Australia beat England by 64 runs in Tuesday's World Cup showdown between the fierce rivals.

Here we look at three things we learned from the crucial Lord's clash:

Vince flops again

Already under siege after his spluttering start to the World Cup, England opener James Vince was condemned to fresh misery as he was dismissed for a second-ball duck.

Vince has been inserted into the England line-up after Jason Roy suffered a torn hamstring against the West Indies earlier in the tournament.

But the 28-year-old, who also owed his place in the squad to the absence of Alex Hales due to his off-field problems, has failed to make the most of his unexpected opportunity.

He scored just 26 against minnows Afghanistan and then managed only 14 when the pressure was on against Sri Lanka, the limp manner of his edge to first slip infuriating his detractors.

England captain Eoin Morgan had expressed his faith in Vince.

But, with England desperately needing a strong start to their run chase, Vince could not repay his captain's backing as Jason Behrendorff penetrated his weak defence to hit the middle stump.

"It is a fine delivery. Another failure for James Vince. He just can't seem to take his chance," former England spinner Phil Tufnell said.

England fail to heed Starc warning

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Mitchell Starc underlined his reputation as the World Cup's most lethal paceman to leave England brutally exposed.

When Australia won the 2015 World Cup, he finished as the joint top wicket-taker, with 22, and was named player of the tournament.

Four years on, Starc continues to terrorise batsmen on the global stage and another devastating spell ripped the heart out of England's batting line-up.

The left-arm quick has often had Joe Root's number in the past and so it proved again as his potent combination of pace and swing trapped him lbw.

That huge strike came during a wicket maiden for Starc, yet the 29-year-old was just warming up.

Starc was apparently given extra motivation by choice words from an England fan, with the paceman's wife Alyssa Healy tweeting: "High fives to the English bloke who fired up Mitch with some banter at breaky. Onya legend!!"

Suitably inspired, he struck again to remove Morgan, his clever use of the bouncer baiting the England captain into a mistimed hook that was held by Pat Cummins on the long-leg boundary.

When Ben Stokes gave the hosts renewed hope, Australia captain Aaron Finch simply recalled Starc for a decisive third spell.

Unleashing a vicious 89-miles-per-hour (143 kph) yorker, Starc comprehensively bowled Stokes for 89 to put Australia on course for the semi-finals.

He now stands in familiar territory as the leading wicket-taker in this year's tournament, with his 19 scalps moving him above England's Jofra Archer.

Warner, Smith back on the boos

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Renowned as cricket's spiritual home and a bastion of fair play, Lord's proved surprisingly hostile as the usually genteel crowd let rip at shamed Australia stars David Warner and Steve Smith.

Warner and Smith had already endured taunts at several of Australia's World Cup matches following their return to international cricket after one-year bans for their roles in a ball-tampering scandal.

Being booed at the Oval or Old Trafford is one thing, but the sound of Lord's, with its rich history and wealthy clientele, turning on the pair was jarring and made it clear they are yet to be forgiven by the cricket establishment.

Warner was first to run the gauntlet, when he walked out to open with Aaron Finch and again after becoming the first Australian dismissed.

But the arrival of Smith was greeted with an even louder chorus of disapproval from the crowd.

By the time Smith departed for 38, the fans were in full throat, jeering him all the way up the pavilion steps to the hallowed Long Room.

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Eoin Morgan said England were still in charge of their World Cup destiny after the hosts slipped to a heavy defeat on Tuesday against defending champions Australia, who booked their place in the semi-finals.

Aaron Finch's team lost the toss but managed to score 285 for seven in their 50 overs, with man-of-the-match Finch top-scoring with 100.

England lost wickets at regular intervals in their reply and despite a battling 89 from Ben Stokes, were all out for 221 in the 45th over, losing by 64 runs.

England remain fourth in the 10-team table, just a single point ahead of Bangladesh and two clear of Sri Lanka. The top four qualify for the semi-finals.

