Josh Inglis played the innings of his life, smashing his maiden ODI century (120 not out) to overshadow Ben Duckett’s masterclass 165, as world champions Australia pulled off a record chase to beat England by five wickets in their Champions Trophy Group B opener here on Saturday.
The five-wicket win marked the highest-ever chase by any team at an ICC white-ball tournament, the previous best being Pakistan’s 345 against Sri Lanka at the 2023 men’s World Cup.
Duckett’s career-best knock from 143 balls that had 17 boundaries and three sixes had propelled England to 351/8 — the highest total of the Champions Trophy, surpassing New Zealand’s 347/4 against USA way back in 2004.
But on a flat Gaddafi Stadium pitch with a lightning-quick outfield, no target was safe as two-time champions Australia cruised home in 47.3 overs. Inglis tore into England’s attack, hammering six sixes and eight fours in an 86-ball 120 not out. His match-winning 146-run fifth-wicket stand with Alex Carey (69 off 63 balls, 8×4) turned the game on its head.
Carey was dismissed in the 42nd over with 70 needed from 50 balls but Glenn Maxwell (32 not out off 15 balls) gave a fine support. Inglis sealed the chase with 15 balls to spare in a befitting manner, hitting Mark Wood for a six over deep midwicket.
Inglis reached his maiden ODI hundred in his 28th appearance in emphatic fashion, launching Jofra Archer deep into the mid-wicket stands. Archer struck early to dismiss the dangerous Travis Head (6) in the fourth over, while Duckett plucked a sharp slip catch to remove stand-in skipper Steve Smith (5), leaving Australia wobbling at 27/2.
Marnus Labuschagne (47) and Matthew Short (63) counterattacked, stitching together a brisk 95-run stand off 91 balls. Labuschagne took on Brydon Carse, smashing 14 runs in an over, while Short continued the momentum.
But just when Australia seemed to be back on track, England struck twice in 18 balls removing both of them. At 136/4, England had their tails up, but Inglis and Carey wrestled back the control with their counter-punching tactics.
Inglis, relentless in his stroke play, took 15 off the 27th over, including four byes.England’s frustration grew when Archer dropped Carey on 49 at deep midwicket as the batter cruised to his 11th ODI fifty.
Adding insult to injury, Inglis punished Archer in the next over with back-to-back boundaries. Earlier, invited to bat, England were in early trouble at 43/2 inside powerplay, but Duckett stitched a 158-run stand with Joe Root (68) and later forged a crucial 61-run partnership with skipper Jos Buttler (23 off 21 balls) to take his side to 351 for 8.
Duckett’s innings was meticulously planned, blending patience with aggression. He started confidently, taking on Glenn Maxwell with a charge-down six in just the second over, setting the tone for England’s recovery.
Once settled, he rotated strike fluently with Root, allowing the innings to flow, before shifting gears in the latter half. Duckett brought up his century off 95 balls with back-to-back boundaries off Spencer Johnson, marking his second ODI ton against Australia.
The depleted Australian side struggled as their frontline spinner Adam Zampa was hit by Duckett all around the park. Even as left-arm pacer Ben Dwarshuis (3/66) took two wickets up front, their pace attack looked listless without the troika of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood who were ruled out with injuries.
Nathan Ellis was the pick of the lot as he was excellent with his line and length even as he returned wicketless (0/51 from 10 overs). Alex Carey played a key role, taking two catches, including a spectacular one-handed, goalkeeper-like screamer to dismiss Phil Salt (10) when he leapt with both feet off the ground, plucking it out of thin air in a stunning fashion.
England debutant Jamie Smith (15) played a couple of delightful strokes before throwing his wicket away. That brought Root to the crease as early as the sixth over, and alongside Duckett, he steadied England’s innings with a 158-run partnership off 155 balls.
Duckett carried his sublime form from the India series as he brought up his maiden ICC tournament fifty off 49 balls with a boundary off Johnson.
