That is terrific fielding from Woakes. He dives to stop the boundary at deep square-leg and throws quickly to stop the two.
Again, how do England not have a run-out? Stoinis turns a single down and Green has to turn back from halfway down the wicket. He gets back just in time. Had Rashid been a bit faster Green would have been out.
11:27AMOVER 38: AUS 210/5 (Stoinis 14 Green 44)
Green has just played one of the shots of the day, drilling the returning Woakes through cover for four.
Off the penultimate ball Stoinis whips off his pads behind square for a couple. How have England not had a run-out today? Another miscommunication between the Australian batsmen and Green was nearly out. Had Malan hit Green might have been gone.
11:21AMOVER 37: AUS 202/5 (Stoinis 11 Green 39)
Wood has just bowled a delivery at 95.4mph. That is rapid! He has only taken the one wicket so far and been a bit on the expensive side, but he has deserved so much more than he has got.
Off the final ball Stoinis slices it past point for four. That brings the 200 up for Australia.
In the other match today in Bangalore, Pakistan have made a strong start chasing a mammoth 402. Fakhar Zaman has just gone past 100 and they are 160-1 off 21.3 overs, but the match is delayed due to rain. Remarkably Pakistan are ahead of the DLS score, so if there is no more play in Bangalore Pakistan would win!
11:15AMOVER 36: AUS 197/5 (Stoinis 7 Green 38)
Stoinis goes after Rashid for the first time and sweeps him over wide long-on for six. Next ball Rashid tosses it up and it goes just past the edge. Intelligent bowling from Rashid.
11:12AMOVER 35: AUS 190/5 (Stoinis 1 Green 37)
Good piece of fielding from substitute fielder Harry Brook down at third-man, who stops the four. Green gets another couple off his pads behind square on the leg-side.
Green has looked very uncomfortable against the short-pitched bowling and Wood hits him on the gloves, without Green knowing much about it. Wood then bowls a good yorker outside off and Green directs it for four past third-man. Wood cannot believe it. He has bowled a great ball there but has gone for four. Wood has caused Green a lot of problems and will be wondering how he has not got him out.
OVER 34: AUS 181/5 (Stoinis 1 Green 28)
Marcus Stoinis comes to the crease and Adil Rashid has a great record against him. Stoinis gets off the mark in fortunate style with a single from a googly that he did not pick. England are just one wicket away from the bowlers. Just three singles from the over.
11:01AMWicket
Labuschagne LBW Wood 71
It is three reds and Wood does have his man. There were three wides and a boundary in that over but that was crashing into leg stump and England make an important breakthrough. FOW 178/5
11:00AMDo England have Labuschagne?
Wood must be wondering how he has not got Green out? Green tries to pull him into the leg-side and it loops into the air, but unfortunately for England into a gap. Labuschagne drives backward of square just past point for four. This has been an expensive over from Wood but does he have Labuschagne? He is given out LBW by Marais Erasmus. Labuschagne reviews. This would be big for England...
10:49AMOVER 32: AUS 166/4 (Labuschagne 67 Green 21)
Rashid is bowling really well here; just four runs coming off that over. He has figures of seven over, 2-26.
Time for drinks.
10:46AMOVER 31: AUS 162/4 (Labuschagne 64 Green 20)
Mark Wood is going to come back into the attack, replacing Livingstone. Buttler now has complete variety at both ends; leg-spin from one end, extreme pace from the other.
Green’s square drive bounces over the head of point and with the quick outfield it runs away for four. Wood nearly gets him next ball as he is close to finding the edge of Green’s bat.
How was that not out? Green swings hard, his bat goes flying and the ball goes up in the air, but goes in between four England players. Luckily the bat did not hit anyone. Off the final ball Green gets a thick outside edge and it runs away for a second boundary of the over. Cricket, eh?
"It was ALL GOING OFF there!" 😅
Cam Green slogs one...ball goes up but his bat goes FLYING...and it's safe!
