Weight of history with Australia in opener

New Zealand will have to buck the trend of 30 years of history if they are to topple Australia in their ICC Champions Trophy opener at Edgbaston on Friday.

The Black Caps enter the match against their trans-Tasman rivals having won just three of 15 matches against the Aussies in major 50-over tournaments, stretching back to their first meeting at the 1987 World Cup.

And in 10 matches between the two sides at major 50-over events this century, NZ have triumphed only once, their famous one-wicket victory at Eden Park in Auckland in the group stage of the 2015 World Cup.

Australia went on to win that tournament, thrashing the Kiwis by seven wickets in the final at the MCG, just as they did at the 1999 World Cup when NZ won their opening group game at Cardiff by five wickets. New Zealand's only other win against Australia at a major event was also in the group stage of a World Cup, at the 1992 tournament in Auckland.

Australia's 11 wins over the Kiwis have come at World Cups in 1987 (twice), 1996, 2003, 2007, 2011 and their victory in the final in 2015, while they are also four wins from four in completed Champions Trophy contests against the Black Caps, in 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2009. The 2013 Champions Trophy clash between the two teams, also at Edgbaston, was washed out.

But the two sides will field vastly different XIs on Friday to those that faced off at the MCG more than two years ago; only half of the 22 players that played the 2015 final are in their respective squads for this tournament, while the likes of Brendon McCullum, Michael Clarke, Daniel Vettori and Mitchell Johnson have all since retired.

"We played them in the World Cup final and both teams are going to be very different from that World Cup final a couple of years ago," paceman Mitchell Starc, who removed McCullum in the first over of the 2015 decider, said on Sunday.

"In this tournament, you can't afford any hiccups so we know each game is going to be very important.

"We know they're a team that can blast you away with the bat or with the ball so we're going to have to be on top of our game, as we will be throughout the whole tournament."

The eight matches between the two sides since the 2015 World Cup have been evenly split, with New Zealand winning four (all at home) and Australia four.

The Kiwis haven't beaten Australia in an ODI outside of New Zealand since 2009, a streak of eight consecutive defeats against them away from home.

Australia also boast a winning record at major events against England, who are also in Group A at this event, winning seven of 11 contests overall and five of seven this century. But notably, those two England victories since 2000 have come in Champions Trophy matches at Edgbaston, where the two sides will meet on June 10, in 2004 and 2013.

Australia are unbeaten in three matches against their third Group A rival, Bangladesh, winning matches at the World Cup in 1999 and 2007 as well as the 2002 Champions Trophy.

Australia v New Zealand at World Cup & Champions Trophy

P: 15 | W: 11 | L: 3 | NR: 1

Australia wins

World Cup: 1987 (twice), 1996, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015

Champions Trophy: 2002, 2004, 2006, 2009

New Zealand wins

World Cups: 1992, 1999, 2015

Champions Trophy: None

Australia v England at World Cup & Champions Trophy

P: 11 | W: 7 | L: 4 | NR: 0

Australia wins

World Cup: 1975, 1987, 2003, 2007, 2015

Champions Trophy: 2009

England wins

World Cup: 1979, 1992

Champions Trophy: 2004, 2013

Champions Trophy 2017 Guide

AUSTRALIA SQUAD: Steve Smith (c), David Warner, Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, John Hastings, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Moises Henriques, Chris Lynn, Glenn Maxwell, James Pattinson, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, Adam Zampa

Other squads: Every Champions Trophy squad

Schedule

1 June – England beat Bangladesh by eight wickets

2 June – Australia v New Zealand, Edgbaston (D)

3 June – Sri Lanka v South Africa, The Oval (D)

4 June – India v Pakistan, Edgbaston (D)

5 June – Australia v Bangladesh, The Oval (D/N)

6 June – England v New Zealand, Cardiff (D)

7 June – Pakistan v South Africa, Edgbaston (D/N)

8 June – India v Sri Lanka, The Oval (D)

9 June – New Zealand v Bangladesh, Cardiff (D)

10 June – England v Australia, Edgbaston (D)

11 June – India v South Africa, The Oval (D)

12 June – Sri Lanka v Pakistan, Cardiff (D)

14 June – First semi-final (A1 v B2), Cardiff (D)

15 June – Second semi-final (A2 v B1), Edgbaston (D)

18 June – Final, The Oval (D)

19 June – Reserve day (D)