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England have no fears of Aussie southpaws

3 minute read

England insist they'll be confident facing left-armers Mitchell Starc and Jason Behrendorff in the World Cup semi-final, despite struggling a fortnight ago.

JASON BEHRENDORFF
JASON BEHRENDORFF Picture: Will Russell/Getty Images

England insist the way they handled Trent Boult against New Zealand last week shows they can avoid another top-order disaster against Australia's left-armers.

Mitchell Starc and Jason Behrendorff took nine wickets between them when the two teams met a fortnight ago, as they ravaged England's top four.

Power hitter Jos Buttler was the only player not to fall to the pair, after England fell to 4-53 early and only one of their top four hit double figures.

The hosts have gone to lengths to avoid a repeat on Thursday.

Left-arm county quicks have been invited to training this weeks, sending down balls with the dog-thrower tool to increase the speed of batting drills on the angle.

They also have confidence after Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow hit 123 for the first wicket against New Zealand last Tuesday, denying left-arm quick Boult.

"Since then (the Australian game), we have played against quality bowling line-ups and overcome them," captain Eoin Morgan said.

"One of them obviously being a left-armer, Trent Boult.

"So to counter that, that is all we can do, we can practice as much as we can against left-armers, but we need to deliver tomorrow."

Morgan said England may look to play two spinners if the Edgbaston pitch looks like it may offer some turn.

The wickets of Roy and Bairstow will be key for Australia on Thursday, given they have averaged 84.80 as an opening partnership in the tournament.

Meanwhile, Morgan said England were in a different mindset to when they lost to Australia at Lord's a fortnight ago, with the game just days after their shock loss to Sri Lanka.

But they have since rebounded with wins over India and New Zealand, leaving them as the form team still in the tournament.

"I think Sri Lanka was a game we felt we could have won and should have won, but let ourselves down and that had an overhang into the Australia game," Morgan said.

"We are obviously thankful that we are still in the tournament ... It just feels like we are back to the team that we were."

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