Champions Trophy 2024/25, AUS vs ENG 4th Match, Group B Match Preview

Australia and England, coming off series defeats, face each other in the Champions Trophy opener. Australia, lacking key bowlers Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood, relies on a batting lineup led by Travis Head. Meanwhile, England seeks to improve under Brendon McCullum’s leadership after recent ODI losses. The teams have similar struggles, with Australia’s depth tested and England’s batting restructured. Jos Buttler’s captaincy hangs in the balance as he seeks to regain form alongside Harry Brook. They both aim to break their losing streaks, heightened by the competitive rivalry that shapes their matchup.

Overview: Both teams facing series setbacks

Can you believe it? Australia and England not only find themselves in the same group at a global tournament, but their Champions Trophy campaigns also kick off against each other. ICC, you’ve done it again! Amid the predictable financial motives, there’s an undeniable thrill—without even bringing up the “A” word. These two fierce rivals are in distinctive positions: a champion Australian side missing some key players, and an England team increasingly anxious to recapture former glory.

The absence of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood lends a less formidable air to the ODI World Cup holders, shifting the emphasis onto a batting lineup spearheaded by Travis Head’s philosophy of “Let’s give it a go.” How this pressure will influence what is largely a seasoned batting group remains to be seen, especially with skipper Steven Smith—filling in for Cummins and the unfit Mitchell Marsh—navigating the optimal combinations for his top seven.

Australia’s ability to bring in Nathan Ellis, Sean Abbott, Spencer Johnson, and Ben Dwarshius to replace key bowlers showcases the notable depth in Australian cricket, despite most of those bowlers, with the exception of Abbott, having made their name in T20 cricket. Applying that success to 50-over formats will be its own hurdle. Australia is not overly concerned with their recent 2-0 ODI series defeat against Sri Lanka, and similarly, England has its own grievances, despite their 3-0 setback to India resulting in considerable ire and derision.

The main observations from a group that seems to maintain good morale after losing all four ODI series post the 2023 World Cup were insufficient training and excessive golfing. As expected, negative vibes have no room in Brendon McCullum’s world.

To alleviate the pressure from their disappointing month in India, England’s break to the UAE aims to rid themselves of the burdens of travel and defeat, while also dodging the media frenzy about not focusing on the right type of white-ball cricket. However, McCullum’s role demands a more hands-on, technically driven strategy, as the team appears uncomfortable with both bat and ball in this format.

How much McCullum can affect change in such a brief period—having only recently taken charge of the limited-overs side—will be assessed in the weeks to come. At this moment, having a familiar adversary on the horizon could instill a bit of extra spirit and energy.

For Jos Buttler, the next fortnight will be crucial in deciding whether he will continue as captain. His earlier promise to be more upbeat seemed optimistic and remains so. However, after missing all of England’s ODIs in 2024, he will benefit from having played three matches earlier this February.

Among the matches missed by Buttler due to a calf injury was the five-match series against Australia at the end of the home summer, allowing for increased familiarity at the international level between the players, many of whom have also competed together domestically.

Australia, featuring several alternates added to their Champions Trophy squad, managed a 3-2 victory back then after having started 2-0 ahead but taking their foot off the accelerator. All five matches had significant margins of victory. Just as with India, Australia’s spinners thrived against England’s batters, with Adam Zampa leading the assault, complemented by solid contributions from Glenn Maxwell, Marnus Labuschagne, and Head.

Recent performance

(last five completed matches, most recent first)

Australia: LLLLW
England: LLLLW

Spotlight on: Spencer Johnson and Harry Brook

Starc is nearly irreplaceable in white-ball cricket. Yet, if you’re going to give a shot to a six-foot-four bowler who hurls left-arm fast deliveries, this is a solid approach. The majority of Spencer Johnson’s exploits have come in T20, and with just three ODI caps over more than a year, the pressure of stepping into Starc’s shoes at both ends of an innings will be significant. After claiming his first wickets in Sri Lanka this month, Johnson has much to deliver in Pakistan.

Speaking of Pakistan, is there a better venue for Harry Brook to find his form again? This country and its pitches have suited him well, especially in Tests where he boasts an average of 84.10, including four centuries—most recently, a triple. The newly appointed vice-captain of England left the tour of India in a slump, averaging just 16.66 in ODIs due to difficulties in tackling spin effectively. However, he can draw confidence from having captained successfully against Australia last year, including scoring his first ODI century against them at Chester-le-Street.

Team updates

Given the absences, Australia’s pace attack almost selects itself. Allrounder Aaron Hardie, who directly benefits from Marcus Stoinis’ retirement from the 50-over format just before the tournament, could sit out to allow Labuschagne to play as an additional batter. Dwarshius’s left-hand/left-arm option might give him an edge over Abbott for the allrounder spot.

Australia (likely): 1 Travis Head, 2 Matthew Short, 3 Steve Smith (capt), 4 Josh Inglis (wk), 5 Marnus Labuschagne, 6 Alex Carey, 7 Glenn Maxwell, 8 Sean Abbott/Ben Dwarshius, 9 Nathan Ellis, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Spencer Johnson

England revealed their lineup two days before the match—earlier than their usual standards—with Jamie Smith returning fit from a calf injury and batting at No. 3 while also taking on wicketkeeping duties. This strategy, while not extreme, means moving Joe Root to No. 4 and replacing Phil Salt, who was the wicketkeeper during the ODI series in India. With only four frontline bowling options, Root and Liam Livingstone need to collaborate effectively to present a viable fifth option. The pace of Mark Wood and Jofra Archer, who returns for his first 50-over tournament since his Super Over heroics in the 2019 World Cup final, will pose a significant challenge to Australia.

England: 1 Phil Salt, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Jamie Smith (wk), 4 Joe Root, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Jos Buttler, 7 Liam Livingstone, 8 Brydon Carse, 9 Jofra Archer, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Mark Wood

Pitch and conditions

ODI pitches at Gaddafi Stadium are typically flat and conducive to heavy scoring. The venue hosted two matches in the recent tri-series, with New Zealand scoring 330 for 6 against Pakistan, then successfully chasing down 305 with six wickets and eight balls to spare. Lahore’s weather is expected to be slightly cooler than during the tri-series partly due to recent rain, which impacted England’s preparations on Thursday. At this time of year, dew is seldom an issue.

Australia and England share a close head-to-head record in the Champions Trophy, with England holding a slight lead at 3-2.

Maxwell and Buttler are the only players still available from the teams’ squads in the 2013 tournament.

Archer is just two wickets short of reaching 50 in ODIs.

Jamie Smith has batted at No. 3 only once in 18 List A innings—against Kent while playing for Surrey in 2019.

Statements

“I know I’ll face a challenge with the fast bowling England has. They are top-notch, well-skilled, and fast. I must ensure I start strong, earn my position, and see where it leads. My focus is on starting off well for the team.”
Australia vice-captain Travis Head on the challenges from England’s pace bowlers

“He’s been fit and performing for roughly 18 months after a period out of the game. He’s eager to demonstrate prolonged performance on the field and is undoubtedly a superstar for us. As a captain, you always know you can rely on him to take the ball. He’s extremely eager for tomorrow’s match.”
Jos Buttler on Jofra Archer’s readiness and enthusiasm

Vithushan Ehantharajah is an associate editor at ESPNcricinfo