England vs Australia World Cup score: England chase down 224 to win
Follow LIVE reaction as England beat Australia in the Cricket World Cup semi-finals at Edgbaston to set up a meeting with New Zealand in Sunday's final
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Your support makes all the difference.England swaggered into their first World Cup final in 27 years, blowing away rivals Australia by eight wickets in a magnificent display of attacking cricket that sets up a winner-takes-all date with New Zealand at Lord's.
The three-times runners-up are now firm favourites to land the trophy for the first time on Sunday, having thrashed the Black Caps by 119 runs in the group stage, and head to the home of cricket on the back of a sensational performance at Edgbaston. Chris Woakes, Jofra Archer and Adil Rashid performed wonders with the ball after Australia chose to bat first, reducing the visitors to 14 for three in a frenzied opening burst and ultimately restricting them to a lacklustre 223 all out.
England would have been mindful that they were bowled out for 221 and beaten by the same attack last month, but Jason Roy missed that game with a torn hamstring and his brilliant 85 put the game beyond a shellshocked Australia, who went down with 107 balls remaining.
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Having already thrashed nine fours and five sixes, he would surely have gone on to a career-best hundred had he not been robbed in messy circumstances. Given caught behind despite making no contact with the ball, he instantly called for a review only to belatedly realise Jonny Bairstow had already used it up.
Roy lost his cool, remonstrating on the pitch and on his reluctant walk off, and needed soothing words from umpire Marais Erasmus to stop things getting worse.
The sour tone of his dismissal cannot detract from his outstanding efforts, which almost single-handedly banished England's concerns about chasing, nor from the raucous celebrations which followed on the back of a decisive stand of 79 between Joe Root (49no) and Eoin Morgan (45no).
Archer and Woakes also excelled, taking two for 32 and three for 20, while Rashid bagged three scalps in his best display to date.
40.0 - Aus 175-7, S Smith 73, M Starc 4, M Wood 0-24 (5.0)
Ten over to go, what can Australia get up to? Liam Plunkett is coming back on.
41.0 - Aus 176-7, S Smith 73, M Starc 5, L Plunkett 0-25 (6.0)
Plunkett goes for just one and keeps Mitchell Starc on strike.
41.4 - Aus 179-7, S Smith 73, M Starc 6, M Wood 0-24 (5.4)
A couple of leg byes and a single for Mitchell Starc so far this over. Australia may just be trying to bat to the end of their 50 overs.
42.0 - Aus 181-7, S Smith 74, M Starc 7, M Wood 0-27 (6.0)
It's been a tough time for Australia, they haven't found the boundary in a long time. Smith and Starc are just looking for ones at the minute.
42.2 - Aus 183-7, S Smith 75, M Starc 8, L Plunkett 0-27 (6.2)
A mistake from Joe Root at mid-on allows Smith to scramble through for a single. Root recovered well and had a shy at the stumps but Smith would have been home.
43.0 - Aus 186-7, S Smith 77, M Starc 9, L Plunkett 0-27 (7.0)
A cut shot of to the point boundary gives Smith two more runs to end the over.
43.2 - Aus 190-7, S Smith 77, M Starc 13, M Wood 0-31 (6.2)
Wood bowls a half-volley to Mitchell Starc who brings his bat down strongly and slots the ball straight back down the ground for four. Great shot.
44.0 - Aus 192-7, S Smith 77, M Starc 14, M Wood 0-33 (7.0)
Six off the over. Mark Wood hasn't been poor today he's just not been good. Perfectly average.
44.1 - Aus 198-7, S Smith 77, M Starc 20, L Plunkett 0-36 (7.1)
Starc reads the slower ball from Plunkett and unleashes on it. A clean swing of the bat sends the ball over long off for six! That's what Australia need.
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