"I thought for a lot of today we were outplayed," said England captain Morgan. "I thought we bowled well up front and were a little unlucky. 

"They played and missed a lot. The wicket got a little better but it was still challenging. Losing early wickets was not ideal and we were not able contribute to a substantial partnership to win the game which is why we were outplayed.

"The wicket was soft when we first started. Winning the toss and batting would have been a horrific decision. Right throughout the first 25 overs they dominated and our bowlers pegged them back and did really well when it looked like they would score 340 or 350.

"Given the circumstances it is not hugely disappointing. Our fate is in our own hands."

"We're not feeling the pressure of being favourites," he added. "We are in charge of how we go from here on in. We win two games, we definitely go through. It's a matter of producing that performance in one, if not both of those."

Morgan said England's confidence had taken a knock after their third defeat of the tournament following previous losses to Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Their last two matches are against powerful India and New Zealand.

"Confidence isn't where it was at the start of the tournament, simply because we started really, really well. It's a matter of rebuilding it, going back to our strengths and hopefully sticking to it," he told the BBC.

Finch was delighted after Australia became the first side to qualify for the semi-finals.

"You don't win the tournament if you don't reach the semis," said man-of-the-match Finch. "That's the first bit ticked off.

"England are a stand-out side, they are a team that can take you apart at stages. We found ways to keep getting wickets."

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Australia pace bowler Mitchell Starc revealed a breakfast confrontation with a bantering fan inspired his ferocious spell in Tuesday's World Cup win against England.

Starc's wife Alyssa Healy, who plays for the Australia Women's team, brought the incident to light on Twitter, claiming an England supporter had fired up her husband with his taunts at the team hotel earlier in the day.

Starc confirmed he had been targeted but insisted the jibes weren't especially hurtful.

"I was still half-asleep. It was some bloke in a suit, having a go at my strapping tape and having a go at my bowling. I was just hungry," he said after taking four wickets in Australia's 64-run win over their old rivals at Lord's.

"He was just having a laugh at my strapping tape and what I was eating. I had a few poached eggs, three, I think.

"It's all been good fun throughout the tour around the crowds and at the hotel. It's just part and parcel of a World Cup."

High fives to the English bloke who fired up Mitch with some banter at breaky..... onya legend!!

�?Alyssa Healy (@ahealy77) June 25, 2019

Starc believes the holders' comprehensive win was the perfect preparation for the World Cup knockout stages after Aaron Finch's side sealed a place in the semi-finals.

Australia dominated from start to finish against one of their main rivals for the title and Starc expects the impressive performance to stand them in good stead in the latter stages of the tournament.

"It's an interesting one. It's a World Cup. I guess playing at Lord's today, where the final is going to be, is great for us," he said. 

"Obviously we are into the semi-finals now so we have to make sure we play some good cricket, finish as high as we can in the group and hopefully get into that final." 

Australia have two games left in the 10-team pool stage before the semi-finals begin and next up for the leaders is a clash with fellow title contenders New Zealand on Saturday. 

- Statement of intent -

Starc urged his team not to rest on their laurels and use the New Zealand clash to make another statement of intent. 

"Now we've got to play New Zealand, which is going to be tough for us," he said. 

"They have gone under the radar. No-one has really spoken about them too much but they keep winning games. 

"They are playing some fantastic cricket. Kane Williamson is obviously their lynch-pin and they have good bowlers who swing it. It's another big game." 

After a third defeat in the event, hosts England are now in danger of failing to qualify for the semi-finals despite starting the World Cup as favourites due to their status as the world's top-ranked ODI side. 

Starc doesn't believe the comfortable nature of Australia's success doesn't mean England should be written off just yet. 

"England are a heck of a side and I think they are still definitely favourites, but they've got some work to do," he said. 

Starc had plenty to do with England's downfall as he ripped the heart out of their batting line-up, with an assist from Jason Behrendorff, who grabbed his first five-wicket ODI haul. 

The decisive blow came when Starc produced a stunning yorker to bowl Ben Stokes, effectively removing England's last line of resistence. 

