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Group A

England vs Bangladesh

The Oval, London

ENGLAND squad: Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Jake Ball, Sam Billings (wk), Jos Buttler (wk), Alex Hales, Eoin Morgan (capt), Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood

BANGLADESH squad: Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Imrul Kayes, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Shakib Al Hasan, Sabbir Rahman, Mohammad Mahmudullah, Mosaddek Hossain, Mashrafe Murtaza (capt), Mustafizur Rahman, Rubel Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Sunzamul Islam, Mehedi Hasan, Shafiul Islam


The Champions Trophy commences on Thursday with the hosts taking on the most-improved ODI side in the world - and the team responsible for their last World Cup exit - at The Oval.

In spite of a game to forget against South Africa on Monday, England remain much-fancied in this tournament, and have a real opportunity to win their first global fifty-over trophy.  After missing several key players at Lord's, the home side will have Ben Stokes back (though it's unlikely he'll bowl a full ten overs), as well as Chris Woakes.  In spite of a string of poor performances, Jason Roy also looks set to continue opening the batting.

Over the last two years Bangladesh have notched up more ODI wins than India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.  Like England, they also suffered a horrendous collapse in their last match, being bowled out for 84 by India on Tuesday.  They're likely to open with Iqbal and Sarkar, with a deep batting line-up further augmented by Sabbir Rahman, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah.  With the ball, a lot will hinge on star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan and the supremely talented young left-arm pace bowler Mustafizur Rahman.

Bangladesh's record ODI score is 329, set against Pakistan in Dhaka two years ago.  Their highest successful chase was 322 in a six-wicket win over Scotland in the 2015 World Cup.  Against England their best showing so far is 288 all out in last autumn's defeat at Dhaka, while on English soil they've yet to better the 250 they scored at Trent Bridge in July 2010.  Tamim Iqbal still holds the dual distinction of being their highest run-scorer in any ODI innings, with 154 against Zimbabwe in 2009, and their highest in an ODI against England, with 125 in 2010.  On British soil no one has yet bettered Mohammed Ashraful's century at Cardiff in 2005.

While the Oval has in the past offered plenty for batting sides, recent one-dayers there have tended to favour bowlers, and scores have been relatively low.  The weather forecast suggests a sunny morning will give way to a cloudier afternoon, but there's little chance of rain, so hopefully we can look forward to a full fifty overs per side and an England victory at the end of it.

Play commences at 1030, 1st June 2017