England lose Champions Trophy opener against rivals Australia despite Ben Duckett hitting record score

Ben Duckett hit the highest score by an England batsman in a global tournament, but it came in a losing cause after Leeds-raised Josh Inglis charged under-strength Australia home by five wickets at the Gaddafi Stadium.

There was no better time to face Australia, given they were without five of their first-choice XI, but on a galling evening under the floodlights, England held the record Champions Trophy total for just four hours thanks to Inglis, who emigrated to Perth weeks shy of his 15th birthday, and played the innings of his life 10 days short of his 30th.

Duckett’s 165 off 143 balls surpassed the 158 by Andrew Strauss against India 14 years ago, England’s previous highest score at a global tournament, and took his average against Australia in one-day internationals to 78.33.

But Inglis made mincemeat of a chase of 352 after arriving at the crease with his side requiring re-direction at 136 for four in the 23rd over, surging to a 77-ball hundred as the Australians completed a record chase in an ICC tournament fixture with 15 deliveries unused.

Australia’s wicketkeeper-batsman has played against the country of his birth several times before, but had failed to reach the heights of this chasing masterclass, enhanced by the ball skipping beautifully onto the bat off a dew-drenched surface.

It completed a set of four centuries across all international formats over the past 15 months – form which could seal an Ashes place later this year.

Prior to the contest being turned on its head in its final quarter, England had been in the box seat thanks to Duckett’s clean striking, the most eye-catching of which came down the ground.

England headed into the first of three group matches at an event for which the winners receive a £1.75million cheque with the same orchestra, arranged in a different order.

Jamie Smith was asked to play a new tune at No 3, and the Surrey wicketkeeper-batsman was one of two early wickets after Steve Smith won the toss – Alex Carey providing an early contender for catch of the tournament with a spectacular one-handed grab above his head at mid-on to remove Phil Salt, before taking an easier chance in the same position to leave England two down.

A power play score of 73 for two was their lowest in four ODIs this year, but crucially the right players were at the crease to build on what was nevertheless an impressive scoring rate and take advantage of the next phase of the game.

In Joe Root, Duckett found a partner who was prepared to feed the ball into the gaps and rotate the strike, allowing him the opportunity to attack Australia’s spinners.

Showing no signs of impairment following a recent groin niggle that threatened his participation in this eight-team competition, Duckett danced down the pitch to lift Glenn Maxwell for a straight six that brought up England’s 100 in the 14th over.

Soon afterwards, he was raising his bat for a run-a-ball 50, Root following him with an effort six balls slower.

It took an umpire’s call clip of leg stump to end their 158-run alliance, much to Root’s frustration, but England were in the mood to take advantage of facing an Australian team who had taken to the field in a major tournament match without any of their bowling big guns Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc for the first time in nine years.

For once, Harry Brook failed on Pakistani soil, making it an unhappy 26th birthday when he sliced to backward point off Adam Zampa.

By then, Duckett was already in three figures, getting there with consecutive four-arm smashes straight down the ground off Spencer Johnson.

So loose was the giant left-armer that Australia captain Steve Smith did not bowl him out, leaving three overs unused and handing them to Marnus Labuschagne’s occasional leg-spin instead.

And it was Labuschagne who eventually ended Duckett’s fun when a tired sweep resulted in a cast-iron leg before decision.

However, when Jofra Archer scattered those in the stands at midwicket from Labuschagne’s penultimate delivery of the innings, England had surpassed New Zealand’s Champions Trophy-high of 347 versus the United States at the Oval in 2004.

Needing to score at seven an over, Australia’s cause was hampered by the loss of Travis Head and Smith respectively before the end of the fifth over.

Buttler’s pouching of Labuschagne at midwicket in 20th over was celebrated vociferously by the full house of 34,000, emphasising where the loyalties of the locals lay.

And when Matt Short struck a delivery straight back to Liam Livingstone three overs later to leave Australia 136 for four, it felt like England’s match to lose.

Or Inglis’ to win as he and Carey countered in a century stand that swung things the way of the world champions.

Inglis raced to 50 off 41 deliveries courtesy of clever placement and no little power, ably accompanied by Alex Carey, who reached his own half-century off 49 when a pull off Rashid was dropped by Archer at deep midwicket.

It was a miss that cost 20 runs to Carey alone, and Inglis rubbed the salt in the wounds in tandem with Maxwell, finishing things when he flicked his sixth six off Mark Wood.