Australia beat England by 64 runs to confirm place in World Cup semi-finals
Australia has confirmed its place in the World Cup semi-finals after beating England by 64 runs thanks to a five wicket haul from Jason Behrendorff, some fierce pace from Mitchell Starc and yet another century from Aaron Finch.
England is cursed and Australia boasts a force field – welcome to the World Cup histories of cricket’s oldest rivals.
Captain Aaron Finch’s men qualified for their eighth semi-final, where Australia boasts a 7-0 record.
England has not made a semi since 1992, and needs to beat India on Sunday to stay on track this year.
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Australia's captain Aaron Finch has been in stellar form at the top of the order. Picture: AFP
They promised it would be different this year.
They were hosting a World Cup that they had spent four years building towards.
Impressively, mind you, with batting records tumbling as captain Eoin Morgan’s men climbed to the top of the world rankings
But ODI wins between World Cups are largely meaningless. Does anyone care that 12 months ago England walloped Australia 5-0 now?
The only world ranking of No.1 that mattered at Lord’s was Ash Barty’s, with the Aussie tennis queen making a late dash to sit in the stands before her Wimbledon mission begins next week.
This was so much more than a 64-run group-stage thrashing for Australia. It was an emphatic tactical tick for coach Justin Langer and his polarizing gameplan.
Australia’s ‘build-before-you-bash’ game style is nothing like England’s ‘go-for-broke’ batting approach. For 12 months the whole world gushed at England’s fearless mindset, which peaked when it posted 481 against Australia at Trent Bridge last year.
If Jonny Bairstow or Joe Root didn’t get you then Morgan would, they said. Or if Morgan didn’t get you then Jos Buttler – recently compared to both AB de Villiers and MS Dhoni – would, and in the most painful of ways.
But none of them did.
Pat Cummins took a fine catch in the deep to remove England captain Eoin Morgan.
Not even Moeen Ali or Chris Woakes or Adil Rashid, the ridiculous ‘tailenders’ that share 40 first-class centuries.
Allrounder Ben Stokes’ gallant 89 (115) included two sixes in three balls against Glenn Maxwell, the latter swiped on one knee, as he batted on one leg due to a sore calf that required plenty of attention.
But he had little support, and it was Mitchell Starc’s simple but sensible game plan that brought Stokes unstuck.
No bowler on record attacks the stumps more than Starc, with half of his deliveries pitching within 6m.
So when Starc’s off stump yorker smashed into the base, the left-arm superstar had his third wicket and Australia had victory in the bag.
Last year Australia tried and failed (miserably) to copy England’s plan.
“It’s not a sustainable way to play our one-day cricket,” Finch said.
“You can go down the route of picking a T20-based side and hope for the best for 50 overs, but in a World Cup I’m not sure that was going to be the right way to go about it.
“I think we've got the balance well and truly right.”
Aaron Finch's century at the top of the order laid the platform for Australia.
Australia was sent in under grey skies with the ball talking more than a morning radio host. But Finch and David Warner batted through and built a platform.
They were 0/120, knowing it wasn’t at a record pace but it didn’t need to be.
When Buttler picked out Usman Khawaja in the deep, England was 5/124, albeit that was a mild recovery from 4/43.
England fans pressed their heads into their hands, and an odd hush fell over the famous venue. In fact, it was so eerily quiet the Aussies’ celebration was clearly audible.
It was another dumb wicket.
James Vince (duck) and Root (eight runs) copped ripping, swinging deliveries from Jason Behrendorff and Starc respectively.
Both targeted the stumps, sticking to Australia’s clear bowling plan. But Buttler and Bairstow worked their way into the 20s and then holed out.
Captain Morgan top-edged Starc to Pat Cummins, who was on the rope. England’s top-order is like a high school bully – boundless aggression yet limited IQ.
Behrendorff had never previously taken more than three wickets in an ODI. But, against England at Lord’s, he cleaned up the tail to finish with five.
The left-arm swing bowler was given the new ball, with Pat Cummins bumped to first change, and he made it sing.
Since the last World Cup, Lord’s has been England’s home ground in name only, losing 40 per cent of ODIs there.
Yet since 1985 the Aussies have celebrated 12 victories at Lord’s and lost just twice. They even enjoy Test matches there, losing only two Ashes matches at the home of cricket since 1934.
Even in County Cricket it brings Aussies joy – just look at Glenn Maxwell’s maiden five-wicket haul there this summer.
Given that’s where the July 14 final will be played, there is growing optimism it will be Finch leading the celebrations on the balcony.
Yet just six months ago it was Finch in the gun and Australia a 50-over laughing stock.
But World Cups bring out the best in Australia. And, on evidence, the worst in England.
Updates
A late comeback wasn't enough to save Australia as the Diamonds lost the netball World Cup final to New Zealand overnight
Billy Freeman
Australia will play in the World Cup semi-finals after a dominant, complete performance at the home of cricket blew away the pre-tournament favourites, whose own route to the last four now looks full of uncertainty.
Jason Behrendorff's first ODI five wicket haul was the stand out, as well as some flashes of blistering pace from Mitchell Starc.
Aaron Finch's latest ton, in concert with David Warner who posted another half century did the damage at the top of proceedings, while Alex Carey added a flourish at the end after a middle and lower order collapse of sorts.
What damage this does to the psyche of the English the next few days will tell. Australia stride forward in a competition they are getting better and better in with every game.
AUSTRALIA WIN BY 64 RUNS!!!