"He's a fantastic player one of their key batters, watching that game against Sri Lanka he nearly got them home with that 80-odd he scored," Starc said. 

"We knew while he was batting we couldn't rest up and cruise. We had to keep taking wickets. Fortunately I got one through the gate. 

"I've said it for a while, execution is a big part of this bowling group and me personally as well."

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England's Ben Stokes defiantly stated "This is our World Cup" after a thumping defeat by Australia cast doubt on the pre-tournament favourites' hopes of qualifying for the semi-finals.

Set a target of 286 to beat the reigning champions, England were dismissed for 221, going down by 64 runs to their arch-rivals at Lord's on Tuesday.

The reverse meant England had lost two straight pool matches -- their first back-to-back defeats in one-day internationals since January 2017 -- after also falling short in a run-chase in a 20-run defeat by Sri Lanka.

Stokes made 89 against Australia but, as with the all-rounder's unbeaten 82 against Sri Lanka, it was not enough to secure victory, with England now having lost three pool matches in total following an earlier defeat by Pakistan.

"Look, everybody's obviously disappointed in the last two games but, you know, this is our World Cup and we are going to go about it the way we know how we play best," Stokes said

That way has been to bat aggressively but in their past two matches some ill-judged strokes have caused the downfall of their batsmen, with England slumping to 26-3 against Australia after left-arm quicks Jason Behrendorff (5-44) and Mitchell Starc (4-43) both struck telling early blows. 

Read | England's World Cup fate is in their own hands, says Morgan

England may now have to beat both in-form India and New Zealand in their final two pool matches if they are to keep alive their hopes of winning the World Cup for the first time. 

In common with Australia, they are teams England have not defeated at a World Cup since 1992.

Nevertheless, a defiant Stokes said: "That's what's made us so successful in the last four years. Two back-to-back losses can sometimes make you as a team think differently, but we are not going to go away from our method of playing. 

"We just need to adjust to situations and then conditions, but we are not for one minute going to take a backward step, especially in these last two (group) games.

"It's one of the biggest times and greatest times to be a cricketer, which is to represent your country at a World Cup."

Confident England

Stokes, asked how hard it was to strike the right balance between attacking and managing a run-chase, replied: "I think in terms of the progression we've made, we make better decisions now. 

"Obviously when we've been bowled out quite cheaply in the last two games, it won't look like that but we are a very, very confident team in terms of our batting line-up and these last two games aren't going to knock our confidence at all."

Both of England's two recent defeats have coincided with the absence of in-form opening batsman Jason Roy, suffering from a torn hamstring.

James Vince, Roy's replacement, was bowled for a second-ball duck by Behrendorff after managing just 14 against Sri Lanka. 

"Obviously, losing a player of Jason's class and obviously his form as well, it is tough," said Stokes.  "But James Vince coming in, he is a phenomenal player.

"It's a tough place to be when you are on the fringes and then all of a sudden someone gets injured to then come in."

India have yet to lose at this World Cup but England did win a home ODI series against Virat Kohli's side last year.

"We've got a great record against India in England, but they are another team who are in good form, so hopefully we can bring our best game," said Stokes.

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Jason Behrendorff said his five-wicket haul in Australia's World Cup victory against England was a dream come true after years of battling back injuries that he feared could end his career.

The left-arm seamer was diagnosed with a stress fracture in early 2015 and back problems have persisted since then.

He put his first-class career on hold over the Australian summer, easing back into action via the limited-over format and still has hopes of breaking into the Test team.

But for now, Tuesday's World Cup success at Lord's, the spiritual home of cricket, has made his lengthy battles against injury worthwhile.

In just his second World Cup match, the 29-year-old bowled Australia into the semi-finals with superb figures of 5-44 from his 10 overs against England.

"Some days during all the rehab periods you think 'am I going to get back?'" Behrendorff said after Australia dismissed England for 221 in reply to their 285-7, to win by 64 runs.

