RESULT
12th Match (D/N), Jaipur, October 21, 2006, ICC Champions Trophy
(36.5/50 ov, T:170) 170/4

Australia won by 6 wickets (with 79 balls remaining)

Player Of The Match
78 (91)
damien-martyn
Report

Flintoff plays down defeat

Andrew Flintoff has unsurprisingly brushed off suggestions England will now be under more pressure going into next month's Ashes series after losing to Australia in the Champions Trophy on Saturday opening stand from Ian Bell and Andrew Strauss to st



Andrew Flintoff claims England saw the match against Australia in isolation © Getty Images
Andrew Flintoff has unsurprisingly brushed off suggestions England will now be under more pressure going into next month's Ashes series after losing to Australia in the Champions Trophy on Saturday.
England's chances of qualifying for the semi-finals virtually ended on Saturday when they crashed to a six-wicket defeat, their second successive loss. They will now clash with West Indies in their last league game at Ahmedabad on October 28.
"We took this match in isolation," he said, "as a must-win game for both the sides to stay in the tournament." Regardless of Flintoff's attempts to play down defeat - "In the build-up people were trying to link it to the Ashes," he said, "but the Ashes start when we go to Australia" - the Australians will be boosted greatly by their victory in India.
Flintoff did concede his young side needed to improve considerably if they wanted to give a good account of themselves in coming months. "It is an exciting time in one-day cricket. But we need to improve," said Flintoff. "It is a young side. We have to step up as a team if we have the aspirations of doing well later in this winter."

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Australia Innings
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ICC Champions Trophy
Group A
TEAMMWLPTNRR
AUS32140.529
WI32140.009
IND31220.482
ENG3122-1.044
Group B
TEAMMWLPTNRR
SA32140.767
NZ32140.572
SL3122-0.195
PAK3122-1.107
Qualifying Group
TEAMMWLPTNRR
SL33062.672
WI32140.404
BAN31220.019
ZIM3030-2.927