AHMEDABAD (Web Desk): Former champions England knocked out of the ICC World Cup 2023 after a loss to Ashes rivals Australia in the 36th match at Narendra Modi Stadium.
Australia posted 286 all out with Marnus Labuschagne (71) top scoring for them after the five-time champions were put into bat. England managed 253 in reply to slump to their sixth defeat in seven matches and stay rooted to the bottom of the table.
Opener Dawid Malan (50) and Ben Stokes (64) smashed half-centuries but England did not produce significant partnerships and were bowled out in 48.1 overs. Australia spinner Adam Zampa (3-21) was player-of-the-match for his stellar bowling that included the prized wickets of England captain Jos Buttler, Stokes and Moeen Ali. Australia are third in the standings after their fifth win in seven matches.
Earlier, Chris Woakes (4-54) rattled Australia, removing both the openers inside six overs after Buttler elected to field. In his first over, Travis Head’s half-hearted dab ended up in Joe Root’s safe palms in the slip. In Woakes’s third over, David Willey at midwicket had all the time in the world to settle under a skyer after David Warner, who had tonked a six two balls earlier, mistimed his pull. Labuschagne and Smith then shored up Australia with a 75-run partnership but England refused to throw in the towel.
Adil Rashid dismissed Smith and Josh Inglis in his successive overs to reduce Australia to 117-4. Cameron Green (47) and Marcus Stoinis (35) scored briskly and Zampa contributed a quick 29 runs to take Australia past the 275-mark. Malan and Stokes revived England’s chase with an 84-run stand but England did not get another significant partnership after they fell. Their title defence was effectively over when Stokes swept Zampa to Stoinis at fine leg.
SCORES IN BRIEF
AUSTRALIA 286 (Labuschagne 71, Green 47, Woakes 4-54) beat ENGLAND 253 (Stokes 64, Malan 50, Zampa 3-21) by 33 runs.
English