Inglis' century leads Australia to record-breaking run-chase against England in Champions Trophy

LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — Josh Inglis marshaled two-time champion Australia’s record-breaking run chase at the Champions Trophy with a 77-ball century to hand England a five-wicket defeat on Saturday.

Inglis finished with an unbeaten 120 off 86 balls for a maiden ODI hundred that included eight fours and six sixes as Australia cruised to 356-5 in 47.3 overs. It was the highest-ever successful run chase in all ICC ODI tournaments.

Inglis’ terrific power-hitting eclipsed Ben Duckett’s 165, which was the highest-ever individual knock in the history of Champions Trophy and had anchored England to a score of 351-8 in their Group B opener.

“Over the moon,” said Inglis, who was born and raised in Leeds before his family moved to Australia when he was 14. “Not too much talk at half-time, (but) knew it would be tough (for England) with the dew.”

Australia's chase got off to a rocky start as Jofra Archer and Mark Wood removed Travis Head (6) and captain Steven Smith (5) in successive overs before the Australian middle-order batters countercharged the fast bowlers.

Matthew Short (63) and Marnus Labuschagne (47) combined in a 95-run stand with fast bowler Brydon Carse going for well over nine runs an over in his four-over spell before England put in spinners in the middle overs.

Adil Rashid denied Labuschagne a half century when Jos Buttler held on to a sharp catch at short covers and then Liam Livingstone took a smart low return catch to dismiss Short as Australia slipped to 136-4.

However, with dew setting in, Inglis and Alex Carey (69) mastermind the run-chase perfectly as it became difficult for the bowlers to handle the wet ball. The two batters shared a 146-run stand off 116 balls, but England missed an opportunity when Australia still needed 104 for victory.

“The two keepers have been batting beautifully (and are) in great form,” Australia captain Steven Smith said. “Josh didn’t get out of second gear, shots all round the ground. I don’t know if Josh still has an English passport, but he’s not going anywhere!”

Archer missed a regulation catch of Carey in the outfield in Rashid’s penultimate over before he completed his half century and Inglis smashed Archer for two boundaries in the next over.

Carey was finally dismissed when he drove to Buttler at mid-off in Carse’s return spell but Glenn Maxwell finished on 32 not out off 15 balls and Inglis, who raised his century with a pulled six off Archer, sealed the win in similar fashion with another a six off Wood at mid-wicket.

“A fantastic game,” Buttler said. “Fantastic innings from Inglis.”

Duckett became the first batter in the history of Champions Trophy to score more than 150 runs after Smith won the toss and elected to field on a flat wicket.

Duckett smashed his 165 off 143 balls with 17 fours and three sixes as the Australian second-string pace attack struggled on a wicket devoid of grass at a newly renovated Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

New Zealand batter Nathan Astle held the previous record after he amassed an unbeaten 145 against the United States at the Oval in 2004. The Black Caps’ 347-4 in the same game was the previous highest team total of the tournament.

Duckett laid a solid foundation for England’s strong finish when he combined in a 158-run stand with Joe Root, who made 68 off 78 balls.

Duckett was dominant against the pace with his down-the-ground drives and was not afraid to reverse sweep against Australia’s best bowler on show, Adam Zampa (2-64).

Labuschagne (2-41) dismissed Duckett in the 48th over when the left-hander missed a straight ball while going for a sweep against the leg-spinner and was out leg before wicket.

“Duckett has been brilliant at the top of the order in all formats," Buttler said. "He’s been threatening a big contribution for some time. Shame it was in a losing cause.”

Australia, which came into the event without Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, did make early inroads.

Ben Dwarshuis (3-66) struck inside his first three overs when Carey, handing over the wicketkeeping gloves to Inglis, plucked a sensational diving catch on the edge of the 30-yard circle to dismiss Phil Salt (10) and then grabbed a hard drive of newly promoted No. 3 batter Jamie Smith (15).

Duckett and Root raised England’s first century stand in ODIs this year with their better than run-a-ball partnership. Duckett raised his century off 95 balls with two straight boundaries against Spencer Johnson, who was taken out of the attack after 0-54 off his seven overs.

Zampa broke the threatening stand when he had Root trapped lbw in the 31st over and then Carey picked up another brilliant catch at point to dismiss Harry Brook for 3. But Duckett continued to score at brisk pace despite Buttler (23) and Livingstone (14) falling in quick succession while looking for acceleration.

Archer played a little cameo of 21 off 10 balls as he smacked Labuschagne for 12 runs off the final three balls and England made 83 runs off the final 10 overs.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

Australia's Glenn Maxwell plays a shot during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Australia and England, in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

Australia's Matthew Short bats during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Australia and England, in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

Australia's Alex Carey bats during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Australia and England, in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

Australia's Josh Inglis, right, celebrates with teammate Glenn Maxwell after playing winning shot during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Australia and England, in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

Australia's Josh Inglis is congratulated by teammate Glenn Maxwell after scoring century during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Australia and England, in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

Australia's Josh Inglis bats during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Australia and England, in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

Australia's Josh Inglis celebrates after scoring century during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Australia and England, in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

Australia's Steve Smith, second left, and teammates celebrate after the dismissal of England's Jos Buttler during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Australia and England, in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

Australia's Adam Zampa, right, bowls as England's Jos Buttler watches during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Australia and England, in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

England's Ben Duckett celebrates after completing 150 runs during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Australia and England, in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

England's Ben Duckett, left, is congratulated by Liam Livingstone after he completing 150 runs during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Australia and England, in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

Australia's Steve Smith, third left, chats with teammates in a drink break during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Australia and England, in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

England's Ben Duckett plays a shot during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Australia and England, in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

England's Joe Root bats during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Australia and England, in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

England's Ben Duckett celebrates after scoring century during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Australia and England, in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

Australia's Steve Smith smiles during a press conference regarding their ICC Champions Trophy cricket match against Australia, in Lahore, Pakistan, Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M Chaudary)

England's captain Jos Buttler speaks during a press conference regarding their ICC Champions Trophy cricket match against Australia, in Lahore, Pakistan, Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M Chaudary)

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Thousands of people rallied Saturday in the cradle of the modern Civil Rights Movement to mobilize a new voting rights era as conservative states dismantle congressional districts that helped secure Black political representation.

