Ground staff mop up rainwater during the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Australia and New Zealand at Edgbaston in Birmingham, central England, yesterday. The match was later abandoned.
BIRMINGHAM: Rain provided further frustration for Australia, on a day when they dropped David Warner for a bar-room attack on England’s Joe Root, as their Champions Trophy match against New Zealand ended in a no result.
Yesterday’s wash-out at Edgbaston left defending champions Australia facing a tough battle to qualify for the semi-finals.
New Zealand, chasing 244 to win, were on 51 for two off 15 overs when rain stopped play in the Group A clash at 3.40pm local time. Under the Duckworth/Lewis system for rain-affected matches, a minimum of 20 overs had to be bowled in the second innings for either side to win this fixture. But at 6.25pm (1725GMT), the umpires decided no further play was possible.
The first no result of the tournament saw both sides take a point apiece. That left New Zealand with three points after their one-wicket win over Sri Lanka and gave Australia their first point of this event after a 48-run loss to hosts England at Edgbaston last week.
Australia, already without captain Michael Clarke because of a recurrence of his longstanding back problem, suffered a fresh blow before play started when opening batsman Warner was dropped as a disciplinary measure.
Adam Voges’ top-scored with 71 in a total of 243 for eight with George Bailey, Australia’s stand-in captain, making 55 after winning the toss.
New Zealand conclude their group programme against England in Cardiff on Sunday, with Australia facing Sri Lanka at The Oval on Monday. AFP
LONDON: Sri Lanka will look for a vastly improved batting performance against hosts England today as they try to stay afloat in the Champions Trophy.
Angelo Mathews’ (pictured right) team were shot out for 138 against New Zealand in Cardiff on Sunday, and only a hostile four-wicket spell from sling-arm fast bowler Lasith Malinga helped them save face in the narrow one-wicket defeat.
Sri Lanka, World Cup finalists in 2007 and 2011, must now defeat both England and Australia in day-night matches at the Oval to keep their semi-final hopes alive from group A.
“I think the whole batting unit has to take responsibility,” Sri Lankan captain Angelo Mathews said yesterday. “We can’t really expect the bowlers to do the job for us everytime.”
Mathews said the morale was high despite the opening setback and added he expected his team to come back strongly in the next two matches.
“Defending 138, the guys responded to that brilliantly,” he said. “The equation is simple. We have got two games and we have to win both to stay alive in the tournament.
“We have to stay positive and take England on. We should not put too much pressure on ourselves. We have to go out there, enjoy the game and do the best we can.
“The result will take care of itself.”
Mathews said England had one of the best seam attacks in the game and admitted the first task for his team was to play out the full 50 overs.
Sri Lanka lasted just 37.5 overs against New Zealand, mainly due to Kumar Sangakkara’s defiant 68 as seven batsmen failed to reach double figures on a slow Cardiff pitch.
England, meanwhile, bounced back from a 2-1 one-day series loss against New Zealand ahead of the tournament to brush aside old foes Australia by 48 runs in their first match.
Alastair Cook’s home team go into the match with their preparations overshadowed by an incident at a bar in Birmingham between Australia’s David Warner and young England player Joe Root over the weekend.
Australia stood down Warner for yesterday’s match against New Zealand for what the England and Wales Cricket Board said was an “unprovoked physical attack on a member of the England team.”
Cook, who confirmed that the England player involved was 22-year-old Root, insisted the team wanted to get over the incident to concentrate on what was an important game for the hosts.
“We are clearly disappointed that the incident happened, but after investigating it from our side, we don’t believe we have done anything wrong,” said Cook.
“Joe just wants to get the matter buried and play cricket. He’s an excellent young man. It’s unfortunate this has happened, but he wants to put it behind him.”
Cook said Malinga would be the danger man for his side, mainly because of his unusual bowling action.
“Malinga is a mighty fine bowler,” the England captain said. “He has got a very different technique and bowling action. Some of the lads have faced him before.
“So if we can play him well as a batting unit, it will really put Sri Lanka under pressure.” REUTERS
