ODI World Cup 2023: England conceded 286 runs against Australia

England and Australia squared off at the Narendra Modi Stadium. It was a steaming afternoon in Ahmedabad when England won the toss and elected to bowl. Australia made two forced substitutions, Cameron Green and Marcus Stoinis, for Glenn Maxwell and Mitchell Marsh. Australia scored 286 runs. Here is a recap of the first innings.

Woakes strikes twice for England in powerplay

Travis Head used David Willey’s bowling to score nine runs in the first over. Chris Woakes removed Head in the subsequent over. Willey scored a quiet one-run after his costly over. Against Willey, David Warner was called leg before wicket in the fifth over. After hitting a six off of Woakes in the next over, Warner was out of the game. Warner smacked a four and a six to score fifteen runs in sixteen balls. Woakes’ double volley held down Australia’s scoring pace. In four overs, Steven Smith and Marnus Labuschagne managed just nine runs. The five-time winners lost two wickets while scoring 48 runs.

Smith and Labuschagne rebuild the innings

Following the powerplay, Mark Wood entered the fray. Wood bowled several quiet overs, giving up just eighteen runs in his opening four overs. In the 12th over, Labuschagne hit his first four after he had faced twenty balls. In an attempt to deflect the ball away from the two right-handers, Liam Livingstone entered the attack. Livingstone bowled three overs of calm bowling, giving up just 15 runs. After Moeen Ali joined the attack in the 19th over, Labuschagne and Smith each blasted him for four runs in his opening over, costing the team ten runs. Smith hit Ali for a four in his second over, which also ended in ten runs for Ali. 

Quick wickets for England

In the 22nd over, Smith was removed by Adil Rashid. Smith hit three fours and scored 44 runs in 52 balls. Smith got dismissed for the fifth time in the 2023 World Cup. Josh Inglis was removed by Rashid in the next over. Labuschagne and Cameron Green lost two quick wickets but then made some significant runs. In the 26th over, Labuschagne reached his half-century in 63 balls. In eight overs, the pair scored 47 runs (25-32). In the 33rd over, Labuschagne was removed by Wood. With seven fours in 83 balls, Labuschagne scored 71 runs. 

In the 36th over, Marcus Stoinis got things rolling with a six. In the next over, he hit another four off Wood’s bowling. In the 38th over, Green blasted as both batsmen began to pick up speed. In the 40th over, Stoinis struck another four. Australia had amassed 220 runs for the loss of five wickets after 40 overs. 

In the 41st over, Willey dismissed Green to restore order for England. Green hit five fours and scored 47 runs in 52 balls. When Livingstone joined the attack in the 44th over, Stoinis greeted him with a four and a six. However, the Australian all-rounder was removed by the spinner in the same over, giving him the final laugh. Stoinis hit two sixes and three fours to score 35 runs in 32 innings. In an effort to limit the Australian scoring, Wood returned to the attack and dismissed Pat Cummins. Adam Zampa played a quickfire cameo down the order to provide some useful runs for Australia. The Australian leg spinner smashed two fours in the 47th over and one each in the 48th and the 49th. He was dismissed in the last over after scoring 29 runs in just 19 balls hitting four fours.