England vs Australia Prediction

AUS Team News

The return of David Warner and Steve Smith after their one-year ban for their part in the ball-tampering scandal took the headlines in Australia’s World Cup selection. Since naming their 15-man squad, which was otherwise largely as expected, Kane Richardson has replaced the injured Jhye Richardson. Usman Khawaja has been cleared of any injury after taking a blow on the jaw in their unofficial warm-up match against the West Indies.

AUS Key Players

Captain Aaron Finch was Australia’s star man in the series whitewash of Pakistan, leading from the front with scores of 116, 153*, 90, 39 and 53. 

Big-hitting Finch already boasted a superb opening partnership with David Warner in ODI cricket – which could be resumed with the returning former vice-captain having been the IPL’s star batsman.

And Finch has now struck up a great partnership with Usman Khawaja too – who hit his first two ODI centuries in the series win against India and continued his form against Pakistan as well.

Steve Smith has returned with a point to prove too, meanwhile. His last three warm-up innings have seen him hit 89*, 91* and 76. 

Glenn Maxwell hit two half-centuries in the warm-ups against New Zealand, meanwhile, and provides an option with the ball too.

Of the front-line bowlers, Pat Cummins’ form against the New Zealand XI picked up where he left off against India and Pakistan. In the former series, he took 14 wickets and was instrumental in Australia’s comeback. He took three wickets in his only game against Pakistan and then seven against New Zealand too.

AUS Team Form

Australia were in dreadful form in the ODI game until they came from 2-0 down to win 3-2 in India and then whitewashed Pakistan with a dominant 5-0 win in the UAE.

Their initial World Cup warm-up matches saw them take on a New Zealand XI in a three-game series. Pat Cummins, Jason Behrendorff and Nathan Coulter-Nile each took three wickets in alow-scoring first game – the Australia XI chasing 216 to win by one wicket with ten balls to spare.

Usman Khawaja (56), Steve Smith (89*) and Glenn Maxwell (52) helped Australia to 277/6 in the second game, but they lost by seven wickets, before sealing victory in the final match of the series. 

Pat Cummins took 4-32 as New Zealand posted 286/9, before Steve Smith’s unbeaten 91 and Glenn Maxwell’s 70 helped the Aussies to victory. Rain shortened their innings by six overs, but the were comfortable ahead of the DLS par score by then on 248/5.

They continued their World Cup warm-ups with an unofficial warm-up game at the Rose Bowl last time out and, after bowling West Indies out for 229, Smith and Shaun Marsh hit half-centuries in a seven-wicket win.