’N BAT TERY
Morgan’s aces smash Aussies
SKIPPER Eoin Morgan fittingly smashed the winning runs with a swing and a swagger.
And so, after four years, 98 matches and countless records,
England have made it to a World Cup final.
What a time for this band of brothers to click so perfectly and in such harmony to see off their oldest and fiercest rivals by eight wickets in what can only be described as a thrashing. Take a bow Jason Roy, who eyed up the target of 224 and took a huge 85-run bite out of it in the way that only the most destructive batsmen in the world can do. on Sunday at Lord’s, they have
Take a bow Jofra Archer, the the chance to correct that, and most recent arrival into this set-up will get to do it by playing but who has become a cult hero the game in their own thanks to his pace, skill and nerveless courageous, attacking ability to deliver 2-32 in just his way.
13th ODI. No-one epitomises
Take a bow man-of-the-match that
Chris Woakes for his 3-20 ethos better on his home turf to dismantle than Roy, the Australian top order and who set the tone for the day.
And take a bow Adil Rashid, battling with a sore shoulder all tournament only to bamboozle the batsmen and break Australia’s
50th World Cup century partnership at just the right time.
David Warner, booed out to the middle, crunched the first ball should have crowned the day with of the match for four but there was a brilliant, blistering hundred but no such joy for Aaron Finch. was denied by an awful decision
The Australian skipper was by umpire Kumar Dharmasena trapped plumb lbw by Archer who who gave him out caught down the was simply outstanding. legside when he did not hit it.
Woakes had Warner caught The only problem was Jonny behind and when Peter Bairstow had wasted England’s
Handscomb was bowled by the review for a straightforward lbw local hero Australia were 14-3. decision so Roy couldn’t refer it.
Don’t forget that Australia Roy may have lingered a little are the reigning champions and too long to remonstrate with the had never lost a World Cup umpires and it earned him a 30 semi-final. per cent match fee fine and two
The second of those statements demerit points. is no longer true thanks to a At least he had already provided skilful, powerful and ruthless plenty of entertainment, smashing display. Steve Smith for three successive
Exactly one year to the day since sixes to go with one
England’s footballers failed to flicked off Mitchell Starc. squeeze past Croatia in the World Smith had been the mainstay
Cup semi-final in Russia, the of Australia’s innings,
Hollies stand at Edgbaston broke scoring 85 runs from out a rendition of “Cricket’s coming 54 more balls than home!” and who can doubt it. Roy, whose dismissal
England have laid down an left Joe
Ashes marker just three weeks Root and before that contest gets underway. Morgan
But more importantly this game to finish it was about putting to bed 27 years off in the of 50-over failure. same vein.
There have been World Cup disasters – such as 2015 when they failed to make it out of the group stages – mixed in with Champions
Trophy semi-finals and finals defeats which mean England are yet to win a global 50-over trophy.
When they meet New Zealand