Australia vs England: cricket’s age-old rivals will face off yet again but this time in a World Cup semi-final. Here we pick our composite team from the Cricket World Cup 2019 so far.
Both teams have experienced different routes to this semi-final. Australia, perhaps to many people’s surprise, have looked in fine form throughout the tournament, led by the formidable opening batting partnership, middle-order maestro Alex Carey and the lethal Mitchell Starc. The Aussies sealed qualification with two games to play, but a slip-up in their previous match against South Africa denied them top spot.
England have been far less comfortable. After a confident start, a surprise defeat to Sri Lanka and another loss against the Aussies at Lord’s put their semi-final hopes in serious doubt. Each game thereafter was a must-win England and the return of Jason Roy inspired them to crucial wins against India and New Zealand to seal a semi-final berth
Do you agree with our England-Australia Cricket World Cup 2019 combined XI?
1. David Warner
A fit and firing Mark Wood has been a huge asset to England throughout the World Cup, picking up 16 wickets across eight matches after sitting out the opener against South Africa. The only member of this England pace quartet with an economy the wrong side of five, Wood assuages his natural tendency to be expensive with a rich ability to take wickets. His 3-34 against New Zealand was an impressive performance.
