Sent in by Jos Buttler on another hot afternoon at Narendra Modi Stadium, Australia was unable to summon the power game so on display across its three most recent matches, all of which yielded totals of 350 plus.

But with Marnus Labuschagne anchoring the innings and Adam Zampa providing unexpected frustration at No. 10, Australia mustered enough useful contributions to overcome the cheap loss of openers Travis Head and David Warner to post a total at face value challenged an England outfit that entered this game in deplorable batting form.

The Aussies’ resurgence at the World Cup had been built on bulk runs at the top of the order, but they weren’t forthcoming on Saturday.

England Ashes hero Chris Woakes provided the critical early breakthroughs for England, with Head limply swiping to Joe Root at first slip for 11 before Warner miscued a pull to go for 15. It was Woakes’ fifth successive dismissal of the veteran left-hander dating back to the start of the Manchester Test in July.

The early departure of the openers fundamentally changed the nature of the Australian innings, a situation amplified by the absence of Mitch Marsh who returned home during the week for family reasons.

With Labuschagne and Steve Smith joining forces early in the innings, the Aussies chipped away at a no-better-than-steady tempo without looking overly threatened even on a two-paced wicket.

Smith had given himself a platform only to throw it away on 44 when guiding an easy catch to Moeen Ali off Adil Rashid’s leg-spin.

Josh Inglis fell for three to the same bowler-fielder combination when looking to reverse, a decision a criticised by the legendary Ricky Ponting on commentary, who suggested there was “no need to play that shot.”

Afforded a surprise recall to the XI with Marsh and Glenn Maxwell (concussion) both unavailable, Cameron Green nudged his way to 47, surviving a mix-up with Marcus Stoinis and losing his bat while looking to pull England’s rapid Mark Wood,

The England speedster eventually made the important breakthrough by removing Labuschagne lbw for 71, with the Queenslander unsuccessfully reviewing Marais Erasmus’ decision.

Stoinis bashed his way to 35 but when he and Green departed in the space of little more than three overs, Australia’s tail was left with more than six overs to claw its way as close to 300 as possible.

It was Zampa (29 off 19 balls) whose late swinging led the charge, with the Aussies bowled out with three balls wasted as Woakes picked up 4-54.

AUSTRALIAN INNINGS

11:27PM: AUSTRALIA ALL OUT FOR 286

The first innings has come to an end, with England in the box seat to claim just their second win of the Cricket World Cup, after getting Australia all out for 286.

Some solid late work, and some unconventional batting, from Adam Zampa and Mitchell Starc has helped the Aussies pull together some late boundaries and finish on a somewhat respectable score, but England will be happy to restrict Australia to under 300.

11PM: CUMMINS GONE

And just minutes after Stoinis walked off, skipper Pat Cummins follows him off after being caught by Dawid Malan, on the back of a smart field change from Jos Butler. Australia have now lost 3/24 in the last 5 overs, and find themselves 8-249 after 45 overs.

10:56PM: ENGLAND STRIKE AS CRUCIAL WICKETS FALL

Things aren’t looking too good for Australia right now, with England claiming the crucial wicket of Cameron Green. Green took a massive gamble, going to far across his wicket and leaving his wicket wide open for David Willey. The Aussies are well into the tail now, with skipper Pat Cummins making his way out there. And just two overs later, Marcus Stoinis followed him Green off the pitch, after being caught by Jonny Bairstow. Stoinis was threatening to unload on England, with back-to-back boundaries, before the third saw him out.

Australia are 7-243 after 44 overs.

9:59PM: AUSSIE COLLAPSE CONTINUES

He’s had arguably his best innings of the World Cup, but Marnus Labuschagne has finally fallen, after an expensive over from Mark Wood claimed the Australian on the final delivery. Marcus Stoinis comes in for Marnus, with Australia 5-178 after 33 overs.

9.45PM: GREEN THROWS BAT IN BIZARRE MOMENT

That will go down as one of the strangest balls of the World Cup.

