Australia face must win reality vs. England after rain off
The ICC Champions Trophy take off sees England and India topping Groups A and B, having gained victories in the opening games against Bangladesh and Pakistan respectively. With Monday’s game against Bangladesh abandoned due to rain intervening, Australia is second in Group A with 2 points in their championship thrust to dominating Group A, and rain has threatened their stakes. Defeat to England in the next encounter would end their championship hopes. And, certainly skipper Steve Smith could well be the biggest spike having conceded four successive dot balls with Australia within sight of the minimum 20 overs having to negotiate 4 overs more. That was after Mitchell Starc, with 4 for 29, had ripped through Bangladesh who were bowled out for for 182 in 44.3 overs with only Tamim Iqbal stroking 95 off 114 balls einclusive of 5 boundaries and 3 sixes.
New Zealand’s Ross Taylor (L) and New Zealand’s captain Kane Williamson (C) during the ICC Champions trophy cricket match between Australia and New Zealand at Edgbaston in Birmingham on June 2, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / PAUL ELLIS / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE
Meanwhile, the match of matches – India versus Pakistan saw India inflict a huge 124-run defeat on their arch foes in a contest that got on board after a long drought from strained country relations. Once again, the play maker was skipper Virat Kohli with a 68-ball 81 on the back of a rousing 136-run opening alliance between Rohit Sharma 91 from 119 and Shikhar Dhawan 68 from 65. It was another milestone flamboyant comeback of his former derring do for Yuvraj Singh reeling 53 from 32 balls adding 93 in 56 balls with Kohli.
Pakistan folded up for 164 chasing a revised Duckworth/Lewis total of 289 in 41 overs.
Following are the groupings and the latest points table:
Standings – ICC Champions Trophy 2017
Group A
| Pos. | P | W | L | D | T | NR | RR | Pts | ||
| 1 | England | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.407 | 2 | |
| 2 | Australia | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | |
| 3 | New Zealand | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 4 | Bangladesh | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -0.407 | 1 |
Group B
| Pos. | P | W | L | D | T | NR | RR | Pts | ||
| 1 | India | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.024 | 2 | |
| 2 | South Africa | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.92 | 2 | |
| 3 | Sri Lanka | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1.92 | 0 | |
| 4 | Pakistan | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -3.024 | 0 |
By Srian Obeyesekere
-The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Sri Lanka Cricket-
