Another Ashes dream for England was demolished by their arch rivals Australia on August 10, 1997, at Nottingham. In the second innings of the game, England needed to score 451 to win the game. They decided to go for an adventure shot, which made the Australians' task a lot easier. 

The attacking mindset of English batters did not go well for them, and the batting lineup fell apart. Graham Thorpe's unbeaten 82-run innings was the only hope for the home team, but the other batters of the team were far away from their best. Australian bowlers did not hesitate to take their chances. Utilizing only 4 bowlers, Mark Taylor's Australia bundled 

Mike Atherton-led England only for 186, and the Australia cricket team won the match and crushed England's dream by 264 runs. Ian Healy was awarded the man of the match award for his effective batting performance and fielding efforts.

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Second innings showed England the mirror 

During his behind-the-stump duties, Healy successfully completed 7 catches in the entire Test match. The middle-order batters' 63-run innings came at the right time when the baggy green squad was slightly in a tight position with England in the second innings. Neither with the bat nor with the ball was England ever on the same level as Australia in that game. The touring team dominated Nottingham from the beginning of the match, and as per expectations, it ended in a one-sided draw. 

The England cricket team took a gamble by introducing the Hollioake brothers. It was the debut match for both Adam Hollioake and Ben Hollioake, but their inclusion could not provide any notable difference for their team under pressure. 

Summary of the match:

England vs Australia, August 7-10, 1997:

Australia: 427 and 336

England: 313 and 186 (Target: 451)

A soggy ending at Old Trafford, Manchester. On August 5, 2013, England retained the prestigious Ashes. The intense rivalry came in anticlimactic surroundings, where, more than the England batting order, Australia bowlers faced more difficulties due to adverse weather conditions.

The umpire was forced to call the stumps earlier than the actual schedule. It was announced that the play had been abandoned at 4.39pm local time. The England cricket team was already 3 wickets down for only 37 while they were chasing a target of 332 when the match was called off.

Then the captain of England, Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott, and Kevin Pietersen were returned to the pavilion, and Australia positioned themselves nicely to haul the match. But the weather in Manchester did not allow that to happen. After the match, during the presentation ceremony, Cook revealed his mixed feelings about retaining the title in this manner.

Read More: OTD: Birthday of Venkatesh Prasad who made undisputed pair with Javagal Srinath

Australia was on the driving seat

Michael Clarke, the former skipper of Australia, played a magnificent 187-run innings in the first innings of the match. Chris Rogers, Steve Smith, Brad Haddin, and Mitchell Starc completed their individual half centuries and helped their team to climb to 527/7d. Despite a ton from Kevin Pietersen (113 runs), England, in the first innings, was not able to match Australia's total as they claimed only 368. 

The home team bounced back in the beginning of the second inning with the help of their bowlers. By then, Australia got enough total on board to put England on the wrong side. Then, the doors of heaven opened and rain started to pour. The match ended in a draw, and England retained the Ashes. 

Simply the best from Ian Botham. From out of nowhere, when Australia started to smell a delicate win at Birmingham, Botham did incredible.

From 105 for 5 to 121 for 10. Ian Botham deserved to be the man of the match winner. The feat created by him back on August 2, 1981, is still considered as one of the iconic moments of The Ashes, which dignifies the intense rivalry between England and Australia. It was not among those high-scoring matches in the history of cricket.

That Ashes match was mostly dominated by the bowlers. A flurry of astonishing spells from the bowlers of both ends. Terry Alderman's 5-wicket haul was the hint in the first innings, which was later enhanced by Dennis Lillee and Ray Bright from the Aussie brigade. Mike Brearley, then the captain of England, dragged his team's total to 189 in the first innings with his individual 48. Australia replied strongly. With a combination of individual resilience and patience, they got 258 in their first innings batting.

Read More: OTD: Graeme Smith's 259 forced England to submission at Lord's

The best from the best

In the second innings, England again was not able to do much with their batting work, scoring only 219 and setting a target of 151 for Australia. It was not a tough target for a team that had batters like Allan Border, Kim Hughes (c), Martin Kent, and Rod Marsh in the lineup. The visiting side positioned them nicely to grab a win until they came into the crease for the run chase. England did not allow them to set on the wicket and create a long-standing partnership.

