Aussies aiming to avoid Edgbaston curse

England will attempt to use Edgbaston's party atmosphere and Australia's dismal recent record in Birmingham to their advantage in their crucial pre-Ashes Champions Trophy clash on Saturday.

Edgbaston has been a nightmare venue for Australia in recent decades and they've only managed one victory here from their past 15 matches across all formats stretching back to 1993.

That streak does include five washed-out one-day internationals, the latest against New Zealand last week, but an improved weather forecast suggests Australia will be greeted by clear skies in Birmingham for a game they must win to stay alive in the tournament.

Edgbaston was the scene of Australia's dramatic tie against South Africa in the 1999 World Cup, but it was also here that they famously lost the second Test of the 2005 Ashes by two runs as England went on to record a historic series win.

And Australia also dropped Ashes Tests here two years ago and in 1997, when they were bowled out for just 118 on the first day of the match, as well as Champions Trophy games against England in 2004 and 2013.

England have won their past five matches in Birmingham across all formats and it was here two years ago that they began their 50-over revolution following their embarrassing exit from the 2015 World Cup, racking up 408 against New Zealand, the first time they'd scored more than 400 in a one-day international.

A sell-out Saturday crowd should provide a hostile environment for the Australians, especially in the famous Eric Hollies Stand - the party stand - on the eastern side of the ground.

"This is a really good ground for us," England skipper Eoin Morgan said.

"It's a fantastic stadium. We love coming here. It's normally a beautiful wicket and a high-scoring ground, and that suits us.

"I think the atmosphere, particularly over that side of the ground (The Hollies Stand), is always quite lively regardless of how the game is going.

"So, yeah, we always seem to get results here. That's part of home advantage."

Australia's brains trust of coach Darren Lehmann, selector Trevor Hohns and skipper Steve Smith examined the Edgbaston surface before training on Friday as they looked to finalise the visitors’ playing XI.

The pitch has not been used so far in the tournament and the improved weather leading into the match has allowed ground staff to adequately prepare what historically has been a good surface for batting.

India (3-319 against Pakistan) and New Zealand (291 against Australia) have already posted big totals batting first here in this competition while it was here last year that England chased down a victory target of 255 inside 35 overs against Sri Lanka without losing a wicket.

South Africa managed just 219 from their 50 overs here on Wednesday against Pakistan, but that was on a worn surface that had already been used twice before in the tournament.

Smith wasn't drawn on the make-up of his bowling attack but the improved forecast would seemingly rule James Pattinson out of contention, but John Hastings could come back in to replace spinner Adam Zampa.

"I'm sure he'll be talked about, particularly as it's a new wicket," Smith said of Hastings.

"He's a guy that bowls that little bit slower and can hit the seam and generate or get whatever's in the wicket.

"Being a fresh wicket, there could be a little bit there, and he'll certainly come into contention, I'm sure."

Both skippers deflected any talk that the match would have a significant bearing on the Ashes later this year, but Morgan added any clash against Australia always brought with it some extra motivation. 

"I've been in a position where I haven't played in Ashes cricket, and certainly there are other guys like that down in the change room," he said.

"So from that side of things, if you never get to play in an Ashes game, it's the closest you will ever get to beating an Australia team.

"I think anybody that's been there and played against them before, when you win against Australia, you know you're beating one of the better sides in the world.

"There's always something more on it."

Champions Trophy 2017 Guide

Squads: Every Champions Trophy nation

Schedule

1 June – England beat Bangladesh by eight wickets

2 June – New Zealand v Australia, No Result

3 June – Sri Lanka lost to South Africa by 96 runs

4 June – India beat Pakistan by 124 runs

5 June – Australia v Bangladesh, No Result

6 June – England beat New Zealand by 87 runs

7 June – Pakistan beat South Africa by 19 runs (DL method)

8 June – Sri Lanka beat India by seven wickets

9 June – New Zealand lost to Bangladesh

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)