A wry smile from Jos Buttler 😏 pic.twitter.com/jFWtyBu0As
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) November 4, 2023 10:40AMOVER 30: AUS 153/4 (Labuschagne 63 Green 12)
Is that a drop catch? No. Labuschagne hits it hard back at Rashid but it is just short of him. Just the one run from that over. Good, tight bowling from Rashid.
10:36AMOVER 29: AUS 152/4 (Labuschagne 62 Green 12)
Livingstone drops way too short and Labuschagne powerfully cuts it away. It looks like it is going for four but good fielding from Bairstow prevents the boundary. Australia bring up the 150.
Green comes down the ground and pushes into the off-side for a couple.
10:33AMOVER 28: AUS 146/4 (Labuschagne 59 Green 9)
That is quality batting from Labuschagne. He has had a couple of thick edges off Moeen but this time off Rashid it is a lovely guided shot to third-man that brings him a couple. He then cuts Rashid behind point which beats deep cover to the boundary.
10:30AMOVER 27: AUS 138/4 (Labuschagne 52 Green 8)
Livingstone has replaced Moeen. Stokes does well on the wide long-off boundary to prevent the four but Green comes back for two.
Australia have been lucky there has not been a run-out so far as there was another miscommunication. Livingstone then gets to full as Green whips a full-toss away for four past mid-wicket.
Remember you can have your say in the comments section at the bottom of the blog.
10:27AMOVER 26: AUS 129/4 (Labuschagne 50 Green 1)
Labuschagne flicks off his pads off Rashid and comes through for two. That was good placement from Australia’s number four. Rashid then drops a bit short and Labuschagne pulls in front of square for two more. A single to deep cover takes Labuschagne to his 50.
“For the second game in a row, Jos Buttler has captained well. He has been proactive with his fields, posting two slips to Woakes and one for Moeen, and men out to tempt the big shots against the spinners. He fiddled three overs out of Livingstone when he knew Australia were rebuilding knowing they would not take risks, and there has been plenty of energy in the field from a team that knows it is going home early. Australia have been placid and badly miss Maxwell and Marsh.”
10:23AMOVER 25: AUS 124/4 (Labuschagne 45 Green 1)
Labuschagne is so lucky there. He goes for the drive but gets a thick outside edge and it runs away for four. That is the second time he has done that against Moeen already. Green looks like he is going to use his feet a lot to Moeen, so it could be entertaining between those two.
10:19AMOVER 24: AUS 119/4 (Labuschagne 40 Green 1)
Cam Green is in at number six. Rashid has started really well and it does beg the question why he did not come on five, six overs earlier.
10:16AMWicket
Inglis c Moeen b Rashid 3
Two wickets in quick succession and it is the same combination again. Inglis opts for the reverse sweep off just his sixth ball and is caught at short third-man again by Moeen. Very, very strange batting by Inglis. FOW 117/4
10:14AMOVER 23: AUS 117/3 (Labuschagne 39 Inglis 3)
With that wicket England can really squeeze Australia here. Just three singles come from Moeen’s third over, which was better than his first two.
10:12AMOVER 22: AUS 114/3 (Labuschagne 38 Inglis 1)
Josh Inglis is the new man in at number five and he is off the mark first ball.
10:10AMWicket
Smith c Moeen b Rashid 44
That is why Rashid should have come into the attack earlier. He has the big wicket of Smith, who tries to force it through the off-side on the back foot. But he gets a thick outside edge and Moeen takes a good diving catch at short third-man. FOW 113/3
OVER 21: AUS 111/2 (Labuschagne 37 Smith 43)
So close to a wicket for England! Smith comes down the ground to Moeen and Woakes can only get a fingertip on it at mid-off and it runs away for four. Lucky, lucky Smith. 10 from Moeen’s latest over, he has been expensive so far in his first couple of overs.
“The last hour of this England v Australia game has shown, I’m afraid, why 50-over internationals have given way to T20. Working bowlers around for singles in the middle overs: it has to be done but is not spectacular.”
10:04AMOVER 20: AUS 101/2 (Labuschagne 35 Smith 35)
Adil Rashid is now into the attack, replacing Livingstone. England need to break this partnership. Australia take their score past 100. Just the three singles from Rashid’s first over. Should he have come in earlier when Australia were 60-2 instead of 100-2?