From the beginning of the second innings, they started to lose their scalps; Ian Botham came to blow away their last hope of ray. In 14 overs, he took 5 wickets with 9 maiden overs and a 0.78 economy rate. 

Perhaps one of the most tragic moments in cricket history. The way Mike Atherton missed his first Test century at Lord's was a completely out-of-mind incident. He turned for a straight third and slipped on the green side-strip pitch. Mike hurriedly tried to get up on his knees, but he couldn't help but see Ian Healy plucking the bails off.

The infamous incident of cricket history happened on June 20, 1993. The match was between England and Australia. In the second innings, the host team, England, was batting on follow-on. Compared to the first innings, England was batting with more confidence in the second.

One of the openers, Mike Atherton, was well settled on the pitch and could've easily achieved his hundred if he could show some more patience. The incident took place when the Englishman was batting on 97. Using his wrist, the right-handed batter pushed the ball towards the forward square leg. In those days boundary lines used to be wider than today's games. The ball was rolling towards the boundary line, and the fielder had to cover a fair amount of ground to capture the ball.

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'Feet wrapped up in a blanket'

In the meantime, Atherton, who was on 97, already took a couple of singles and pushed hard for the third run to complete a landmark hundred. When they turned for the third run, he slipped on the green patch and couldn't get up to his. Then the commentator on air said, "Like running in a nightmare, with feet wrapped up in a blanket." 

Atherton departed for 99. The England batter fought brilliantly to save the match, but the target (632/4d) set by Australia was too high for them to achieve. In the end, the visiting side won the match by an innings and 62 runs. 

English opener Ben Duckett created new history in the ICC Champions Trophy as the left-handed batter became the first cricketer to score 150 runs in the ICC Champions Trophy. His powerful batting guided England to become the first team to score 350+ runs in tournament history. 

England have started their journey in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, hosted by Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates, by playing their Group B match against two-time winners Australia on Saturday (February 22). Gaddafi Stadium in Karachi is hosting the fourth match of the tournament, where Australian skipper Steven Smith chose to field first after winning the toss. 

In-form Ben Duckett once again provided a good start for England. Although he didn't get strong support from the top-order batters, the left-handed opening batter took full responsibility to shape up the innings. The 30-year-old got good support from the experienced batter Joe Root as they had a crucial 158-run partnership for the third wicket, where Root scored 68 off 78 balls (four fours) while losing his wicket.

Also Watch: Pakistan played Indian national anthem during Australia vs England match

Highest score in ICC Champions Trophy: Ben Duckett broke Nathan Astle's record

However, Duckett continued his innings against the new-look Aussie bowling lineup. Duckett scored his first fifty in 49 balls and completed his third ODI century in 95 balls. Later, the English opener completed his 150 runs in 134 balls. Before he lost his wicket in the 48th over, Duckett scored 165 off 143 balls with 17 fours and three sixes. 

It was the first time when a batter recorded 150 runs in ICC Champions Trophy history. The previous record in the tournament was 145 not out by New Zealand cricketer Nathan Astle against the United States of America (USA) during the 2004 edition.

Ben Duckett thrashed many big records

Also, Duckett's 165 became the highest score for England in any ICC ODI tournament, surpassing the record of Andrew Strauss' 158 against India during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. Meanwhile, Duckett broke Sachin Tendulkar's 141 runs record (Champions Trophy 1998) to secure a new record for the highest score by any batter against Australia in any ICC ODI tournament. Duckett's 165 also became the third-highest ODI score by an English batter against Australia and the fifth-highest ODI score against any team.

England set highest total in ICC Champions Trophy history

Duckett had a huge role in England's total of 351/8 in 50 overs. It was also the highest total in ICC Champions Trophy history. The previous highest total record in this tournament was 347/4 by New Zealand against the USA during the 2004 edition. While it was England's fourth-highest total in ICC ODI tournament history, it was also the third-highest total record for any team against Australia in ICC ODI tournament history.

