Buttler’s England ready for battle despite Australia’s setbacks

Out-of-form England will be looking to extend a better performance when they face arch-rivals Australia in their Group B opener of the ICC Champions Trophy at the Gaddafi Stadium Lahore on Saturday.

England have come into the Champions Trophy, which they have never won, following their poor performance in the white-ball series against India recently. England lost the five-match T20I series against India 4-1 and India then clean-swept them 3-0 in the One-Day Internationals ODIs).

In the last four ODI series against different oppositions England lost ten games and won just four.

English squad breakdown

Having already announced their playing XI for the first show against Australia, the English side will be banking on their premier pace-duo of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood who will be backed by Brydon Carse who can bowl with a 146kph speed.

Adil Rashid after dismissing Virat Kohli in third ODI against India Reuters

Keeping in view Pakistan’s conditions their premier spinner Adil Rashid is expected to play a leading role in England’s success. And he will be assisted by irregular spinners Joe Root and Liam Livingstone.

Phil Salt and Ben Duckett will open the innings with Jamie Smith to be used at no.3. Joe Root, who returned to the side for India’s tour after having played the ODI World Cup in 2023, has the ability to play spin well.

Harry Brook and skipper Jos Buttler give further depth to England’s batting which will be looking to leave an early impact against Aussies who will miss their pace-trio of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc.

“We are very excited to go into the first game,” Buttler said in the pre-match news conference. “I think conditions will be different here. Lots of guys have played in Pakistan, guys have played in the PSL and shared those experiences as well.”

The hard-hitting batsman said they assess conditions regularly and play accordingly. “The environment in the group is great. Looking forward we know we have a lot of talent. We will be working hard to play according to our strength and the results will come,” Buttler said.

Missing Australia Pace-Trio

He added that they expect a tough challenge from Australia despite the fact that the latter will miss their frontline pace-bowlers.

“The three guys have been pillars of Australia’s success for a long period of time and they will be a miss for that team but of course some top players have stepped into their shoes as well,” Buttler said.

“Australia always have performed very well in the ICC tournaments. We expect a very tough challenge. England and Australia always have great rivalry and obviously every match of the Champions Trophy is a massive game and we look forward to it.”

Pat Cummins (R), Josh Hazelwood (C) and Mitchell Starc (L) celebrates after winning the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World CupAFP

Australia, who will enter into the event after losing an ODI series against Sri Lanka at the latter’s backyard 2-0 recently, will miss a handful of key players, including its pace-trio.

Matthew Short and Travis Head are expected to open the innings. They will depend a lot on Head as he has the ability to bat well in Asian conditions.

Jake Fraser-McGurk may come at no.3 as he was also used in that position in the second ODI against Sri Lanka.

Australia’s Smith Confident

Skipper Steve Smith, who will lead the side in the absence of Pat Cummins will be looking forward to leading Australia’s batting from the front. Josh Inglis, all-rounders Aaron Hardie and Glen Maxwell will add to the Aussies’ fireworks in what could be a very tough game.

Aussies will bank on new-look pace-battery including Nathan Ellis, Sean Abbott, and Spencer Johnson who are expected to constitute team’s line-up. Adam Zampa is set to lead the spin attack.

Australia skipper Steve Smith said they would play positive cricket.

“We will try to put in a good performance, to be nice and aggressive, both with the bat and ball and will try to get on top,” Smith said in pre-match conference.

“The pressure of big tournaments gets the best out of us as a team and I think over the last ten years or so we have performed a lot in the Champions Trophy. It’s a shorter format and you have to switch-on from the first game.”

Smith said that despite being short of multiple key players, he is pretty relaxed.” We are missing a few of our fast bowlers but we are thinking about what we have got here,” he said.

“There are some quality players in our group, playing almost their first big event, I suppose which they are looking forward to and I am also looking forward to. It would be great to play under pressure and against quality opposition. It can be an exciting tournament for us.”

Both sides have met 161 times in ODIs. Australia have won 91 matches while England have recorded 65 wins. Two games have tied with three returning no results.

England squad: Phil Salt, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith (wicket-keeper), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (captain), Liam Livingstone, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood.

Australia squad: Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa.