SUMMARY: England 240 for 4 (Stokes 102*, Morgan 87) beat Australia 277 for 9 (Head 71, Finch 68, Smith 56, Wood 4-33, Rashid 4-41) by 40 runs (DLS method)
A blistering 102 not out from Ben Stokes saw England romp past Australia by 40 runs on Duckworth-Lewis-Stern calculations and dump their rivals out of the Champions Trophy. England had been reduced to 6-2 and then 35-3 chasing 278 to win, as Australia’s pace attack threatened to take the game away.
But a thrilling partnership of 159 at almost exactly a run a ball between Stokes and Eoin Morgan first launched a counter-attack and then led a romp. Australia, the reigning one-day world champions, will head home before the knockout stages without a single win, their defeat also sending Bangladesh through.
Having seen rain ruin their first two games, they found themselves pegged back from 147-2 at the halfway point of their innings, Adil Rashid and Mark Wood both taking four wickets. Under grey skies, they were then helpless in the face of Stokes and Morgan’s power hitting, all three of their quick bowlers going at more than five an over.
When the rain came again with 9.4 overs remaining, England were 240-4, well above the par score. The hosts, already in the semi-finals after comfortable wins over Bangladesh and New Zealand, will be the only team in the last four with a 100% record, looking every inch the pre-tournament favourites. (BBC Sport)
