This video can not be played
To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.
-
22 February 2025, 17:12 GMT
England’s Champions Trophy bid began with a damaging defeat as Australia pulled off an epic chase of 352 to counter Ben Duckett’s 165 in Lahore.
Opener Duckett took England to 351-8 – the highest score in Champions Trophy history – only for Josh Inglis to hit a sensational 120 not out from 86 balls to complete the chase with five wickets and 15 balls to spare.
It was the highest score England have failed to defend in one-day internationals, made worse by the fact they had their old rivals 136-4 at one stage.
From there Inglis, Australia’s number five born and raised in Yorkshire, put on 146 in 116 balls with Alex Carey to drag his side back into the contest.
Carey, having been dropped on 49, was caught for 69 with 70 runs needed from 51 balls and Inglis took charge.
He flogged England for six sixes – the third bringing up his first ODI century in 77 balls and the sixth sealing the highest successful chase in a global 50-over tournament.
It compounded fears England failed to capitalise fully on being 200-2 after 30 overs on a fine batting pitch – a surface that only improved under the lights.
Jos Buttler’s England now have little room for manoeuvre in their final two group-stage fixtures, against Afghanistan on Wednesday and South Africa next Saturday, if they are to finish in the top two and reach the semi-finals.
A body blow to England
This video can not be played
To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.
If England’s confidence was low given their form coming into the tournament – four series defeats in a row and losses in 10 of their past 14 ODIs – this will feel like a body blow.
Duckett batted in the responsible fashion many have asked of this side but Inglis punished them for failing to kick on to an even bigger score.
While the arrival of a dew under the lights made batting easier, England did not help themselves.
Brydon Carse was hit for 69 in seven overs, exposing England’s limited bowling options, and Jofra Archer dropped a simple catch to dismiss Carey.
At that point 104 runs were needed from 73 balls, the match still in the balance, but Archer’s error was compounded when he took the next over and was hit for consecutive fours.
The England quick also had Glenn Maxwell, who ended 32 not out from 15, caught late on only for the decision to be overturned because of a waist-high no-ball, but by that point the game was done with 11 runs needed.
England remain in Lahore for Wednesday’s match against Afghanistan, who were thrashed by South Africa on Friday. The loser will likely be eliminated.
Yorkshireman Inglis’ knock for the ages
Inglis, who scored a century on Test debut against Sri Lanka last month, lived in Yorkshire until just shy of his 15th birthday.
He took little sympathy on the country he used to call home, having come in with England well in control.
Archer dismissed Travis Head caught and bowled for two, Mark Wood nicked off Steve Smith for five and spinners Adil Rashid and Liam Livingstone dismissed Marnus Labuschagne and Matthew Short respectively after their partnership of 95.
The closest England came to dismissing Inglis was a delivery from Livingstone that squeezed between bat and pad and narrowly missed leg stump when he had 29.
He began with classy, textbook strokes but by the end was ramping the ball over third man – fellow Yorkshireman Joe Root’s trademark shot.
Duckett shows the way
Duckett’s knock should not be overlooked. It was England’s highest in any global 50-over event – World Cup or Champions Trophy, beating Andrew Strauss’ 158 against India in 2011.
They looked to attack in the powerplay but were 53-2 in the sixth over after Carey brilliantly caught Phil Salt diving one-handed at mid-on and took a simpler catch in the same position after a chip from England’s new number three Jamie Smith.
Afterwards Duckett put away his sweeps and limited risks. Only 31% of his shots in reaching 50 were attacking – the lowest percentage when reaching the landmark in his ODI career.
A partnership of 158 with Root, who was similarly composed and looking close to his best for his 68, built a platform and steered England from early danger.
When Root went lbw to Adam Zampa, Harry Brook sliced the leg-spinner for backward point for three and captain Jos Buttler slog swept to deep mid-wicket for 23, Duckett dug in to ensure England’s innings did not fall away.
Hitting the spinners straight and the quicks with cuts and pulls, he reached three figures in 95 balls, played his first reverse sweep on 103 and was battling cramp by the time he was dismissed lbw on the sweep by Labuschagne in the 48th over.
Afterwards Buttler said he was happy with his side’s score but, given their position of strength, they could have had even more.
