CWC 2019 Warm-ups, England vs Australia: Preview, Head-to-head stats, Key Players and Squads
ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 hosts England will lock horns with Australia in the third warm-up match at Southampton Rose Bowl on Saturday, May 25.
Head to Head Stats: The stats tend to favour the Aussies with 81 wins in 144 official ODI meetings, though the hosts pip out the Kangaroos at 34-30 when it comes to matches being played in England.
England
England are a force to reckon with in the tournament and will begin their campaign as the world no one ranked ODI team. With most of their front-line players going through an ominous run, they are expected to use these warm-ups to test their reserve unit.
Key Players
Jonny Bairstow, Jason Roy, Joe Root and Jos Buttler are the consistent run-getters for the team and are likely to be the key players while skipper Eoin Morgan is team's Mr dependable in the middle order. In terms of bowling Chris Woakes, Tom Curran and Mark Wood will be seen serving the pace unit on most occasions.
Players under Scanner
The team boasts a power-packed lineup for the CWC 2019. Jofra Archer, Liam Dawson and James Vince will be the players to watch during the warm-ups. While a healthy competition between all-rounders Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali is set to be on the cards.
World Cup Squad
Eoin Morgan (C), Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, Joe Root, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Jason Roy, Tom Curran, Liam Dawson, Liam Plunkett, Jonny Bairstow, Adil Rashid, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood and James Vince.
Australia
The Aussies seem to have ended their dreadful run in the ODI format and the defending champions are coming of a relaxing series (5-0) win against Pakistan. The team also played few unofficial warm-ups against the New Zealand and West Indies XI, and have been positive in their approach.
Key Players
The return of their star batsmen, David Warner and Steve Smith, has certainly strengthened their batting lineup. Both were in incredible touch during the IPL and are likely to play a key role in Australia title defence. Aaron Finch, Usman Khawaja and Glen Maxwell have been the vital cogs in their recent ODI success. On bowling front, Mitchell Starc is their most experienced campaigner while Pat Cummins and Jason Behrendorff have been their key strikers in recent times.
Players under Scanner
Kane Richardson, who has been named as an injury replacement for Jhye Richardson, is likely to be closely monitored during the warm-up games. Marcus Stoinis, Shaun Marsh and Nathan Coulter-Nile will face a tough battle to find a place in the XI.
World Cup Squad
Aaron Finch (C), Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, David Warner, Adam Zampa, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Jason Behrendorff, Mitchell Starc, Kane Richardson and Nathan Lyon.