On This Day: England Knock Australia Out of the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy

England posted a strong total, but Australia couldn’t keep up, falling short despite a gritty fight, and Stokes’ all-round heroics stole the show, cementing England’s dominance and sending their rivals packing in a match that left fans buzzing.

Australia vs England: 10th June 2017

On a damp June day in 2017 at Edgbaston, England delivered a performance for the ages, crushing Australia by 40 runs via the DLS method in a rain-affected Champions Trophy clash. England’s commanding display, spearheaded by Ben Stokes’ unbeaten century and a fiery bowling effort from Mark Wood and Adil Rashid, knocked Australia out of the tournament and handed Bangladesh their first-ever Champions Trophy semi-final berth.

The match began with England captain Eoin Morgan calling correctly at the toss and choosing to field, eyeing the early movement on a lively Birmingham pitch. Australia’s openers, David Warner and Aaron Finch, strode out with confidence, but they knew they’d have to weather a testing new-ball spell. Warner, never one to shy away from aggression, took the attack to England’s bowlers, cracking four crisp fours in a brisk 21 off 25 balls. His cameo was cut short in the eighth over when Mark Wood, steaming in with serious pace, drew an edge that Jos Buttler pouched behind the stumps. Australia were 40/1, and the early breakthrough had England’s tails up.

Finch, unfazed, took charge. He played with his trademark fluency, driving and cutting his way to a stylish fifty off 47 balls, studded with seven fours. Alongside him, captain Steven Smith settled in, playing the anchor role with his usual class. The pair stitched together a rock-solid 96-run stand for the second wicket, taking Australia to 93/1 by the 17th over, and it felt like the foundation for something big — maybe even 300-plus. Smith, grafting patiently, reached his own fifty off 68 balls, his five boundaries a mix of deft touches and elegant drives.

But England’s bowlers weren’t about to let Australia run away. Ben Stokes, bustling with energy, broke the partnership in the 23rd over, getting Finch to miscue a drive to Morgan at cover for a well-made 68 off 64. At 136/2, Australia still looked solid, but the momentum was shifting. Moises Henriques, promoted to No. 4 to keep the scoreboard ticking, chipped in with a lively 17 off 19 before Adil Rashid’s crafty leg spin did him in. Caught by Liam Plunkett at 161/3, Henriques’ departure opened the door for England to tighten the screws. Smith followed soon after, nicking one-off Wood to fall for 56, leaving Australia wobbling at 181/4 in the 32nd over.

Enter Travis Head, Australia’s No. 5, who became the backbone of their innings. With the middle order under pressure, Head played with grit and flair, finishing unbeaten on 71 off 64 balls, and his five fours and two towering sixes kept Australia’s hopes alive. A 50-run stand with Glenn Maxwell, who scratched out a cautious 20 off 31, pushed Australia past 200, but Maxwell’s departure — caught by Jason Roy off Wood — sparked a collapse. Matthew Wade (2 off 3) and Mitchell Starc (0 off 3) fell in quick succession to Rashid’s guile in the 44th over, leaving Australia at 245/7. Pat Cummins (4 off 7) and Adam Zampa (0 off 3) couldn’t add much, with Wood cleaning up Zampa to make it 254/9. Josh Hazlewood, hanging on with 1 not out off 5, gave Head just enough support to limp to 277/9 in 50 overs.

England’s bowling was relentless. Wood was the star, ripping through with a career-best 4/33 in 10 overs, including 40 dot balls that strangled Australia’s scoring. Rashid matched him with 4/41, his spin dismantling the middle order. Stokes (1/61) and Jake Ball (0/61) were expensive but kept the pressure on, while Moeen Ali (0/24) and Liam Plunkett (0/49) brought control. Australia’s run rate of 5.54 was decent, but 17 extras, including 8 leg-byes, showed England’s discipline. Head’s late flourish gave Australia a fighting total, but losing wickets at key moments left them vulnerable.

England’s chase of 277 got off to a nightmare start. Jason Roy, under pressure after a lean run, was trapped lbw by a fiery Starc for just 4 off 2 balls in the first over — the review couldn’t save him. Alex Hales followed, nicking Hazlewood to Finch for a four-ball duck, leaving England at 6/2. Joe Root, the man you’d bank on to steady the ship, scratched out 15 off 14 before Hazlewood had him caught behind by Wade. At 35/3 in the sixth over, with Starc (1/52) and Hazlewood (2/50) making the ball talk, England were in deep trouble.

Step up, Eoin Morgan and Ben Stokes. The captain and the all-rounder produced a partnership for the ages, a 159-run stand that flipped the game on its head. Morgan came out swinging, hammering 87 off 81 balls with eight fours and five sixes, tearing into anything loose. Stokes, cautious at first, grew in confidence, racing to a 39-ball fifty with eight fours and a massive six. Their 50-run stand came in just 44 balls, and by the 15th over, England were back in the fight at 100/3. By the 24th over, they were cruising at 150/3, with Australia’s bowlers looking rattled.

Morgan’s innings ended at 87, run out by a sharp throw from Zampa in the 32nd over at 194/4. Stokes, unfazed, kept his cool, steering England to 240/4 in 40.2 overs alongside Jos Buttler’s unbeaten 29 off 32. Rain arrived, halting play, but England were 40 runs ahead of the DLS target of 201, sealing a dominant victory. Stokes’ unbeaten 102 off 109, blending grit and power, earned him Player of the Match, while Morgan’s aggressive knock had set the tone.

Australia’s bowlers, after their early breakthroughs, couldn’t contain England’s middle order. Starc and Hazlewood had fire early on, but Cummins (0/55) and Zampa (0/52) were taken apart, while Head (0/9) and Maxwell (0/14) leaked runs at 5.95 an over. England’s recovery from 35/3 to 240/4 showcased their batting depth and white-ball resurgence. The victory was a turning point in their 2017 campaign, marking them as serious contenders. Captain Steven Smith admitted there were “no excuses” for their campaign’s failure, with their middle-order frailties and lack of bowling bite exposed. The defeat ended their campaign in the Champions Trophy and sent them packing, while Bangladesh celebrated their historic semi-final spot.