10:01AMOVER 19: AUS 98/2 (Labuschagne 33 Smith 34)
Moeen Ali is coming into the attack to replace Wood. Still no Rashid into the attack. Is Buttler holding him back? Labuschagne gets a huge slice of luck as he tries to slash into the off-side. He goes back to a full ball and it flies off the outside edge and away for four. Next ball is close to a run-out. Australia go for a quick single to Livingstone at short mid-wicket and had he hit, Smith would have been out. Opportunity missed for England.
Smith rubs salt into the wounds as he guides one past short third-man for four.
9:57AMOVER 18: AUS 88/2 (Labuschagne 28 Smith 29)
Six singles coming from Livingstone’s over as Australia bring up the 50 partnership.
9:54AMOVER 17: AUS 82/2 (Labuschagne 25 Smith 26)
“It is very difficult to gauge the size of the crowd because this stadium is so big but I reckon there are more than 40,000 here now and it will continue to fill up as the day goes and the temperature drops. I quite like this stadium. It feels more intimate than the MCG perhaps because it only has two tiers compared to the four in the Shane Warne stand. The surrounding area is still being cleared and readied for the 2036 Olympic bid. Jay Shah, head of the BCCI who spearheaded the building of this stadium, said to a couple of us on the flight from Lucknow the other day that it hosts 41 sports already, not sure how, and 200 hectares will be set aside for an athlete’s village.”
9:53AMNot out
It is a poor review. The ball was going down leg and missing the leg stump, so England lose the review.
9:52AMEngland review
That is a superb piece of cricket. Labuschagne drills a cover drive off the middle of the bat for four. But does Mark Wood have him next ball? England appeal for LBW but nothing given. They decide to review. This looks like a poor review...
9:48AMOVER 16: AUS 76/2 (Labuschagne 21 Smith 25)
Labuschagne squeezes past point off Livingstone’s first ball after drinks for a couple. Six runs coming from Livingstone’s second over.
How much longer will it be until we see Rashid into the attack?
9:43AMOVER 15: AUS 70/2 (Labuschagne 17 Smith 23)
Wood is bowling very quickly and causing Smith and Labuschagne some problems, especially with the short ball. They are finding it difficult to get the runs flowing. Off the last ball Labuschagne tucks into the leg-side and they just about make it through for three after some mis-communication between the wickets that could easily have lead to a run-out.
Time for a drink.
9:37AMOVER 14: AUS 64/2 (Labuschagne 13 Smith 21)
Liam Livingstone is coming on to bowl to replace Woakes after a long opening spell. Interesting that Jos Buttler has turned to Livingstone ahead of Adil Rashid. Maybe Buttler wants to get a few overs out of the way and fairly cheaply, whilst these two are not being too aggressive. Livingstone’s first over goes for just three runs.
“It’s striking that England have now kept the same XI for three matches in a row, resisting the temptation to bring in Harry Brook or Gus Atkinson. Personally I feel that not playing Brook, especially, is a waste - there’s every chance that he could be captaining this side in four years time, and there was a core of England players who played in the terrible 2015 campaign before playing in 2019. But the sense is that this is the team structure that England always envisaged for this World Cup - a tacit admission that their line-up in Mumbai, when David Willey batted as high as seven, was a mistake.”
9:34AMOVER 13: AUS 61/2 (Labuschagne 12 Smith 19)
Wood is steaming in. England know how important it will be to break this partnership early in order to get the likes of Green and Stoinis in early. Wood’s second over goes for just three, like his first.
9:29AMOVER 12: AUS 58/2 (Labuschagne 11 Smith 17)
Woakes is now into his sixth over; he bowled seven on the bounce at the start of the game against India in Lucknow last weekend. He finds the outside edge of Labuschagne’s bat but it falls well short of Root at first slip.
Woakes drops too short and Labuschagne pulls it in front of square for four. Woakes will be so disappointed there that he has let Labuschagne off the hook. He is back to it next ball though as he gets another outside edge, which just evades Root. Great fielding from Rashid on the third-man boundary restricts it to just one.
