Cricket World Cup is England's to lose, says Australia's Nathan Lyon
"They should be going into this World Cup as favourites, it's all on them. We've got nothing to lose, we've only got stuff to gain"
Sunday 7 July 2019 15:39, UK
Nathan Lyon believes the World Cup is England's "to lose" ahead of the sides' meeting in Thursday's semi-final at Edgbaston.
Australia beat an England team shorn of Jason Roy by 64 runs in the group stage at Lord's but will head into the last-four clash in Birmingham off the back of a defeat to South Africa.
England's semi-final hopes were in peril but they rallied to beat the other two sides left standing, India and New Zealand, and are again tournament favourites, according to spinner Lyon.
"They're full of world-class players and they've been the number one team for a couple of years now," Lyon said of England. "They should be going into this World Cup as favourites
"It's all on them. It's their World Cup to lose, if you ask me. We've got nothing to lose, we've only got stuff to gain. That's the exciting thing.
"I feel like there's a very special thing just around the corner for us Australian cricketers and the whole Australian public.
"[We have] momentum, even though it got halted a little bit - we're training our backsides off, we'll prepare well, we'll be elite professionals and make sure that, come Thursday, we're firing."
Mitchell Starc, who needs one wicket to top countryman Glenn McGrath's record of 26 in a single World Cup, says Australia will not dramatically alter their tactics despite Roy now being fit again.
The left-armer also refused to be drawn on whether Australia will pepper England skipper Eoin Morgan with short balls after the 32-year-old was caught on the pull in their last meeting.
"The blueprint the last time we played England was to take early wickets," said Starc.
"They'll get Roy back, so we're going to have a few days now to discuss if we need to change anything but I think the way we played England last time was a great blueprint moving forward.
"I think the short ball has worked to a lot of people in the World Cup. It's definitely a plan for some guys who have got a bit of extra pace. Slower bouncer as well.
"I guess we'll have to assess where the wicket is; is it short side or long side? Whether it's got some pace or not and see if we can get Eoin one way or another again."
Australia captain Aaron Finch believes the atmosphere in Birmingham will be rocking.
"It's going to be a blockbuster," Finch said. "It doesn't get much bigger than Australia vs England in the World Cup semi-finals.
"Playing well at Lord's a couple of weeks ago obviously will give us some confidence going into that game. England have been in really good form recently so we are going to have to be at our absolute best to win that.
"Any time Australia play England, it's exciting. But any time you are at Birmingham as well, it's a fun crowd to play in front of.
"There is always plenty of support there for both sides. It's going to be a great atmosphere and spectacle."
Watch Australia vs England live on Sky Sports Cricket World Cup (channel 404) and Sky Sports Main Event (channel 401) from 9.30am on Thursday.
