The aisles and stands at the iconic Lord’s will neither be empty, nor quiet, as cricket’s oldest rivals face off in the 32nd match of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 on Tuesday, 25 June.
England Vs Australia
Lord’s, London
2019 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, Match 32
Tuesday, 25 June; 10.30am local time, 09.30 GMT, 03.00 IST.
England, who started their World Cup campaign with four resounding wins from their first five games, suffered a shocking 20-run defeat against Sri Lanka on Friday. The hosts, who came into the tournament as overwhelming favorites, now enter the toughest phase of their competition, marked by three tough games, starting with the one against Australia, needing a win. To add to their woes is the unavailability of Jason Roy, who has been sidelined due to a hamstring injury.
Key Players:- Jos Buttler (England): The wicket-keeper batsman has the potential to change the course of any match with his exemplary batting skills. Buttler, who scored a match-winning 110* in his last outing against Australia, will once again be an important player for the hosts, against an in-form Australian bowling unit.
Australia, powered by some monumental contributions from their openers and the wicket-taking form of their strike bowlers, currently occupy the second position in the points table, with five wins in six matches. Marcus Stoinis’ return has further bolstered the team’s balance, as the all-rounder returned figures of 2/54 in the previous game, against Bangladesh. The middle-order, which hasn’t been able to contribute significantly in their last three games, is likely to face a stiff challenge against a well-rounded England attack.
Australia is ahead on the head-to-head count, with 81 wins to England’s 61. However, the hosts have had an edge over the five-time World Cup winners in recent times, having won nine of the last ten games against them. With the stakes high for England, and Australia looking to continue their dominance, an exciting contest could be on the cards on Tuesday.
Key Players: Aaron Finch (Australia): The Australia captain has been leading from the front in this tournament, having amassed 396 runs in six innings so far. Finch, who set the tone for Australia’s World Cup campaign in 2015 with a stroke-filled 135 against England, will once again look to play a long inning on Tuesday.
Head to Head:
England vs Australia Head to Head Record in ODIs
Total number of matches played: 147
Matches won by England: 61
Matches won by Australia: 81
Matches played in England: 68 (England 34, Australia 30)
In the World Cup:
Total: 7
Australia: 5
England: 2
Weather Report
Though lingering overnight rain is expected to ease out by morning, the day is expected to be largely cloudy. Heavy and thundery showers might develop, leading to a delayed start. Teams batting first have won three of the last four games at Lord’s, which makes the toss crucial.
Pitch Report
The Lord’s has always been batting friendly. As this will be a high-intensity game, having a total on the board to defend is quite handy.
Expected XI
England: Jonny Bairstow, James Vince, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan (c), Jos Buttler (wk), Ben Stokes, Mooen Ali, Adil Rashid, Chris Woakes, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood.
Australia: Aaron Finch (c), David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, Shaun Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Jason Behrendorff, Adam Zampa.
PlayerzPot XI
