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Rain intervenes again - and this time Australia are on the wrong end

Leaden skies surround The Oval for Australia v Bangladesh

Australia were denied a seemingly certain victory as rain curtailed their run chase against Bangladesh in the ICC Champions Trophy on Monday.

Three days prior, Australia had been grateful to the elements as heavy showers forced a washout against New Zealand with Steve Smith's side looking set for defeat.

But it was their turn to look ruefully to the skies at The Oval as the weather closed in with Australia 83-1 after 16 overs – with just four more needed to constitute a game – having bowled Bangladesh out for 182.

The abandonment means Australia have two points to their name from two Group A matches, while Bangladesh have just one following their opening loss to England and would have been eliminated with a defeat in London.

Under brighter skies earlier in the day, Tamim Iqbal fell five runs short of a second successive century in the tournament when he became the first of Mitchell Starc's four victims.

After dismissing the opener, Starc cleaned up Mashrafe Mortaza two balls later and then did the same to Rubel Hossain next delivery. His hat-trick ball marginally missed Mustafizur Rahman's off stump, but he did return in his next over to bowl Mehedi Hasan.

In response, Australia were cruising with David Warner 40 not out and Smith unbeaten on 22 – the former becoming the fastest Australian to score 4,000 one-day international runs before the heavens opened to prevent a sure-fire win.

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