Australia, as expected, claim semi-finals berth

Australia resoundingly, if expectedly, beat England at Hagley Oval in the ICC Under-19 World Cup Super League today.

Their 281/5 was far too many for England to chase, and at the finish the margin of victory was a huge 116 runs.

Australia move on to the semi-finals with a 100% winning record, which has been the only one remaining in the tournament since early last week.

England was reliant on New Zealand losing to South Africa, and even then, due to their poor net run rate, probably need a bonus point from Friday's match against South Africa to stay in the tournament.

George Bailey (69 not out) put the game beyond England when he and man of the match Adam Crosthwaite added 85 off the last six overs of the Australian innings. They hit six sixes and four fours in that time, after England had hauled themselves back into the game.

Bailey made 69 off 55 balls and Crosthwaite 48 of 26 balls.

"Adam's performance today was most impressive," Australia coach Wayne Phillips told CricInfo. "He's a tremendously skilful young man."

"That's basically the first step covered," he continued.

As for the impending semi-final, the diplomatic Phillips said, "It's not that we're not bothered who are opposition is, but whoever our opposition is we'll be as best prepared as we can be."

Soon to be famous sons of once famous fathers abounded. Denis Compton's son Richard was here to watch his son Nick play for England, while Australia's Geoff Marsh looked over his son, Shaun. Both had ordinary matches, although three dropped catches by Compton were particularly unfortunate and costly.

He missed Jarrad Burke (30) off Kyle Hogg in the 11th over of the Australian innings and later put down both Bailey and Crosthwaite before the fireworks really began.

Burke and Craig Simmons (67 off 86 balls) added 98 for the first wicket in 24 overs, but then four wickets fell for 57 runs in 13 overs, three of whom were dismissed by new wicket-keeper Bilal Shafayat.

Shafayat was a last minute replacement for injured wicket-keeper Stephen Pope, who hurt his wrist when batting against New Zealand in England's last game, when Shafayat, topping England's averages, was mysteriously dropped.

England manager James Whitaker said, "The irony is that if these guys beat Australia and we get a bonus point against against South Africa, we go through."

"We'll have to raise our game considerably for that to happen, because South Africa are a good side. We will have to improve our game in all areas," said the Leicestershire CEO.

"I expected a little more resilience," he continued. "It was a shame that we dropped three vital catches and three different players all got established."

"I'd have liked to have seen a little bit more fight with the middle-order and lower-order," he told CricInfo.

A spell of three wickets for no runs in 11 balls by slow left-arm chinaman bowler Beau Casson (four for 33), allied to Burke's three for 13 ensured England's last seven wickets fell for 53 runs.

"We have a number of spinners we have confidence in," said Phillips, who could afford to leave out the impressive Tasmanian slow left-armer Xavier Doherty.

In contrast, a more flustered Whitaker could only say, "We'll have to sit down and think quite hard about the personnel who play in the next match. We're looking for the best 11 fighters. We'll let the dust settle then look for the most disciplined eleven."