OVER 11: AUS 51/2 (Labuschagne 6 Smith 15)
First bowling change of the day as we exit the opening powerplay as Mark Wood has replaced Willey. Just three singles come from Wood’s first over.
In other news at the World Cup India’s Hardik Pandya has been ruled out of the rest of the tournament.
9:20AMOVER 10: AUS 48/2 (Labuschagne 5 Smith 13)
Just the one run from Woakes’s fifth over and that is the end of the first powerplay. England have won that opening powerplay but they did the same last Sunday against India and we all know how that game ended up.
“Keeping an eye on Bangalore and the New Zealand match against Pakistan. If New Zealand win, England will be out before they start their innings here. New Zealand have just posted 401-6 from their 50 overs. Surely, game over. A New Zealand win eliminates four teams: England, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Netherlands. Only Afghanistan will be able to break into the top four.”
9:15AMOVER 9: AUS 47/2 (Labuschagne 5 Smith 12)
That is probably the best shot of the day so far. Labuschagne drives Willey past Stokes at wide mid-off for four. He did not try to hit that too hard and just leant on the ball. Beautiful piece of cricket. Smith goes for a risky single to Bairstow, whose under-arm throw from short cover just misses. That would have been close if it had hit.
Elsewhere in Bangalore, New Zealand have smashed 401-6 off their 50 overs. Remember if New Zealand win that will knock England out officially.
9:11AMOVER 8: AUS 41/2 (Labuschagne 1 Smith 11)
Rightly so England continue to have two slips in place. Woakes comes very close to snapping up Smith, whose inside edge just evades the stump but brings two for Australia’s number three. England can really build the pressure by bowling a lot of dot balls, with Head and Warner out.
9:07AMOVER 7: AUS 39/2 (Labuschagne 1 Smith 9)
Labuschagne could have been out second ball and he is nearly out third ball as he is not far off chopping onto his own stumps. Willey bowls a maiden over and England are on top. They have to make sure they go in for the kill now, which is what the 2019 team would have done in this situation.
9:03AMOVER 6: AUS 39/2 (Labuschagne 1 Smith 9)
Marnus Labuschagne is in at number four and gets off the mark with a fortunate inside edge. That was close to a LBW. England have two slips in place to Labuschagne. They are on the attack, sniffing for a third Australian wicket.
“Well, we talked about the Ashes in the previews and it seems there is a hangover for the Australians, particularly against Chris Woakes, winner of the Compton-Miller medal and star of the final Oval Test. For the fifth time in a row he dismissed Dave Warner, Wiley taking a good skier, and he had Travis Head caught at slip. Now let’s see how Smith and Labuschagne get on - two nurdlers in early.”
9:01AMWicket
Warner c Willey b Woakes 15
Crash, bang, wallop! Warner has just smashed Woakes back over his head for six. You can see why Warner has scored two centuries and a half-century in his last three innings. But famous last words (luckily for us England fans!). Warner goes after Woakes again but only splices it high into the air on the leg-side. Willey takes the catch at mid-on. It went a long way up so a decent catch from Willey. Australia’s two dangerous left-handed opening batsmen both back in the pavilion inside the opening six overs. FOW 38/2
8:57AMOVER 5: AUS 32/1 (Warner 9 Smith 9)
Off the final ball of Willey’s third over he gets too straight and Smith flicks it off his pads past short fine-leg for four. That ruins a good, probing over from Willey.
8:55AMNot out
So close for England! There was no bat involved so to the LBW we go. Hawk-eye says it was only clipping the top of the stumps so it stays with the original not out decision. That shows how important getting the on-field decision is.
8:54AMHave England got Warner?
England are convinced they have Warner but Marais Erasmus does not think so. Jos Buttler takes a long time to consider a review but he does so at the last second...
8:51AMOVER 4: AUS 26/1 (Warner 8 Smith 4)
Smith comes way across his stumps again and it strikes him on the pads. Root appeals loudly at first slip but it looked like it was going down leg. The replays show that was the case. In the end it went down to fine-leg for three leg-byes.