Cameron Green tries to hook Mark Wood for six, looses grip on his bat and throws it in the direction of the square leg umpire.

The ball wen almost straight up and Wood was only a metre away from claiming a caught and bowled.

In the end, the bat went further than the ball.

He survives to continue the rebuild with Marnus Labuschagne.

After 31 overs, Australia is 4-162.

9.16PM: INGLIS GONE

Josh Inglis’ stay is a short one, out trying to reverse Adil Rashid over the in field.

All he could do was smack the ball straight to Moeen Ali at backward point.

Cameron Green’s chance arrives with Australia on the ropes.

“As far as I’m concerned, no need to play that shot,” says Ricky Ponting.

9.10PM: SMITH FALLS TO RASHID

Just as Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith’s steady partnership was going up a gear, Adil Rashid draws Smith into a false shot and has him caught for 44 off 52 balls.

Josh Inglis joins Labuschagne in the middle with Australia badly needing another big partnership.

“It’s going to be a hard wicket to start on,” says Ricky Ponting in commentary.

8:51PM: AUSSIES FIND THEIR GROOVE

Australia is gradually building a nice partnership, but it has taken a while for Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne to get the ball rolling, with Australia now 2-88 after 18 overs, after notching up a 50 partnership. The English are down a review, after going upstairs for an LBW appeal, but unlike their first review, this one was clearly missing the stumps.

8PM: WARNER HOLES OUT

Chris Woakes has done it again.

A slow ball does the trick, drawing David Warner into a false shot as he looks to go big.

Warner instead skies the ball to David Willey at backward square leg who completes a good catch.

Australia is 2-38 and the pressure is on Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne — two players who have had their spots in this line-up questioned.

7.54PM: PRAISE MARAIS ERAMUS

Umpire Marais Erasmus comes to the rescue by giving David Warner not out lbw off David Willey.

Jos Buttler asks for a review but it comes back umpire’s call on height and Warner survives.

The initial suspicion was there was an inside edge but that wasn’t the case.

7.39PM: WOAKES END’S HEAD INNINGS

There’s one of the big wickets England wanted early.

Travis Head tries to guide a Chris Woakes delivery fine of the slip but only succeeds in angling it straight to Joe Root.

Australia is 1-11 in the second over and David Warner is yet to face a ball.

STOKES CONCEDES ENGLAND’S WORLD CUP DEFENCE A DISASTER

AFP

England’s Ben Stokes on Friday conceded that “nothing’s worked” in a disastrous World Cup campaign.

The defending champions have lost five of their six matches to lie bottom of the 10-team table and another defeat on Saturday in Ahmedabad against arch rivals Australia will end even their slimmest hopes of squeezing into the semi-finals.

“I think the problem is that we’ve been crap. To be honest with you, we’ve been crap,” Stokes said.

“Everything we’ve tried throughout this World Cup, through trying to put pressure back onto the opposition in a way in which we know, or trying to soak up the pressure in a different way, which we know we’ve done before and been successful with, it’s just not worked.”

Stokes added: “Every opportunity that we’ve had in front of us where we feel like we can take control of the game, the opposition’s managed to get it back towards them. And we’ve just not been able to put a full game together.”

England have brushed aside any talk of an unlikely mathematical equation of making the final four if they win their remaining three matches.

But a clash with five-time champions Australia does excite Stokes and his teammates, three months after an acrimonious Ashes series ended 2-2.

“England-Australia in any sport whenever the two nations play against each it’s always a big occasion,” said Stokes.

After facing Australia, the defending champions still have to play the Netherland in Pune on November 8 and Pakistan at Kolkata on November 11.

“We’ve had a disastrous World Cup and there’s no point sugar-coating that because it’s the truth. But we know these last three games, for us, we’ve got a lot to play for,” said Stokes.

“I think the biggest thing that we’ve got to play for is obviously the pride of what it is to put the three lions on your chest, walking out onto the field every time is a very special occasion and something that we value very highly.”

Originally published as Cricket World Cup: Australia v England live updates, scoreboard, news