U.S. Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey called Montgomery “sacred soil” in the fight for civil rights.

“If we in our generation do not now do our duty, we will lose the gains and the rights and the liberties that our ancestors afforded us,” Booker said.

The crowd was led in chants of “we won’t go back” and “we fight.”

“We are not going down without a fight. We are not going down to Jim Crow maps,” Shalela Dowdy, a plaintiff in the Alabama redistricting case said.

A crowd of thousands gathered in front of the city’s historic Alabama Capitol, the place where the Confederacy was formed in 1861 and where the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke in 1965 at the end of the Selma-to-Montgomery Voting Rights March. The stage, set in front of the Capitol, was flanked from behind by statues of Confederate President Jefferson Davis and civil rights icon Rosa Parks — dueling tributes erected nearly 90 years apart.

Speakers said the spot was once the temple of the confederacy and became holy ground of the civil rights movement.

Some in the crowd said the effort to redraw lines has echoes of the past.

“We lived through the “60s. It takes you back. When you think that Alabama’s moving forward, it takes two steps back,” said Camellia A Hooks, 70, of Montgomery, Alabama.

The rally began in Selma, where a violent clash between law enforcement and voting rights activists in 1965 galvanized support for passage of the Voting Rights Act. It then moved to the state Capitol, where the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his “How Long, Not Long” speech that same year.

A recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling involving Louisiana hollowed out voting rights law that was already weakened by a separate decision in 2013 and then narrowed further over the years. That helped clear the way for stricter voter ID laws, registration restrictions, and limits on early voting and polling place changes, including in states that once needed federal preclearance before they could change voting laws because of their historical discrimination against Black voters.

Veterans of the Civil Rights Movement are alarmed by the speed of the rollbacks, noting that protections won through generations of sacrifice have been weakened in little more than a decade.

Kirk Carrington, 75, was a teen in 1965 when law enforcement officers attacked marchers in Selma on what became known as “Bloody Sunday.” A white man on a horse wielding a stick chased Carrington through the streets.

“It’s really just appalling to me and all the young people that marched during the ’60s, fought hard to get voting rights, equal rights and civil rights,” Carrington said. “It’s sad that it’s continuing after 60-plus-odd years that we are still fighting for the same thing we fought for back then.”

Montgomery is home to one of the congressional districts that is being altered in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling.

A federal court in 2023 redrew Alabama's 2nd Congressional District after ruling that the state intentionally diluted the voting power of Black residents, who make up about 27% of its population. The court said there should be a district where Black people are a majority or near-majority and have an opportunity to elect their candidate of choice.

But the Supreme Court cleared the way for a different map that could let the GOP reclaim the seat. While the matter remains under litigation, the state plans special primaries Aug. 11 under the new map.

Democratic Rep. Shomari Figures, who won election in the district in 2024, said the dispute is not about him but rather people's opportunity to have representation.

“When Republicans are literally turning back the clock on what representation, what the faces of representation, look like, what the opportunities, legitimate opportunities for representation look like across this country, then I think it starts to resonate with people in a little bit of a different way,” Figures said.

Alabama House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter, a Republican, said the Louisiana ruling provided an opportunity to revisit a map that was forced on the state by the federal court.

“People tend to forget what happened. When this thing went to court, the Republican Party had that seat, congressional seat two,” Ledbetter said last week. “There’s been a push through the courts to try to overtake some of these red state seats, and that’s certainly what happened in that one.”

Evan Milligan, the lead plaintiff in the Alabama redistricting case, said there is grief over the implosion of the Voting Rights Act but it is crucial that people recommit to the fight.

“We have to accept that this is the new reality, whether we like it or not,” Milligan said. “We don’t have to accept that this will be the reality for the next 10 years or two years or forever.”

A man sings a spirtual song during a voting rally, Saturday, May 16, 2026, in Montgomery, Ala. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

The State capitol is seen during a voting rally, Saturday, May 16, 2026, in Montgomery, Ala. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

A protestor holds a sign of the late Georgia Congressman John Lewis during a voting rally, Saturday, May 16, 2026, in Montgomery, Ala. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

A man sings a spirtual song during a voting rally, Saturday, May 16, 2026, in Montgomery, Ala. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

A protestor holds a sign of the late Georgia Congressman John Lewis during a voting rally, Saturday, May 16, 2026, in Montgomery, Ala. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

U.S. Sen Corey Booker, D-NY., has his photo taken during a voting rally, Saturday, May 16, 2026, in Montgomery, Ala. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

People gather during a voting rally, Saturday, May 16, 2026, in Montgomery, Ala. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

U.S. Sen Corey Booker, D-NY., has his photo taken during a voting rally, Saturday, May 16, 2026, in Montgomery, Ala. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Aaron McGuire sings a spirtual song during a voting rally, Saturday, May 16, 2026, in Montgomery, Ala. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)