A few balls later Warner swipes Woakes behind square for four. It was not that short from Woakes but Warner, with his low centre of gravity, got underneath it and pulled it away. That is too wide from Woakes and Warner swings his hands hard through the ball over backward point for a couple.
8:45AMOVER 3: AUS 15/1 (Warner 0 Smith 4)
Nearly halfway through the third over Warner will get to face his first ball. Warner must have thought he would get off the mark there after drilling a cover drive off the middle of his bat. But it is straight at Moeen at cover. Two slips in place. Just one run from Willey’s second over. Warner is yet to get off the mark.
8:42AMOVER 2: AUS 14/1 (Warner 0 Smith 3)
Steve Smith is the new batsman and he is so lucky. He comes across his stumps and gets squared up. He gets an outside edge which goes past point for three. England could so easily have had their second wicket there.
8:40AMWicket
Head c Root Woakes 11
Chris Woakes will open from the other end and he has an early wicket. Head tries to work it down to third-man but he only gets an outside edge to Root, positioned at first slip, who takes a simple catch. England with their first strike and a dangerman is out. FOW 11/1
𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗟𝗬 𝗪𝗜𝗖𝗞𝗘𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗘𝗡𝗚𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗗! ❌
"The line and length is absolutely perfect" and Head is back in the shed! ⬅️ pic.twitter.com/Zk3JMI86NS
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) November 4, 2023 8:37AMAhmedabad unrecognisable
“This has been my first trip to Ahmedabad for 11 years, since England lost the first Test of the 2012 tour that they went on to win 3-1. The city is unrecognisable. New roads, hotels and a new cricket stadium are examples of this now being a real seat of power, and of course if the home of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Running is hard in India - broken pavements, traffic and stray dogs can make it far from fun - but this week I’ve been able to get out of the hotel at sunrise and run a few miles on the new riverfront promenade along the Sabarmati River. It will be 31 kms long when finished and it is clean, traffic free and full of runners, cyclists and yogis first thing in the morning. “
8:35AMOVER 1: AUS 9/0 (Warner 0 Head 9)
Head gets underway first ball. He just drops it into the off-side and comes back for a couple. He seemingly just tapped that which showed how well he timed it. It only takes four balls for Head to go after Willey over mid-off. He does not get all of it and it plugs on impact. The ball is slowly rolling towards the boundary and Moeen just about stops it. Australia only ran two there; poor running.
Head swings hard next ball and slashes it over cover for four. Head has clearly decided he has seen enough and that only took a few balls. Nine runs from the first over.
“Why not give Mark Wood that first over? I know he doesn’t like the new ball but we know Travis Head is not keen on short and fast and just for one over do something the Australians are not expecting. A little imagination can go a long way. Remember when Joe Root got Chris Gayle out in the World T20 final bowling the second over?”
8:29AMReady to get going
The anthems are done and England make their way out. They are virtually out of the tournament but it is time to restore some pride against our biggest rivals. It will be David Warner and Travis Head to open for Australia. David Willey will open the bowling for England.
"He's playing games of cricket where he's CONSTANTLY looking over his shoulder to see if he's going to be the person left out AGAIN!" 🗣️ 🤔
Eoin Morgan feels big setbacks influenced the timing of David Willey's decision to retire from international cricket 🏴 pic.twitter.com/l1Sw4Yxcw0
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) November 4, 2023 8:25AMReminder of the team news
England put Australia in to bat in Ahmedabad! 🏴 🇦🇺
No changes for the defending champions 🤝
Green and Stoinis replace Marsh and Maxwell for Australia 🔃 pic.twitter.com/ubwq3dw2ZJ
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) November 4, 2023 8:24AMAnthem time
The players have made their way out onto the outfield for the national anthems. It is very hot in the huge arena in Ahmedabad.
8:22AMBowling first the right call?
“It is very hot in Ahmedabad this afternoon but it is less humid than Mumbai and the air cleaner, if not exactly crisp and fresh. England’s decision to bowl first is a gamble given the Mumbai meltdown against South Africa but it was very dewy here the other night when England trained under the lights and Buttler thinks the pitch will quicken up. I’m less bothered about the toss than the decision not to pick Harry Brook - the only player in the top six with a 50 overs future. Instead the out of form 36 year old Moeen Ali gets another run.