The England squad has been declared by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) officially for their initial Group B fixture of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy to take place in Australia. Making an unexpected substitution, Jamie Smith steps back in to claim the wicket-keeping mantle from Phil Salt.
The English cricket team recently played Team India in a series of three ODIs on their way to the Champions Trophy.
ECB announces England's XI for match against Australia
England's inaugural match of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy against Australia

ALSO SEE: Rohit Sharma records second fastest 11000 ODI runs

The Group B arch-rivals Australia and England will be played on Saturday, 22nd of February. The highly anticipated game will be hosted by the historic Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

ENG vs AUS Match Preview

England humiliated the visitors in the fourth ODI at Lord's. They not only surpassed the Australians with the bat, but they also dominated the bowling attack. Skipper Harry Brook is in good form in the middle order and leads the batting lineup admirably. Australia, despite having some of the greatest stars in one-day international cricket, struggled to perform. The steady trio of Hazlewood, Starc, while Abbott failed to put pressure on the hosts.

ENG vs AUS Match Details

England vs Australia – 5th Match, ODI Match

Venue: Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol, Northern Ireland

Date & Time: 29th September 2024 at 03:30 PM IST 

Live Streaming: Disney+Hotstar

ENG vs AUS Venue Stats

ENG vs AUS Pitch Report

This pitch is well-known for its bowling-friendly surface, which benefits bowlers. The neutral playing surface, strong pace, and bounce make it an ideal location for early wickets.

ENG vs AUS Weather Report

The climate will be cloudy and humid, with no chance of rain. The temperatures will range between 13°C and 19°C. 

ENG vs AUS Last Five Matches

ENG vs AUS Head-to-Head Stats

Injury News

No Injury. Will be added when there is an update.

Also Read: Sahil Parakh shines as India U19 clinches dominant ODI series win over Australia

ENG vs AUS Probable Playing XIs:

Australia Probable Playing XIs

Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh (c), Steven Smith, Josh Inglis (wk), Marnus Labuschagne, Alex Carey, Glenn Maxwell, Sean Abbott, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood

England Probable Playing XIs

Philip Salt, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Harry Brook (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Liam Livingstone, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Matthew Potts, Adil Rashid

Topmost Picks for ENG vs AUS Dream11 Prediction:

Top Picks – England

• Harry Brook – England skipper Harry Brook kept the hosts alive in the series with a match-winning maiden hundred in the 3rd ODI.
• Jofra Archer – He will be looking to deliver early breakthroughs with the new ball and add to his 44 ODI wickets.

Top Picks – Australia

• Alex Carey – Carey’s sharp glovework behind the stumps and his tactical acumen will also be key factors for the Australians. The left-hander has hit back-to-back scores in the 70s against England.
• Mitchell Starc – Mitchell Starc’s left-arm pace and ability to swing the ball both ways will be vital in limiting England’s powerful batting lineup. 

Suggested Playing XI N0.1 for ENG vs AUS Dream11 Team:

Jamie Smith, Alex Carey, Ben Duckett, Travis Head(C), Mitchell Marsh, Will Jacks(VC), Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Brydon Carse, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa

Suggested Playing XI N0.2 for ENG vs AUS Dream11 Team:

Philip Salt, Alex Carey, Ben Duckett, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Will Jacks, Harry Brook(C), Liam Livingstone(VC), Matthew Potts, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa

Captain and Vice-Captain Options:

Captain – Harry Brook, Travis Head

Vice-captain – Liam Livingstone, Will Jacks

Wicketkeeper – Phil Salt

ENG vs AUS Probable Winners:

If the weather cooperates, this will be an excellent matchup between these two teams. Though Australia is significantly stronger in comparison due to their roster of experienced and world-cup-winning players, England's current form and acquaintance with the conditions put them slightly ahead in our match prediction. England will start as the favorite to win. Considering the team combination, Australia is expected to win this match.

ENG vs AUS Match Preview

England won the third One-Day International (ODI) at the Riverside Ground in Chester-le-Street by 46 runs over par. Will Jacks and skipper Harry Brook's middle-order performances will boost confidence in this struggling lineup. Australia will be pleased with the consistency of its key batters in the lower middle order. The depth of this batting lineup gives them an advantage over the competition and has assisted them maintain a series lead. While Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood did not make a significant impact in their previous outings, the two are match-winning fast bowlers for Australia and should be kept an eye on.

ENG vs AUS Match Details

England vs Australia – 4th Match, ODI Match

Venue: Lord's Cricket Ground, United Kingdom

Date & Time: 27th September 2024 at 05:00 PM IST 

Live Streaming: Disney+Hotstar

ENG vs AUS Venue Stats

ENG vs AUS Pitch Report

This pitch is well-known for its bowling-friendly surface, which benefits bowlers. The neutral playing surface, strong pace, and bounce make it an ideal location for early wickets.

