Does the audience have the stomach for a seven-match ODI series? The answer will play out during the next couple of weeks. However, if you do get beyond the initial apprehension, this series is extremely vital for both teams. For Australia, as Shane Watson has said, this is a warm-up for the World Cup, while for India, knocked out of the Champions Trophy early, this is a great chance to find the ideal XI and test their fast-bowling resources against a strong opponent.

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Underdogs in films make a mockery of the form book. Exhibit 1: New Zealand come to the Champions Trophy, sans superstars, sans high ICC rankings, and after being well and truly battered for more than a month in the sapping heat of Sri Lanka. They are – it is fair to say – the outsiders in this tournament.

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It’s battle rejoined. Just in case there hadn’t been enough of England facing Australia in recent months, the semi-final of the Champions Trophy has thrown together a rematch. There shouldn’t be much these two sides don’t know about each other, but the intrigue of this meeting is that it’s a straight knockout. Most expected Australia to be here, but few imagined England would still be in the tournament.

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There are all sorts of scenarios and permutations about which teams could make it through to the semi-finals in Group A but the simplest is this: if Australia beat India, it will be Pakistan and Australia who progress. The group will be done and dusted with two games to go. Things become more complex if India win. They will be in prime position due to their remaining game against a weakened West Indies and Australia’s fixture against an unbeaten Pakistan. However, should India and Australia either both win or both lose their last group game, net run-rate will be required to determine the semi-finalists.

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In theory this is the rematch of the most recent Champions Trophy final. In reality, it looms as a serious mismatch. In 2006 in Mumbai, an Australian side featuring Adam Gilchrist, Glenn McGrath, Damien Martyn, Brad Hogg and Andrew Symonds polished off a disappointing Brian Lara-led West Indies outfit to take the title. Flash forward three years and Australia, the defending champions, have lost much of their aura and sit second on the ODI rankings. They are by no means favourites to hold the title but they should kick off their tournament with victory over a mish-mash of second-string West Indians who were beaten at home by Bangladesh but did give Pakistan a scare this week.

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Laughable as it now seems, England could have gone above Australia in the ODI rankings had they managed to win this seven-match series by at least five games to two. Three defeats later, and the limit of their ambitions would now appear to be the avoidance of a 7-0 whitewash.

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One down, six to go. Australia took an early lead in the one-day series by holding off a spirited late charge form England’s lower order to secure a four-run victory at The Oval. They almost let the match slip away in the closing overs, but Nathan Bracken held his nerve and Ryan Sidebottom will be the only one who can explain why he left the ball with three deliveries remaining and eight needed.

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England batsman Joe Denly was assisted from The Oval with a knee injury sustained during Thursday’s training session. Denly clutched at his left knee while playing football with his England team-mates prior to practice and was carried to the dressing room by team staff.

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Jamie Cox, the on-duty selector at The Oval, has taken responsibility for Australia not playing Nathan Hauritz on a dry and dusty pitch that gave significant assistance to spinners. The captain and coach, Ricky Ponting and Tim Nielsen, have already conceded Hauritz should have played but Cox said it was ultimately his call that led to a four-man pace attack being chosen.

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One Day International (ODI) cricket match series between England and Australia is going to start from 30th August at Manchester, United Kingdom. Australia will play 2 T20 matches and 7 ODI matches. However, Australia has already lost their Ashes title to England. They will be trying to win the series to improve the status in both ODI and Test match cricket.

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