“Also, David Willey plays. Fair enough, it would have looked vindictive not to pick him but he has set himself up here for a fall after his retirement announcement mid-tournament, and wouldn’t the Aussies love that? He was noticeably enthusiastic at both net sessions this week, and is a good pro so will give everything I’m sure.”
8:19AMElsewhere today
There is a match already underway in Bangalore, where New Zealand are taking on Pakistan. New Zealand are 307-3 off 40 overs, with Rachin Ravindra notching up another century, his third in his debut World Cup. If New Zealand win that will officially knock England out.
8:17AMStoinis and Green in for Australia
For Australia, Marcus Stoinis and Cameron Green come in for Glenn Maxwell, who is out with concussion, and Mitch Marsh, who has returned home for personal reasons.
Australia XI: Warner, Head, Smith, Labuschagne, Green, Stoinis, Inglis (wk), Cummins (c), Starc, Zampa, Hazlewood
8:15AMNo fun?
England’s players have said they cannot put their finger on what is wrong. To any outsider one point is obvious: they are not enjoying their cricket. Their faces have been grim and tense. So today it would be good to see some smiles and laughs… and the change of mood might lead to a better result.
8:14AMStokes to undergo surgery
Ben Stokes is going to undergo knee surgery after the conclusion of the World Cup to fix a long-standing problem. The England Test captain is hoping to be fit for the start of the Test series in India, which gets underway in late January.
Pat Cummins speaking at the toss
“We were going to have a bat so we are not too upset with the toss.
“We have taken the game on in this tournament - our opening batters have epitomised that - and done a lot of things really well.
“Any England-Australia clash always has a little bit of spice so it is very exciting to play them. It’s always a game you circle.”
8:09AMEngland unchanged
8:04AMEngland win the toss
Jos Buttler has won the toss and England are going to field first. He was won plenty of tosses at this World Cup but England have not benefitted from that. It is hot in Ahmedabad but there could be some dew later in the game.
Jos Buttler speaking to Sky Sports at the toss:
“The pitch looks tacky, I think it will get better as the day goes on - but we just have to play better cricket.
“We know we have been short of our best but a game against Australia is always something that brings intensity.
“There is always plenty to play for when you pull on an England shirt - personal pride, Champions Trophy qualification, playing Australia.”
7:59AMToss imminent
We are just moments away from the toss in Ahmedabad...
7:59AMYour predictions
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7:57AMFancy a bet?
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7:49AMBattle with the old enemy
Despite a nightmare tournament so far, England batsman Joe Root has said that he would choose England’s team over Australia’s every time. England are on the verge of a group-stage World Cup exit having lost five of their first six games but Root has given his full backing to his team-mates.
“Man for man I’d have this team every day over the Australians. We might not have played as well as we can but when we play our best stuff, the best teams struggle to compete with us.
“We have to remember that and take that into the next couple of days, both in physical practice and mentally to make sure we’re in that frame of mind to take on Australia, which is what it’s about for us now.”
Root has also given his backing to captain Jos Buttler, who has come under pressure due to England’s woeful showing so far at the tournament. But Root says the players have let down their captain.
“I feel this isn’t a reflection of his captaincy. He’s a brilliant leader, he’s got a great cricket mind on the field, and he’ll do a number of wonderful things as an England captain in the future.
“If it’s another motivator for us as a group of players, it’s to start performing to a level that is respectful to him as a captain.”
England sit bottom of the table having lost five out of six, including defeat to India last Sunday where once again the batting was abysmal. Meanwhile Australia, after a slow start to the tournament, sit in third place and have three games remaining including today’s fixture in Ahmedabad.
Australia will be without all-rounder Mitchell Marsh, who has returned home due to personal reasons. No timeframe has been given for his return. Australia will also be without Glenn Maxwell, who is suffering from concussion after falling off a golf buggy on Monday.
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