ENG vs AUS Weather Report

The climate will be cloudy and humid, with no chance of rain. The temperatures will range between 13°C and 19°C. 

ENG vs AUS Last Five Matches

ENG vs AUS Head-to-Head Stats

Injury News

No Injury. Will be added when there is an update.

Also Read: Sahil Parakh shines as India U19 clinches dominant ODI series win over Australia

ENG vs AUS Probable Playing XIs:

Australia Probable Playing XIs

Travis Head, Matthew Short, Mitchell Marsh (c), Steven Smith, Cameron Green, Marnus Labuschagne, Alex Carey (wk), Glenn Maxwell, Sean Abbott, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood

England Probable Playing XIs

Philip Salt, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Harry Brook (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Liam Livingstone, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Adil Rashid, Jofra Archer, Matthew Potts

Topmost Picks for ENG vs AUS Dream11 Prediction:

Top Picks – England

• Harry Brook – England skipper Harry Brook kept the hosts alive in the series with a match-winning maiden hundred in the 3rd ODI.
• Jofra Archer – He will be looking to deliver early breakthroughs with the new ball and add to his 44 ODI wickets.

Top Picks – Australia

• Alex Carey – Carey’s sharp glovework behind the stumps and his tactical acumen will also be key factors for the Australians. The left-hander has hit back-to-back scores in the 70s against England.
• Mitchell Starc – Mitchell Starc’s left-arm pace and ability to swing the ball both ways will be vital in limiting England’s powerful batting lineup. 

Suggested Playing XI N0.1 for ENG vs AUS Dream11 Team:

Alex Carey, Philip Salt, Steven Smith, Ben Duckett, Cameron Green, Will Jacks(C), Glenn Maxwell(VC), Marnus Labuschagne, Liam Livingstone, Brydon Carse, Mitchell Starc

Suggested Playing XI N0.2 for ENG vs AUS Dream11 Team:

Alex Carey, Mitchell Marsh, Steven Smith, Ben Duckett, Harry Brook(VC), Will Jacks, Glenn Maxwell, Marnus Labuschagne(C), Liam Livingstone, Brydon Carse, Mitchell Starc

Captain and Vice-Captain Options:

Captain – Marnus Labuschagne, Will Jacks

Vice-captain – Harry Brook, Glenn Maxwell

Wicketkeeper – Phil Salt

ENG vs AUS Probable Winners:

With England's most important players back in form, this could be a close match. Australia will look to win the series here. England has struggled to find consistency in both areas, whereas the visitors have more reliable match-winners in their lineup. Australia has a stronger overall squad with older players and will have an advantage going into this match. Considering the team combination, Australia is expected to win this match.

English stand-in ODI captain Harry Brook’s century ended Australia’s ODI winning streak. In the rain-interrupted Chester-le-Street ODI match against Australia, England made a comeback in the home ODI series after winning the match by 46 runs in the DLS method. 

Leading the five-match ODI series by 2-0 after the first two matches, Australia were sent to bat first in the third ODI. Steven Smith (60 off 82 balls), Cameron Green (42 off 49 balls), Alex Carrey (77 not out off 65 balls), Glenn Maxwell (30 off 25 balls), and Aaron Hardie (44 off 26 balls) helped Australia score 304/7 at the end of 50 overs.

In reply, England lost both openers in the first three overs when the hosts scored only 11 runs. Will Jacks and the stand-in skipper Harry Brook controlled the innings and set up a 156-run partnership for the third wicket. While Jacks scored 84 off 82 balls, Brook recorded his maiden ODI century.

Before the rain interruption, England scored 254/4 in 37.4 overs. The hosts ultimately won that ODI by 46 runs (DLS method) and made the series 2-1 after the third ODI. England must win the last two matches to win this ODI series, while another win will be enough for the visitors Australia to seal the series.  

SEE ALSO: Jaiswal targets to join elite 1000 run club in 2024 Test journey

Youngest English captain with an ODI century

With his match-winning 110 not out off 94 balls, which he scored at the age of 25 years and 215 days, Harry Brook became the youngest English captain to record an ODI century. Sir Alastair Cook (26 years and 190 days) was the previous record holder in this list, which he recorded in 2011. 

