GEORGE Bailey leads Australia into a must-win Champions Trophy game against New Zealand on Wednesday as one of his country’s main one-day international players based on recent form.

The Hampshire overseas player skippered his country during their 48-run loss to England in their Trophy opener at the weekend, in the continued absence of Michael Clarke due to a worrying back problem.

Bailey’s day began badly, when he lost the toss, and hardly improved.

It ended when he was fined 20 per cent of his match fee for Australia’s slow over-rate.

The only positive thing as far as he was concerned was top scoring with 55 in his country’s reply.

At least that innings continued to silence some of his critics back home.

There was an outcry Down Under when Bailey was picked to captain Australia in t20s last year, despite never having represented his country at senior level.

But with Clarke injured, Bailey is the most likely batsmen in this team to make a score – as he again showed at Edgbaston on Saturday. In Bailey’s 22-game ODI career he averages 45.50 with a strike rate of 83.74. That is a lot better than Bailey’s career one day average of 35.16.

Despite their more impressive reputations, in the same period Shane Watson and David Warner’s strike rates are only 80 and 81 respectively. Watson is averaging 37.37 and Warner 34.95.

Ex-Hampshire flop Phil Hughes has averaged 49.55 in the same period, but with a strike rate lower than Bailey’s of 75. New Zealand joined England as opening game winners in the group yesterday when they defeated Sri Lanka by just one wicket after skittling their opponents for 138.