Australia peaking at the right time: Waugh

LONDON: Steve Waugh says Australia are “gathering confidence and momentum at exactly the right time” after their comprehensive victory against hosts England guaranteed their place in the World Cup semi-finals.

There were plenty of doubts over the five-time winners’ chances of retaining the trophy before the competition started, but, led by prolific openers Aaron Finch and David Warner, Australia have won six of their seven group games so far.

Australia also looked dangerous with the ball against England on Tuesday, with Mitchell Starc and Jason Behrendorff taking nine wickets between them while recalled off-spinner Nathan Lyon kept the run rate down.

“Without doubt this was a commanding performance by a team that is gathering confidence and momentum at exactly the right time,” Waugh wrote in a column for the International Cricket Council.