Edgbaston (Agencies): Australia set 224-run target for England in the second semifinal of World Cup 2019 at Edgbaston on Thursday.
Steve Smith held firm with an unbeaten fifty as England reduced Australia to 223 for seven.
England, bidding to reach their first final since 1992, made a sensational start against the reigning champions, taking three early wickets to leave Aaron Finch’s side in deep trouble.
Prolific opening pair David Warner and Finch, as well as Peter Handscomb, were all back in the pavilion by the seventh over.
Smith and Alex Carey (46) steadied the innings with a fourth-wicket stand of 103 before leg-spinner Adil Rashid struck twice in five balls to leave Australia 118-5.
The dangerous Glenn Maxwell then holed out to England captain Eoin Morgan off the bowling of Jofra Archer for 22 and Pat Cummins was caught by Joe Root to give Rashid another victim.
Legspinner Adil Rashid took 3-54 off his 10 overs, his last wicket being that of Pat Cummins (6), who edged to Joe Root at slip.
That came after Jofra Archer removed Glenn Maxwell for 22 with a slow ball, Eoin Morgan taking a simple catch at cover.
Archer took 2-32 off 10 overs.
Earlier, Aaron Finch won the toss and chose to bat first against the hosts, led by Eion Morgan.
Australia have never lost any of their seven previous World Cup semi-finals — although they did tie with South Africa at Edgbaston 20 years ago before advancing into the final thanks to their superior net run-rate from the preceding ‘Super Six’ stage.
England had won 10 of their last 11 ODIs against Australia prior to the World Cup.
The winners of the match will face New Zealand in the World Cup 2019’s final at at Lord’s on July 14 (Sunday).
Teams:
Australia: Aaron Finch (capt), David Warner, Steven Smith, Peter Handscomb, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Jason Behrendorff
England: Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan (capt), Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler (wk), Chris Woakes, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood
