The Melbourne Cricket ground has done really well to dish out some thrillers in the limited games hosted at the ground. Now, with the semi-finals race heating up, the battles get more intense. With New Zealand all but sealing their spot, the other teams now just have one spot to fight for. For Ireland, a win against England and the rain help them stay above Australia on the points table. The result here is obvoius with Australia as favorites, but with the World Cup providing a lot of surprises this time, Ireland may add to a list of upsets this year.
The upcoming encounter is only the second between both sides after their encounter in 2012. Five players from the Australian side played in that encounter. With the ball talking in the tournament, Australia could consider playing Steve Smith, as they will need someone to play a holding role, considering the line-up is full of attacking batters.
Played- 0 | Ireland- 0 | Australia – 1 | No Result- 0 | Tie-0
Date: 31st October 2022
Time: 1:30 PM IST
Venue: Melbourne
Rain continues to be a threat for the upcoming game. It is not as bad as last week, and a game should be likely, however weather is still a small threat.
The Melbourne Track is helping swing bowlers and bowling second will be a better option with early wickets playing a role in each game.
Andrew Balbernie (c), Paul Stirling, Lorcan Tucker (wk), Harry Tector, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Curtis Campher, Mark Adair, Simi Singh, Barry McCarthy, Joshua Little
David Warner, Aaron Finch, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Tim David/Steve Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood.
Last years player of the tournament is off to a silent start. Normally, David Warner is really good in Australian conditions but he is yet to set the tournament alight in his own style. Two games in, a big score should be around the corner. With Aaron Finch struggling for his own timing, a good innings from Warner will help ease up the pressure at the top and should allow Finch to move ahead with ease.
Over the last year, Josh Little has impressed a lot. He has pace, he is young and he is already proving that he can lead an attack. A good spell from him up front will be key for Ireland as they will rely on him for consistent breakthroughs throughout the innings.
See Also: England vs India 2nd ODI Match Prediction – Cricket Winner
Despite the history of upsets in this tournament, Australia remain favorites against Ireland.
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