An Australia team struggling for confidence and missing the wealth of experience that has long been the backbone of their success face a daunting task to win a first Champions Trophy title since 2009.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The World Cup holders are without their "Big Three" pacemen -- Pat Cummins (ankle), Josh Hazlewood (hip) and Mitchell Starc, who has opted out for personal reasons.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
It is a giant hole to fill with the trio sharing 525 ODI wickets across a combined 308 games.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Add in the absence of all-rounders Mitchell Marsh (back) and Marcus Stoinis (retired), and half of their regular team is missing.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Leg-spinner Adam Zampa is the only frontline bowler still standing for the tournament in Pakistan and Dubai.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The depleted side suffered a heavy 2-0 ODI series defeat last week in Sri Lanka, who failed to qualify for the Champions Trophy, and have now gone four 50-over games without a win.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Their death bowling is looming as a major concern.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The seamers Australia have selected -- Spencer Johnson, Sean Abbott, Nathan Ellis, Ben Dwarshuis and all-rounder Aaron Hardie -– have just 52 ODIs in total, for a sum of 56 wickets.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Ahead of their opening Champions Trophy match against old rivals England on Saturday in Lahore, chief selector George Bailey is adamant they have enough ammunition to do the job.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"We have a range of options to shape the playing XI within the tournament depending on the opposition and conditions we face," he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Drawn in Group B, they also face South Africa and Afghanistan.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Johnson will likely fill Starc's new-ball strike role, tasked with making the early breakthroughs that have become a hallmark of the veteran quick.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"It's obviously something I've pictured in my mind, to come in and play a similar role to him (Starc)," Johnson said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"Hopefully I can replicate some of the stuff he's done."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
- Opportunity -<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n Australia have twice lifted the Champions Trophy, in 2006 and 2009, and Steve Smith has been tasked with replicating the feat with regular skipper Cummins missing.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Travis Head, Glenn Maxwell and Josh Inglis join him in a potentially explosive batting order.<\/p>\r\n\r\n But Marnus Labuschagne is badly out of form and Australia are still struggling to fill the shoes of David Warner at the top of the order.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Jake Fraser-McGurk and Matt Short have so far been underwhelming, but one will be given another crack to open alongside Head.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Smith said the sobering Sri Lanka series was "another learning curve" while admitting Cummins, Hazlewood and Starc would "certainly be missed".<\/p>\r\n\r\n "But it gives some guys an opportunity and I thought some of the guys who had an opportunity in the last two games (against Sri Lanka) bowled really nicely," he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Despite his distinguished career Smith has never before played ODI cricket in Pakistan, and is unsure exactly what conditions they will encounter.<\/p>\r\n\r\n But he is confident the batters will rise to the occasion.<\/p>\r\n\r\n "The ball skids on probably a little bit more (in Pakistan)," he said. "So it's potentially better for batting, but you've got to rock up and assess it and play to the conditions on the day.<\/p>\r\n\r\n