England’s one-day woes continued as they set the highest Champions Trophy total in history before it was overhauled within a few hours by a weakened Australia in Lahore. After Australia lurched to 136 for four in pursuit of 352, Josh Inglis muscled 120 not out off 86 balls to seal a five-wicket win and consign England to a 17th loss in 24 ODIs, including all of the last five. Yorkshire-born Inglis put on 146 in 116 balls with 2023 Ashes pantomime villain Alex Carey, who hit 69 off 63 balls, as Ben Duckett’s 165 off 143 deliveries in England’s 351 for eight was put in the shade. England took advantage of Australia being without Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood as Duckett amassed the best individual total at this event, letting his bat do the talking after being criticised for his indifference as Jos Buttler’s side careered to a 3-0 ODI series loss to India. Duckett’s comments were predicated on them doing well at the Champions Trophy but they now face must-win contests against Afghanistan and South Africa to reach the semi-finals. Duckett put on 158 in 155 balls with Joe Root, who contributed 68 off 78 balls, but England lost their way slightly from 200 for two after 30 overs and Inglis made sure it was an insubstantial total as Australia set a new record for the highest chase at an International Cricket Council 50-over event. The evening dew might have been a factor – and Jofra Archer put down a simple chance off Carey on 49 – which was a major consideration at the start of the day when Steve Smith asked England to bat first. Phil Salt and Jamie Smith, batting at three for the first time for England, showed intent before offering catches to mid-on off Ben Dwarshuis, but Duckett and Root rebuilt in risk-free fashion. Root was at his unobtrusive best, ticking along at around a run-a-ball, while Duckett was typically busy and twice drove the expensive Glenn Maxwell to the boundary, once over it. Nine of Duckett’s 20 boundaries were off the last ball of the over while he took 50 runs in total off Adam Zampa, who snared Joe Root lbw when he missed a sweep and Harry Brook after he sliced to point. Duckett paddle swept fine on 58 but only introduced his customary reverse and conventional sweeps once he had brought up a 95-ball hundred with flat-batted swipes down the ground for back-to-back fours. While Duckett continued on his merry way, Buttler and Liam Livingstone both cleared the ropes but had just walk-on parts after both gave Nathan Ellis catching practice in the deep. Duckett missed a tired pull to one that kept low and departed leg-before off Marnus Labuschagne, who conceded 15 after being curiously trusted with the last over following Archer’s entertaining 10-ball 21 not out. Archer then made inroads in Australia’s reply with a sharp return catch off dangerman Travis Head, while Steve Smith’s back-foot punch took the edge, snaffled by Duckett, off Mark Wood’s 93mph delivery. Short and Labuschagne steadied the ship in a 95-run union, with Brydon Carse wayward and unable to maintain England’s stranglehold. But with spin on at both ends, the boundaries dried up and Labuschagne drove Adil Rashid to cover on 47 and Livingstone took a low caught and bowled off Short for 63. England neglected to review a close lbw shout off Rashid when Inglis was on 10 and he made hay alongside Carey, the pair dealing with Livingstone and Root – combining as England’s fifth bowler – with aplomb. Buttler shuffled his pack to no avail against a purposeful Inglis, who had averaged 23.6 in his previous 27 ODIs, and industrious Carey. The descending dew brought them more favours and perhaps was a mitigating factor in Archer shelling a routine catch in the deep to help Carey pass 50. Inglis rubbed salt into the wound by reverse scooping Archer then flicking him for successive fours and Carey added 20 after his drop before being cramped by the returning Carse and picking out mid-on. Inglis thumped and scooped Carse for consecutive sixes before bringing up a 77-ball hundred by dispatching a slower ball into the stands off Archer, whose 10-0-82-1 represents his worst ODI figures. Maxwell bludgeoned an unbeaten 32 before Inglis fittingly got Australia home with 15 balls to spare with his sixth six to go with eight fours.