Bowlers, Roy help England march into final

Root and Morgan celebrates England win.

England 226 for 2 (Roy 85, Root 49*, Morgan 45*) beat Australia 223 (Smith 85, Woakes 3-20, Rashid 3-54) by eight wickets

Birmingham: Clinical England England reach their first Cricket World Cup final in 27 years after thrashing Australia at Edgbaston on Thursday.

The hosts will have the chance to lift the trophy for the first time when they meet New Zealand at Lord's on Sunday.

A first win in a World Cup knockout match since 1992 was secured over the defending champions on a day that will live long in the memory, justifiably alongside anything from the 2005 Ashes or the 2010-11 tour of Australia.

It was built on a riotous opening seven overs, when Australia were reduced to 14-3 by the new-ball brilliance of Chris Woakes and Jofra Archer.

Steve Smith, so often England's nemesis, held Australia together with 85, helping them to a total of 223 that at least gave them something to bowl at.

But home nerves over the menacing presence of Mitchell Starc were allayed by a prolific opening partnership Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow, who added 124 for the first wicket.

Roy crashed 85 before Joe Root and Eoin Morgan took England to their target with 17.5 overs to spare.

The ease of England's progression to the final was such a contrast to the group-stage defeat by Australia that left them on the brink of elimination.

Since then they have beaten India, New Zealand and turned in this, their best performance of the tournament to date.

They will start the final as firm favourites to be crowned world champions.

This was a complete display by England, who were magnificent with the ball, sharp in the field and dominant with the bat.

Woakes (3-20) and Archer (2-32) nipped the new ball around on a full length. Archer trapped Finch lbw with his first ball, Woakes got one to climb that Warner fended to first slip, then bowled Handscomb through the gate.

Archer also left Alex Carey needing stitches from a blow to the chin, but the left-hander recovered to make 46 in a stand of 103 with Smith.