They say good things come to those who wait and after nearly three decades without a global tournament in their city, the people of Lahore saw their patience rewarded. A good number are too young to remember the 1996 World Cup but they will not forget Australia’s five-wicket win over England in a hurry.
Set 352 to win this Group B encounter after Ben Duckett’s sublime 165 from 143 balls – the highest individual score at a Champions Trophy – Australia wobbled initially. Travis Head and Steve Smith were wiped out for single-figure scores during a fiery new ball burst from Jofra Archer and Mark Wood.
Related: Australia’s Inglis chases England down on record-breaking Champions Trophy day – live
But what followed was a masterclass from Smith’s patched up world champions as an 86-ball unbeaten 120 from Josh Inglis reeled in the target in the 48th over to set a new record for a run chase at an ICC event. Australia are up and running in this Champions Trophy, while England will already enter must-win territory when they meet Afghanistan and South Africa next week.
When Smith won what felt like an important toss, bowling first under a belief dew would help the chase, English eyes were glancing sideways. And it said plenty about the pitch, plus an outfield quicker than a Lee Mack one-liner, that no one could confidently state the Champions Trophy’s highest ever total – England’s highest at an ICC event, full stop – would be enough.
But even with Head and Smith vaporised early in the reply, Australia displayed all the gimlet-eyed traits that have made them the sport’s greatest 50-over nation. Matthew Short pushed back with 63 from 66 balls, Marnus Labuschagne 47 from 45. Then came the partnership that broke English spirits, Inglis and Alex Carey, 69, putting on 146 in just shy of 20 overs.
As has long been their calling card, Australia also fielded tigerishly, exemplified by Carey – a wicketkeeper by trade – holding three fine catches in the outfield. The first, when Phil Salt thought he had cleared mid-on on 10, sparked instant chatter about those Aussie Rules days back in South Australia: a full-stretch one-handed mark that Tony Modra would have been proud of.
At the other end Duckett delivered a masterful hand, one half of a 158-run fourth-wicket stand alongside Joe Root, 68, and the glue for England’s innings as a whole. It saw the opener’s hard work improving his game in the “V” pay off handsomely, even if the back-to-back fours struck off Spencer Johnson to seal his third one-day international century were less orthodox tennis-style smashes.
This always felt like a game that would be decided by small moments, however; moments such as Archer swatting 21 runs off 10 balls at the death or Australia struggling at times to close out their overs. Indeed, England struck the sixth ball of the over to the rope 13 times, a figure no team in ODI history has bettered.
Another came deep in the chase when Carey, on 49, pulled Adil Rashid to deep midwicket and Archer could not hold on. The fast bowler did pick up a hand injury in India, something tested early when removing Head with a smart caught and bowled. But either way, this second chance should have been held.
Although given the way Glenn Maxwell played when he eventually walked out – at 282 for five in the 42 over, rather than 248 in the 38th – perhaps this is over-playing it. Like England, Australia had packed their batting order and nothing was ever going to be settled until their fuzzy-forearmed magician was removed.
Download the Guardian app from the iOS App Store on iPhone or the Google Play store on Android by searching for 'The Guardian'.
If you already have the Guardian app, make sure you’re on the most recent version.
In the Guardian app, tap the Menu button at the bottom right, then go to Settings (the gear icon), then Notifications.
Turn on sport notifications.
Maxwell was in a bristling mood, smoking four fours and two sixes to ensure Carey’s ice-cold work was not undone. There was to be no upstaging Inglis, however, the right-hander following his maiden Test century, in Sri Lanka earlier this month, by sealing a first in ODI cricket when he pulled Archer over the rope.
Inglis, born in Yorkshire before moving to Perth just shy of his 15th birthday, is a bit like this match for England: the one that got away.
Full report to follow
