AHMEDABAD, India, Nov  4, 2023 (BSS/AFP) - Spinner Adam Zampa starred with 
bat and ball as Australia knocked defending champions England out of the World 
Cup with a 33-run win on Saturday.
       Chasing 287 for victory in Ahmedabad, England folded for 253 in 48.1 overs 
despite a valiant 64 from Ben Stokes to slump to their sixth defeat in seven 
matches and stay bottom of the 10-team table.
       Five-time champions Australia edged closer to securing a semi-final berth 
alongside India and South Africa -- both already qualified for the last four -- 
with their fifth straight win.
       Zampa returned figures of 3-21 with his leg-spin to puncture England's 
hopes that were raised by a couple of partnerships including a 63-run 
fifth-wicket stand between Stokes and Moeen Ali, who hit 42.
       "We put on a really competitive total, but it was going to be tough to 
defend," said Zampa.
       "The ground felt really dewey, really wet. So length control, attacking the 
stumps, trying to guess what the batsman was going to do was really important."
       Zampa, who had earlier hit 29 with the bat, dismissed Stokes when the 
English star mistimed a paddle to be caught at short fine-leg and departed with 
a shake of his head.
       Wickets kept tumbling with Liam Livingstone and Moeen falling in quick 
succession for a familiar England tale in this tournament where they have also 
lost to Afghanistan and Sri Lanka.
       Zampa, who leads the World Cup bowling chart with 19 wickets, also took a 
superb outfield catch to help dismiss David Willey.
       "It certainly feels like a low point. I've had a few but definitely as a 
captain," said England skipper Jos Buttler.
       
       - 'It hurts' -
       "To be stood in this position having arrived in India with high hopes is 
incredibly tough and disappointing. It hurts a lot."
       Left-arm Mitchell Starc struck with two early wickets for Australia 
including Jonny Bairstow on the first ball of the chase and then Joe Root for 
13.
       Dawid Malan made 50 before skipper Pat Cummins took him out.
       England, in their remaining two matches, are left to fight for a place in 
the 2025 Champions Trophy with the top seven teams from this World Cup gaining 
entry into the tournament where hosts Pakistan will have automatic 
qualification.
       Batsmen set up victory for Australia with Marnus Labuschagne top-scoring 
with 71 and useful contributions from Steve Smith (44), Cameron Green (47), 
Marcus Stoinis (35) and Zampa (29 off 19 balls).
       Chris Woakes returned figures of 4-54 and was supported by fellow quick 
Mark Wood and leg-spinner Adil Rashid, with two each, to help bowl out 
Australia for 286.
       Woakes struck early to remove the openers including previous-match 
centurion Travis Head, for 11, and David Warner, for 15.
       Steve Smith and Labuschagne put on 75 runs to steady the innings but Rashid 
broke through.
       Rashid dismissed Smith and then had Josh Inglis (three) caught at backward 
point after the batsman attempted a reverse sweep.
       Labuschagne reached his 50 and put on a partnership of 61 with Green before 
falling to Wood. He made 71.
       Green and Stoinis, the two players coming into the team in place of Glenn 
Maxwell and Mitchell Marsh, put on 45 for the sixth wicket.