Champions Trophy: Australia frustrated as rain ends Bangladesh match

  • Published

Champions Trophy Group A, The Oval

Bangladesh 182 (44.3 overs): Tamim 95, Starc 4-29, Zampa 2-13

Australia 83-1 (16 overs): Warner 40 not out, Rubel 1-21

Match abandoned due to rain

Rain frustrated Australia and kept Bangladesh's Champions Trophy hopes alive as their Group A match was abandoned at The Oval.

Chasing 183, Australia reached 83-1 before rain arrived after 16 overs - four short of the number needed for a result.

Tamim Iqbal made 95 in Bangladesh's 182 all out as Mitchell Starc took four wickets in nine balls.

Both sides will take a point, with England still top of the group.

ICC Champions Trophy 2017

Venues: The Oval, Edgbaston, Cardiff Dates: 1-18 June

Coverage: Highlights every evening on BBC Two, ball-by-ball Test Match Special commentary on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra; in-play highlights and text commentary on the BBC Sport website

Australia, who benefitted from the rain during their opening match against New Zealand, will have been frustrated at the abandonment as they were on top when the rain arrived.

Their fast bowlers, who were criticised by captain Steve Smith after the first game, provided pace and accuracy to restrict Bangladesh before they made a composed start with the bat.

Both sides can still qualify for the semi-finals, with Bangladesh set to play New Zealand on Friday, while Australia face England on Saturday.

Image source, Amy Lofthouse

Rain ends Australia's charge

Against New Zealand, Australia were wobbling at 53-3 after nine overs and were struggling to deal with the pace bowlers when rain ended play.

Here, they had the upper hand as they calmly moved towards Bangladesh's total.

Despite losing Aaron Finch to Rubel Hossain, opener David Warner - a batsman who has added a calmer element to his game in the last 18 months - accumulated sensibly, passing 4,000 career ODI runs.

Warner is the fastest Australian to reach the landmark and the third fastest overall, after South Africa's Hashim Amla and West Indies legend Viv Richards.

Ably supported by Smith, Australia got themselves into prime position, before the rain intervened. They were briefly set a revised target of 166 from 43 overs, but further rain brought a halt to proceedings at 21:21 BST.

Tamim stands alone against Australia

Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Tamim Iqbal made a century in Bangladesh's opening match against England

Bangladesh opted to bat despite the gloomy overhead conditions, and would have been confident of posting a good score after their impressive antics against England.

Australia's bowlers found the rhythm that had been missing against New Zealand, and Tamim - who made a century against England on Thursday - seemed to be the only player able to navigate the bowlers.

He took 16 runs from a Moises Henriques over, launching the ball into the crowd for six before striking boundaries to either side of the ground.

His half-century - his 37th in ODI cricket - saw him loosen his feet and he struck spinner Travis Head for two sixes to move within touching distance of a second century.

Despite cameos from Shakib al Hasan (29) and Mehedi Hasan Miraz (14), once Iqbal top-edged a short delivery from Starc, it felt like a matter of time before Bangladesh's innings came to a close.

Starc shines at the end

Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Mitchell Starc claimed three wickets in one over as Bangladesh's tail fell apart

Australia's fast bowlers were wasteful against New Zealand, prompting Smith to describe it as "one of the worst bowling displays we've put on for a very long time".

Starc went wicketless in his first six overs and struggled with his line, while fellow pace bowlers Josh Hazlewood (1-40) and Pat Cummins (1-22) profited.

It was leg-spinner Adam Zampa who started the collapse. Kept out of the attack by Smith until the 35th over, he claimed two wickets in 11 balls to set up the tail for left-armer Starc.

Starc has excelled at the end of an innings for Australia in the past - he ended the 2015 World Cup as the tournament's leading wicket taker - and utilised all of his skiddy pace and full deliveries to dismiss Bangladesh.

Consecutive yorkers to dismiss Mashrafe Mortaza and Rubel set up a hat-trick but the ball somehow swung beyond the stumps, before Starc ended the innings just five balls later to finish with 4-29.

'The equation is pretty simple for us now' - what they said

Australia captain Steve Smith: "The game the other day we weren't in a great position to win, although funnier things have happened. This game we were going pretty well and things were looking good.

"The equation is pretty simple for us now."

Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza: "If you look at today's match, I think Australia was far ahead than us, and if you look at the last match against New Zealand and Australia, I think Australia was also in the same position as us.

"We have to beat New Zealand and obviously we have to wait for a few results as well. So our job is to play hard against New Zealand and if we can go through, then you never know."

Around the BBC

Related internet links

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.