"It's one of those things you dream of as a kid, to play cricket for Australia and to come here at Lord's to get five wickets. Not quite sure if it's sunk in yet to be honest, but it's something I will treasure.

"You don't play cricket for the accolades but to take five wickets here is something special."

Behrendorff only made his one-day international debut for Australia in January, taking two wickets against India in Sydney.

Yet, in his eighth ODI appearance, the fast-medium bowler enjoyed the best day of his short Australia career as he recorded his first five-wicket ODI haul in front of a 28,000-capacity crowd and a watching audience of millions around the world.

The World Cup stage is a far cry from those gruelling hours spent alone during his lengthy rehabilitation periods.

But Behrendorff said he was just relieved to have repaid the faith of captain Aaron Finch and the selectors.

'Foot on the throat'

His only previous World Cup appearance produced a far less memorable 1-59 against Sri Lanka earlier in this year's event.

"It was huge to repay the selectors," he said. "When you get off to a good start, you get your foot on the throat and you don't want to let it off. We continued to do that throughout the innings."

Behrendorff also praised fellow Australia pacemen Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins for guiding him through his first experience of a big occasion at Lord's.

"Mitch and Pat have played a lot of one-day cricket. To be able to chat to them about how they go about it, especially in the middle overs, how to get wickets, that's really valuable," he said.

"We made an effort to pitch it up and hit the stumps as much as possible. We noted it was something England didn't do. "

Holders Australia, through to the semi-finals after their sixth win from seven matches, are once again peaking nicely ahead of the knockout stages.

Australia have won the World Cup in four of the past five editions, but Behrendorff is adamant they are not favourites.

"No I don't think so," he said. "The competition is still very open. England are still a great side, probably still the favourites as the home country.

"For sure, momentum is a big thing in tournament play. Hopefully we can win the last two games and go into the semis with some real momentum."

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Australia captain Aaron Finch hit a hundred before left-arm quicks Jason Behrendorff and Mitchell Starc shared nine wickets as the reigning champions thumped England by 64 runs at Lord's on Tuesday to book their place in the semi-finals of the World Cup.

Finch made exactly 100 in a total of 285-7 before England slumped to 221 all out with 32 balls left.

The recalled Behrendorff took 5-44 �?his first five-wicket haul in a one-day international �?while Starc became the leading bowler at the tournament with 19 scalps thanks to a haul of 4-43.

For England, who entered the showpiece event as the top-ranked side in ODI cricket, this was a second straight defeat after their shock 20-run loss to Sri Lanka.

The host nation, bidding to win a first World Cup title, can still qualify for the semi-finals but they are likely to need to beat at least one of India and New Zealand in their remaining two group games.

"There are teams that you have confidence playing against but I have had plenty of low scores against England as well," said man-of-the-match Finch.

"It was nipping around first thing. We were as tight as we could be and then took advantage of any width."

England's reply saw them lose a wicket off just the second ball of their chase, with the struggling James Vince �?only playing because Jason Roy was out with a hamstring injury �?bowled by a Behrendorff inswinger.

Starc then took two wickets in nine balls.

Test skipper Joe Root was plumb lbw to an inswinger for eight before England captain Eoin Morgan (four) fell into a hooking trap when a top-edge was held safely by Pat Cummins at fine leg.

Australia, who had lost 10 of their previous 11 ODIS against England, were in complete charge with the hosts now 26-3.

England have surged to the top of the ODI rankings on the back of aggressive run-scoring but the worry for Morgan's men is that too many of their top-order appear to know only one way to bat.

Jonny Bairstow, for example, fell next to a careless hook off Behrendorff before Stokes and Jos Buttler (25) repaired some of the damage with a fifth-wicket stand of 71.

Buttler was well caught by Usman Khawaja, running round and staying just inside the deep square leg boundary off Marcus Stoinis.

Stokes defiantly hit Glenn Maxwell for two sixes in three balls but, shortly before completing his fifty, the all-rounder pulled up with a calf injury.

