Rain ruins Australia's run chase

The weather saved Australia against New Zealand on Friday, but it was left cursing the elements three days later versus Bangladesh.

Australia was denied a seemingly certain victory as rain curtailed its run chase against Bangladesh in the ICC Champions Trophy on Monday.

Three days prior, the Australians had been grateful to the elements as heavy showers forced a washout against New Zealand with Steve Smith's side looking set for defeat.

SCORECARD AND BALL-BY-BALL DETAILS

But it was their turn to look ruefully to the skies at The Oval as the weather closed in with Australia 83-1 after 16 overs – with just four more needed to constitute a game – having bowled Bangladesh out for 182.

The abandonment means Australia has two points to its name from two Group A matches, while Bangladesh has just one following its opening loss to England and would have been eliminated with a defeat in London.

Under brighter skies earlier in the day, Tamim Iqbal fell five runs short of a second successive century in the tournament when he became the first of Mitchell Starc's four victims.

After dismissing the opener, Starc cleaned up Mashrafe Mortaza two balls later and then did the same to Rubel Hossain next delivery. His hat-trick ball marginally missed Mustafizur Rahman's off stump, but he did return in his next over to bowl Mehedi Hasan.

In response, Australia was cruising with David Warner 40 not out and Smith unbeaten on 22 – the former becoming the fastest Australian to score 4,000 one-day international runs before the heavens opened to prevent a sure-fire win.