England have positive record against Oz in last four years: Root

BIRMINGHAM: England’s batsman Joe Root says they have the ability to exact revenge for the league stage loss to Australia when the arch-rivals meet in Thursday’s World Cup semifinal. England were downed in convincing fashion by their fiercest rivals at Lord’s last month. England have lost their last two clashes with Australia including a warm-up game before the showpiece Cup began, but before that Root and Co. had the edge with a series win Down Under and a 5-0 whitewash on home soil. “If you look at the past 11 games against them we have won nine,” he said. “These guys and this group over the last four years, their experience against Australia have been very positive and they have got a lot of success in the bank. I don’t see that as a big worry for this group, we will be drawing on that confidence that over a long period of time now we have been successful against Australia and we should take that into Thursday,” he added.

Australia bare souls in barefoot bonding session 

BIRMINGHAM: Australia’s cricketers poured their hearts out and shared their World Cup dreams in a barefoot bonding session at Edgbaston. Rocked by a spate of injuries and a surprise 10-run loss to South Africa, coach Justin Langer, a self-described “hippy”, had his players whip their socks and shoes off for a lap of a ground that has not produced overwhelming success for Australian teams. Aaron Finch’s team sat down in a circle on the field, with each member taking turns to talk about the side’s run in the tournament and what it would mean to hoist the trophy at Lord’s after the final.

Bangladesh part ways with coach Rhodes, Joshi’s contract not extended

london: Bangladesh Cricket Board has decided to part ways with head coach Steve Rhodes before the completion of his tenure following the team’s eighth-place finish in the World Cup. The contracts of fast-bowling coach Courtney Walsh and spin coach Sunil Joshi have also not been extended. — Agencies