Starc was brought back to take a key wicket and duly obliged with a thunderbolt yorker, his 18th wicket of the tournament, that ended Stokes's 115-ball innings of 89, including eight fours and two sixes.

Stokes's dismissal left England 177-6 in the 37th over and effectively ended the contest. Starc ended the match when he dismissed Adil Rashid.

Earlier Finch, dropped on 15, and fellow opener David Warner (53) came through some testing early overs to share a stand of 123 as too many of England's pacemen, with the exception of Chris Woakes, dropped short.      

The skipper's exit sparked a late flurry of wickets but Australia had enough runs on the board.

Both Warner, the World Cup's leading run-scorer, and Steve Smith were booed as they entered and exited the field following their recent return from year-long bans for ball-tampering.

Finch went to his century thanks to a misfield by Woakes but next ball he miscued a hook off Jofra Archer and Woakes held the catch at fine leg.

The skipper faced 116 balls, with 11 fours and two sixes in his second century of this World Cup following his 153 against Sri Lanka.

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Australia captain Aaron Finch hit a hundred before England fought back with the ball in their World Cup clash at Lord's on Tuesday.

Reigning champions Australia looked set for a huge total at 185-2 but, one ball after completing his century, Finch holed out.

Australia continued to lose wickets but, with Alex Carey 38 not out, they finished on 285-7 off their 50 overs to leave England with a stiff but not impossible chase against their arch-rivals.

However, an Australia attack led by left-arm quick Mitchell Starc defended a total of 288 to beat the West Indies by 15 runs earlier in the tournament, with Finch side's having won all four games in which they have bowled second at this World Cup.

"To get out straight after a hundred is never ideal," said Finch. "I think there is enough in the wicket. It is still a pretty good score.

"It wasn't the easiest wicket to start on. The ball was moving for the seamer. We were conscious to get through that and were able to. We could have got a few more runs but we have got to defend it regardless."

Both Warner, the World Cup's leading run-scorer, and Steve Smith were booed as they entered and exited the field following their recent return from year-long bans for ball-tampering. 

England captain Eoin Morgan, who has said it is not his job to tell the crowd how to behave, won the toss in overcast conditions and on a green pitch that promised to help his attack.

Opening stand

Finch and David Warner (53) shared a fine first-wicket stand of 123, with Finch earning a reprieve on 15 when James Vince could not hold a tough chance at backward point.

The Australia skipper then looked to up the tempo with a legside six off Moeen Ali but the stand was broken in the 23rd over when off-spinner Moeen induced Warner to lob a gentle catch to Joe Root, running round from backward point.

Finch went to his century thanks to a misfield by Chris Woakes but next ball he miscued a hook off Archer and Woakes made no mistake with the catch at fine leg.

He was out for exactly 100, having faced 116 balls, with 11 fours and two sixes and his exit saw Archer become the tournament's outright leading wicket-taker with 16 scalps.

New batsman Glenn Maxwell hit a six and four off successive Archer deliveries only to fall for 12 when caught behind trying to 'ramp' Mark Wood.

Smith and Marcus Stoinis were then involved in a mix-up that saw Stoinis run out before Smith was caught in the deep off Woakes for 38.

England, bidding to win the World Cup for the first time, were unchanged from the side that suffered a surprise 20-run loss to Sri Lanka.

Australia made two changes from the team that Bangladesh by 48 runs in Nottingham, with off-spinner Nathan Lyon replacing leg-spinner Adam Zampa and Jason Behrendorff coming in for fellow paceman Nathan Coulter-Nile.

Only the top four at the end of the 10-team round-robin stage will qualify for the semi-finals.

Australia are currently second in the table.

England are fourth but any more slip-ups for Morgan's men in their three remaining pool games against Australia, India and New Zealand could imperil their chances of reaching the knockout stages.

Top-ranked England, however, have won 10 of their past 11 one-day internationals against Australia.

