England are upbeat to take on their arch-rivals Australia in the Group A opening match of ICC Champions Trophy. Both the teams are studded with some brilliant swing bowlers. It will also be interesting to see how the likes of Adam Voges and Shane Watson tackle Graeme Swann. On the other hand the duel between the English opening pair (Ian Bell and Alastair Cook), and Australian lead bowlers (Mitchell Johnson and Mitchell Starc) will also be worth watching.

Here we bring to you the players to watch out in the match between England and Australia:

Ian Bell: Bell has always been more than handy in home conditions and surely he can make some valuable contributions top of the order if he gets going. His ability to mould himself according to the situation makes him a crucial player for the big match that is to be played against their arch-rival.

Mitchell Johnson: Johnson has been looking in good rhythm and will surely determine the fate of Australia during this tournament. His ability to get the early breakthroughs makes him the most important bowler as he would be leading a relatively inexperienced Australian pace-attack.

Alistair Cook: Cook will play a crucial role by not only giving a good start but also by leading his side efficiently. He needs to make some inspirational bowling changes like he did in the last ODI against New Zealand. His ability of playing the role of sheath anchor makes him an impact player.

Mitchell Starc: Starc was looking more of a mixed bag in the warm-up games. He did pick up early wickets but also leaked runs in death overs. If he somehow avoids giving runs in crunch situation, then he is going to be a great asset for his captain George Bailey.

James Anderson: Anderson bowled well against New Zealand but he needs to be a bit more consistent with his line and length especially against the likes of David Warner and Shane Watson who can send the ball over the ropes with their ruthless power. He is the backbone of England pace-battery and if he gets some early wickets, then Australian batting line-up is going to be in serious trouble.

David Warner: Warner will to take up the responsibility on his shoulder in absence of Michael Clarke. He needs to play for as long as possible with Watson to ensure that his team do not fail on the batting front. They are the strongest pillars of Aussie batting line-up and if they start firing, everything will fall in place for the defending champions.

Graeme Swann: Swann was looking slightly off-colour against New-Zealand but his quota of 10 overs will be very crucial for the English team. His ability to contain the batsmen makes him one of the best off-spinner of modern day cricket.

Shane Watson: Watson is the cornerstone of Australian batting line-up and if he starts going then it’s going to be tough for the English pace attack. His all-round dexterity makes him the trumpcard for Australia.

Eoin Morgan: Morgan can come in handy especially in the last 15 overs when there is a need to accelerate the scoring rate. He can play some wide range of shots.

Adam Voges: Voges had a decent run in the warm-up games. He has the potential of making it big. He has the knack of reading the situation of the game which makes him a very crucial player in this lacklustre Australian batting line-up.

By Amit Chopra
Indian Sports News Network