ICC Dream11 Daily Fantasy Preview: England vs Australia

England vs Australia

Lord’s Cricket Ground, London - England

June 25, 2019, 10:30 BST

**Preview:**England face Australia after their shock defeat to Sri Lanka at Headingley last time around. They had also lost to Pakistan earlier in the tournament, and will be under pressure when they face the defending champions at the iconic Lord’s Stadium.

Australia, on the other hand, have been the in-form team, winning five of their six games in the World Cup so far. Their only defeat had come against India, but since then, they have registered three wins in as many games. They have a well-balanced team with an aggressive top-order along with seam bowlers who have been consistently among the wickets.

The pitch at Lord’s will help the seamers early on, with the slope assisting the fast bowlers. However, it should be a balanced track with plenty in it for both departments. Australia’s middle order has stumbled a bit in the tournament, and if the English bowlers can get a few early scalps, they will fancy their chances against their arch-rivals.

Predicted Lineups

England: Jonny Bairstow, James Vince, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan (c), Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler (wk), Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid, Liam Plunkett, Jofra Archer

Australia: David Warner, Aaron Finch (c), Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey (wk), Nathan Coulter-Nile, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa

Fantasy Team

Wicket-Keeper: Jos Buttler

Buttler is one of the most aggressive middle-order batsmen. He scored a hundred against Pakistan, and followed it up with 64 in the next game against Bangladesh. His strike rate of 120.25 in the format makes him one of the most dangerous players, and if England lose a few wickets upfront, he has the ability to drop anchor and lead them to safety.

Batsmen: David Warner, Aaron Finch, James Vince, Joe Root

Joe Root has surpassed 400 runs in the tournament with two centuries and three fifties to his name in six innings. His consistency makes him a must-pick in the Fantasy team. James Vince is an elegant batsman who was drafted into the XI after the injury to Jason Roy. He has not been able to make his mark in the tournament yet, but will be looking to reverse the trend and seal his spot before Roy returns. The Warner-Finch duo has redefined consistency. Warner was the leading run-scorer in the Indian Premier League, and is the second highest run-scorer in the World Cup 2019 so far. With 447 runs, including a knock of 166 in the last game, Warner remains a must-have. Finch, his opening partner, has scored 396 runs with a high score of 153. He has three fifties to go along with the ton, and will look to carry on in the same form.

All-rounders: Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali

Ben Stokes was the lone man standing for England against the Lankans, scoring his second half-century of the tournament. He can contribute with the ball and on the field as well - latching on to some spectacular catches - which makes him the X factor in any Fantasy team. Moeen Ali comes cheap at only 8 credits, and though he is yet to fire in the edition, he has shown glimpses of his skills with an unbeaten 31 against the Afghans. He also picked up 3 wickets against Pakistan, and could be a good differential to have.

Bowlers: Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Jofra Archer

All four bowlers have been regularly among wickets, and, thus, it is tough to avoid either of them. Starc and Archer are among the leading contenders to be the tournament’s top wicket-taker. Both have 15 wickets to their name, with the Australian bowling at an average of 20.26. Cummins has 11 wickets to his name and has bowled more maidens than any other bowler in the competition. Coulter-Nile was dropped for a few games but staged a remarkable comeback, picking up two in his last game against Bangladesh. He can also contribute with the bat - his knock of 92 against the Windies is a proof of his talent - and he is a good value buy at 8 credits.

Captaincy Options

Best Bet: Joe Root, Jos Buttler

Alternatives: David Warner, Aaron Finch