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Are England just a bunch of "flat-track bullies"? That's the uncomfortable question facing Eoin Morgan's side as they look to get their World Cup campaign back on track against arch-rivals Australia.

Tuesday's match at Lord's was always going to be a showpiece occasion, but it has been given added spice by England's 20-run loss to Sri Lanka.

Faced with a relatively modest target of 233 on a tricky Headingley pitch, England slumped to 212 all out.

Despite their second defeat of the pool phase following an earlier loss to Pakistan, the tournament hosts remained in the top four and on course for a semi-final spot.

But England, bidding to win the World Cup for the first time, cannot afford many more slip-ups in their remaining pool fixtures against fellow title contenders Australia, India and New Zealand -- teams they have not defeated at a World Cup since 1992.

England's rise to the top of the one-day international rankings since their woeful first-round exit at the 2015 World Cup has been based on aggressive batting.

They have twice posted a world record score at this level in the intervening four years, including the current mark of 481-6 against Australia at Trent Bridge just over 12 months ago.

Doubts, however, persist about England's ability to bat in less than ideal conditions for shot-making.

Their problems were summed up against Sri Lanka when Moeen Ali marked his 100th ODI by hitting a six, only to try to repeat the shot next ball and hole out to leave England 170-6.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan was unimpressed, writing in Britain's Daily Telegraph: "He (Moeen) was there to win the game but it was dumb cricket taking on the man at long off having just hit the ball for six."

According to research by cricket statisticians CricViz, on the 11 toughest one-day pitches for batting England have played on since losing to Pakistan in the 2017 semi-finals of the Champions Trophy on a slow Cardiff surface, they have lost five.

By contrast, on the 11 best pitches for batting they have played on since then, Morgan's men have won nine.

LISTEN | FLASHBACK: Where pride's at stake

England's problems have been compounded by the absence of Jason Roy from their past two matches, with a torn hamstring threatening to sideline the in-form opener from the Australia clash as well.

Yet while former players such as Vaughan bemoaned England's lack of nous against Sri Lanka, Jos Buttler said the problem was they were not aggressive enough.

"I think we were a little bit passive as a group," said the usually big-hitting Buttler, who made just 10 before becoming the last of four wickets for veteran paceman Lasith Malinga.

"That doesn't just mean hitting fours and sixes, that means showing intensity and trying to put pressure back on the bowlers," he said.

LISTEN| More than just a game

By contrast, Australia have been buoyed by the productive opening partnership between captain Aaron Finch and David Warner and are second in the table after five wins from six matches.

Mitchell Starc is the joint-leading wicket-taker at the World Cup -- his tally of 15 putting him level with fellow pacemen Jofra Archer (England) and Mohammad Amir (Pakistan) -- but Australia's bowling in support of the left-armer has looked vulnerable.

Allan Border, Australia's captain when they beat England in the 1987 World Cup final in Kolkata, believes it will be the bowlers who are decisive.

"The game will be won and lost in the bowling," he wrote in an ICC column. "If Australia can hold their ground against the onslaught and put pressure back on England, that’ll be key."

Feature image courtesy: AFP Photo/ Glyn Kirk

Australia captain Aaron Finch believes his side's proven ability to handle World Cup pressure will stand them in good stead when they face England in a crunch game on Tuesday.

If World Cup holders Australia defeat their arch rivals at Lord's, it will damage hosts England's hopes of reaching the semi-finals.

England may have been the pre-tournament favourites but they have never won the World Cup, whereas Australia have lifted the trophy five times.

"I think that over the World Cup history, Australia have had a very good history of peaking at the right time," Finch told reporters at Lord's on Monday.

"Over a lot of that history Australia have played their best cricket under the greatest pressure.

"And that's a good lesson for everyone, the fact that we've got six guys in our squad who were part of the 2015 World Cup win is really valuable," the opening batsman added.

"We're going in with a lot of confidence no doubt, we've been playing some really good cricket.

"But it's about the team that holds their nerve the longest and under the highest pressure that will succeed."

