BIRMINGHAM, (Reuters) – Australia were knocked out of the Champions Trophy without winning a game after Ben Stokes’ stunning century guided England to an impressive 40-run Duckworth-Lewis victory yesterday.
Australia, whose two previous games against New Zealand and Bangladesh were rained off, scored 277-9 from 50 overs — with Mark Wood and Adil Rashid taking four wickets apiece — and had reduced England to 35-3 in response.
But, after a brief rain break, Eoin Morgan (87) and Stokes (102 not out) dismantled the Australian attack, scoring freely in a partnership of 159 before Morgan was run out when closing in on his century.
But Stokes brought up his hundred with a cut through the covers, and he and Jos Buttler (29 not out) carried England home with the hosts comfortably ahead on Duckworth-Lewis at 240-4 off 40.2 overs.
They are joined in the semi-finals by unfancied Bangladesh, who beat New Zealand in Group A on Friday.
Bad weather affected all three Australian matches but captain Steve Smith was unwilling to use that as an excuse.
“We’ve got some quality cricketers, but we didn’t turn up,” he told the BBC.
“It’s been disappointing to have not got a complete game in, but you can’t make excuses like this.”
England’s captain Morgan said his side were close to their best in beating the reigning 50-over world champions.
“This is a tournament you need to be at your best to win games of cricket,” he said.