Top 5 youngest English captain’s maiden ODI centuries

Second most consecutive ODI wins stopped

On the other hand, before this ODI match, Australia already secured the second-most successive ODI wins by recording 14 straight victories. Their consecutive ODI winning journey started during the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2023 in India, when the Aussies beat Sri Lanka by five wickets at Lucknow. After Australia won the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2023, they also won the home ODI series against the West Indies by 3-0 last February. 

After winning the first two matches of the ongoing series against the hosts England, Australia finally suffered an ODI defeat. 

By winning 14 straight ODIs, Australia settled the new record for the second most consecutive ODI wins for a team. 

Most consecutive ODI wins for a team 

ENG vs AUS Match Preview

There is little hope for England's supporters heading into this match, and while they have previously been beaten by Australia and dropped countless Test series away from their great rivals, home series defeats are far less common. However, after Mitchell Marsh's side's comprehensive wins in Nottingham and Leeds, this series appears to be heading in only one direction. England will be hoping that their arrival of Jofra Archer and Matthew Potts on the same ground will cause significant problems for Australia's batters. Australia has depth in their squad, and Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood will be excited about the opportunity to bowl in England's batting line-up, which has produced only two half-centuries.

ENG vs AUS Match Details

England vs Australia – 3rd Match, ODI Match

Venue: Seat Unique Riverside, Northern Ireland

Date & Time: 24th September 2024 at 05:00 PM IST 

Live Streaming: Disney+Hotstar

ENG vs AUS Venue Stats

ENG vs AUS Pitch Report

This pitch is well-known for its bowling-friendly surface, which benefits bowlers. The neutral playing surface, strong pace, and bounce make it an ideal location for early wickets.

ENG vs AUS Weather Report

The climate will be cloudy and humid, with no chance of rain. The temperatures will range between 13°C and 19°C. 

ENG vs AUS Last Five Matches

ENG vs AUS Head-to-Head Stats

Injury News

No Injury. Will be added when there is an update.

Also Read: Sahil Parakh shines as India U19 clinches dominant ODI series win over Australia

ENG vs AUS Probable Playing XIs:

Australia Probable Playing XIs

Matthew Short, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh (c), Steven Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Alex Carey (wk), Glenn Maxwell, Aaron Hardie, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood

England Probable Playing XIs

Phil Salt, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Harry Brook (c), Jamie Smith, Liam Livingstone, Jacob Bethell, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Matthew Potts, Olly Stone

Topmost Picks for ENG vs AUS Dream11 Prediction:

Top Picks – England

• Ben Duckett – Ben Duckett is the leading run-scorer for the team with 127 runs.
• Adil Rashid – Adil Rashid will have his tail up after taking 2/42 on his home ground this weekend and now have over 200 ODI wickets.

Top Picks – Australia

• Travis Head – Travis Head will open for Australia with the bat looking to maintain his batting average of 60+ in ODIs since the start of 2022.
• Mitchell Starc – Mitchell Starc is one of the world’s most feared ODI bowlers. His ability to swing the ball at a high pace, particularly in English conditions, will pose a significant challenge for England’s batters. 

Suggested Playing XI N0.1 for ENG vs AUS Dream11 Team:

Phil Salt, Alex Carey, Ben Duckett(VC), Travis Head(C), Mitchell Marsh, Marnus Labuschagne, Liam Livingstone, Matthew Short, Will Jacks, Matthew Potts, Mitchell Starc

Suggested Playing XI N0.2 for ENG vs AUS Dream11 Team:

Phil Salt, Ben Duckett, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Marnus Labuschagne, Liam Livingstone(VC), Matthew Short(C), Will Jacks, Matthew Potts, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa

Captain and Vice-Captain Options:

Captain – Travis Head, Matthew Short

Vice-captain – Liam Livingstone, Ben Duckett

Wicketkeeper – Phil Salt

ENG vs AUS Probable Winners:

This England team lacks many of its best players in this format, and confidence appears to be low throughout the squad. In comparison, Australia is playing fantastic cricket, and no one was able to stop them from winning this format for almost a year! As a result, we predict that the tourists will win another game and the series. Considering the team combination, Australia is expected to win this match.