Australia's coaching staff also includes former World Cup winners in Ricky Ponting, a three-time champion and captain of the victorious 2003 and 2007 sides, as well as Brad Haddin, the wicket-keeper in 2015.

"We've got Ricky Ponting with us, and Brad Haddin, as coaching staff who have won World Cups as well," said Finch. 

"So it's just about the shared experience of what you might feel in a knockout game or a high-pressure game.

"Those experienced guys can almost share what you might be feeling, so you can almost be prepared for it before you're in that situation. That's invaluable."

However, England captain Eoin Morgan has insisted his side's defeats by Pakistan and Sri Lanka, did not imply a loss of nerve heading into their concluding group fixtures with Australia, India and New Zealand.

"Guys have performed under pressure for a long time, they have performed as favourites in series for the last two years," said Morgan.

"I've no questions of us performing under pressure. I don't think nerves played a part at all."

And Finch expects wounded England to be an even tougher proposition following their shock loss to Sri Lanka last time out. 

"They tend to bounce back and go ultra-aggressive, so we're ready for that," said Finch.

"We're expecting them to come out and go ultra-hard."

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Ian Kington

Glenn Maxwell reckons Australia have no need to fear England fast bowlers Jofra Archer and Mark Wood at the World Cup given they face Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins in the nets.

The old rivals meet at Lord's on Tuesday for a group match in what could be a preview of the final given both sides are on their way to the last four.

Archer has taken 12 World Cup wickets so far, with Maxwell acknowledging the Barbados-born quick's "effortless pace".

But the Australia all-rounder believes the reigning champions' top order will be more comfortable facing fast bowling than anything else at this World Cup 

"I think they'll be more excited by that (Archer and Wood's speed) than someone bowling 120s (kph, 74 mph)," Maxwell said.

"That sort of pace suits our batting line-up a bit more -- a bit more pace on the ball and something we're a bit more used to.

"It's a challenge we're up for," he added. "We certainly get enough practice in the nets, that's for sure."

But ahead of England's group game against Sri Lanka at Headingley on Friday, an admiring Maxwell hailed Archer as a "hell of an athlete" and a "quality package".

Maxwell was speaking after Australia beat Bangladesh by 48 runs to go top of the table in the 10-team round-robin group phase of the World Cup.

Australia ultimately proved too much for the Tigers after compiling a total of 381-5 at Trent Bridge on Thursday, with David Warner's 166 seeing him become this tournament's leading run-scorer.

Maxwell added late impetus with a stunning 32 off 10 balls, including three sixes, before he was run out after a mix-up with Usman Khawaja.

- Warne blast -

Yet with left-handed opener Warner taking 110 balls to reach three figures, not everyone was happy, with Australia great Shane Warne bemoaning the team's "conservative" approach in a series of Twitter posts.

"Ps I still believe Australia can challenge India &; England for the World Cup trophy, but not with this game style or batting order," Warne said.

"Awesome from Maxwell & a stunning 100 from Warner too. Khawaja doing great, but ridiculous he didn't run," added the outstanding leg-spinner, a key member of Australia's 1999 World Cup-winning side.

"Why wasn't this happening 20 overs ago? As I said in previous tweets, Aust has the firepower but have decided to play conservatively till the last 10 overs! Why?"

But Maxwell, told about Warne's tweets by reporters, said: "I think we went at 13s (runs per over) for the last 14 overs so I don't think we went that bad."

Warner, now the first batsman with two scores of 150 or more in World Cup matches, took a more conciliatory view. 

"I always respect what Warne says," he said. "For us it's about going out there and doing the best we can. 

"And whether or not we're batting slow or fast, I think you're going to get some form of criticism somewhere."

Warner added: "But I felt the way we batted today (Thursday), we tried to take it as deep as we did and we ended up getting 380. 

"That's just the way we’re playing at the moment and we can only adapt to the conditions that are in front of us."

Feature image: AFP / Paul Ellis