English star’s bizarre Aussie roast before World Cup clash

England sit last on the World Cup table after a horror showing but ahead of a clash with Australia one star has made a questionable claim.

Any Ashes animosity has dissipated for an English outfit looking to end an embarrassing World Cup run of losses with a team former captain Joe Root bizarrely claims is “man for man” better than the Australia outfit they will be looking to conquer on Saturday in India.

The reigning champions are last on the World Cup table having lost to the likes of Afghanistan and Sri Lanka during four-straight defeats that have “frustrated” the players, with questions over the ongoing captaincy of Jos Buttler.

Despite their woes, Root is adamant he would take his teammates over any team at the competition, including the Australians who have vaulted into contention after a slow start and could seal a semi-final spot with victory in their Saturday showdown.

“I look at this team and it’s more than capable of achieving way more than it has done throughout this tournament,” Root said.

“The quality of players we have, we should be sat right at the top of this (table). We all know that, and we’re all very frustrated that isn’t the case.

“This group of players have three opportunities to play at the level we expect of ourselves: I fully believe we are more than capable of doing that on Saturday. Man for man, I’d have this team every day over the Australians. We might not have played as well as we can do, but we know when we play our best stuff, the best teams struggle to compete with us.”

Jos Buttler and Joe Root are in unfamiliar territory. Picture: Gareth Copley/Getty Images

Root went as far as suggesting the stakes were so high that the clash was equivalent to a “World Cup final” for England and could get a resultant high-level performance.

“We have to remember that and take that into the next couple of days, both in physical practice and mentally, (we have to] make sure we‘re in that frame of mind to take on Australia, which is what it’s about for us now,” he said.

“We’ve just got to look at Saturday as our World Cup final and play in the manner that’s expected of us and we expect of ourselves.

“It hurts – it always hurts to be in this position to be sat at the bottom of the table. It’s not what we expect of ourselves. If it motivates us a little bit more, then great.”

Root cast aside any suggestion of lingering animosity following the Ashes despite the angst over Jonny Bairstow’s run out at Lord’s continuing to create headlines.

Australian batting star Marnus Labuschagne said the issue was “dead and buried” and Root similarly said there was no dwelling on it among the England camp with so much at stake.

“From my point of view, I throw everything into giving my absolute 100 per cent for England and can look people in the eye and shake them by the hand and move onto the next game,” he said.

“I‘ve got no animosity with any of their team.”