Steve Wilson
Australia will play in the World Cup semi-finals after a dominant, complete performance at the home of cricket blew away the pre-tournament favourites, whose own route to the last four now looks full of uncertainty.
Jason Behrendorff's first ODI five wicket haul was the stand out, as well as some flashes of blistering pace from Mitchell Starc.
Aaron Finch's latest ton, in concert with David Warner who posted another half century did the damage at the top of proceedings, while Alex Carey added a flourish at the end after a middle and lower order collapse of sorts.
What damage this does to the psyche of the English the next few days will tell. Australia stride forward in a competition they are getting better and better in with every game.
The number of public school teachers removed from classrooms because of sexual misconduct, drug use and general laziness has risen by 200 per cent in the past decade
Billy Freeman
Behrendorff holds the ball up to a crowd that now has more than a few empty seats where England fans once sat.
His first ODi five-for arrives at Lord's in a World Cup victory for Australia over England.
Not. Too. Shabby.
He's deserved it, too. Penetrating with the new ball, getting it to seam and move; then accurate with the old ball too.
Archer got hold of his slower ball, but could only steer it towards the man at long-off.
Behrendorff ends his 10 overs with figures of 5-44. Well played fella.
Barring seven of the most dramatic overs in World Cup history preventing it happening, this will be the first time England have lost back to back ODI fixtures since January 2017.
BEHRENDORFF HAS A FIVE-FOR!!!
Steve Wilson
Behrendorff holds the ball up to a crowd that now has more than a few empty seats where England fans once sat.
His first ODi five-for arrives at Lord's in a World Cup victory for Australia over England.
Not. Too. Shabby.
He's deserved it, too. Penetrating with the new ball, getting it to seam and move; then accurate with the old ball too.
Archer got hold of his slower ball, but could only steer it towards the man at long-off.
Behrendorff ends his 10 overs with figures of 5-44. Well played fella.
Barring seven of the most dramatic overs in World Cup history preventing it happening, this will be the first time England have lost back to back ODI fixtures since January 2017.
The juvenile justice centre at Kariong remains in lockdown this morning after a group of youths allegedly used chainsaws to cut open all the cell doors, sparking a bloody riot
Billy Freeman
Wow, just wow. Some sensational skills in the field executed in a style so casual it could have its own clothing line.
The details: Woakes went big, heaving Behrendorff over the leg side with a shot that went high and was landing just over the ropes. Or would have, had not Maxwell trotted towards it to take the delivery in mid air, realising that his momentum was going to take him over, then flicking the ball delicately to Finch who had sauntered over to offer assistance.
A snaffle from the skipper, and an understated celebration between the two men that just underlines the ordinary, routine brilliance of it.
Australia warming up nicely in to this tournament now. And having fun.
WOAKES GONE for 26 off 34 and the fat lady is doing her throat exercises as we speak.
WOAKES GONE, MAXI BEING MAXI!!!
Steve Wilson
Wow, just wow. Some sensational skills in the field executed in a style so casual it could have its own clothing line.
The details: Woakes went big, heaving Behrendorff over the leg side with a shot that went high and was landing just over the ropes. Or would have, had not Maxwell trotted towards it to take the delivery in mid air, realising that his momentum was going to take him over, then flicking the ball delicately to Finch who had sauntered over to offer assistance.
A snaffle from the skipper, and an understated celebration between the two men that just underlines the ordinary, routine brilliance of it.
Australia warming up nicely in to this tournament now. And having fun.
WOAKES GONE for 26 off 34 and the fat lady is doing her throat exercises as we speak.
It's relatively balmy out there at the moment
Billy Freeman
They think it's all over … it is now.
Behrendorff secures his place in the side for the remainder of the competition by joining Starc on three wickets for the day, bowling at pace right through Moeen Ali, who gets the faintest of edges that carries in to the waiting gloves of Carey.
ALI IS GONE for 6 off 9 balls.
Rashid out next and it's just the tail to clean up now and Australia are in to the semi-finals.
MOEEN GONE!!! ENGLAND COLLAPSING
Steve Wilson
They think it's all over … it is now.
Behrendorff secures his place in the side for the remainder of the competition by joining Starc on three wickets for the day, bowling at pace right through Moeen Ali, who gets the faintest of edges that carries in to the waiting gloves of Carey.
ALI IS GONE for 6 off 9 balls.
Rashid out next and it's just the tail to clean up now and Australia are in to the semi-finals.
And here comes the rain....
Joe Barton
Knowing when a storm is coming is one thing. Doing something about it another.
Is there a finer exponent of the yorker than Mitch Starc? That's a rhetorical question, of course there isn't.
An absolute toe-crusher of a delivery does for Stokes, who looked like he was poised to single handedly make a fight of this contest to the death. He drops his bat in exhaustion as the stumps go cartwheeling and the bails light up.
STOKES GONE FOR 89 off 115.
With that, surely, England's resistance has been ended. Surely?
STOKES GONE, STARC THE DESTROYER!!
Steve Wilson
Knowing when a storm is coming is one thing. Doing something about it another.
Is there a finer exponent of the yorker than Mitch Starc? That's a rhetorical question, of course there isn't.
An absolute toe-crusher of a delivery does for Stokes, who looked like he was poised to single handedly make a fight of this contest to the death. He drops his bat in exhaustion as the stumps go cartwheeling and the bails light up.
STOKES GONE FOR 89 off 115.
With that, surely, England's resistance has been ended. Surely?
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