Watch FIFA World Cup 2026™

LIVE, FREE and EXCLUSIVE

Aussies' nightmare will stop complacency

Australia's coach Justin Langer says there's no chance his team will become complacent before the World Cup finals after their year from hell.

Australian cricket's year from hell will ensure they don't become complacent with a World Cup finals spot all but assured, according to coach Justin Langer.

Australia can confidently begin planning for the tournament's finals after their 5-1 start to the competition, with three games still to play.

New Zealand and India are also safely bound for the finals, while England's clash with the Aussies on Tuesday is crucial in sealing their spot.

Australia's path to this stage is the most remarkable though.

At this point last year they were in the midst of being beaten 5-0 in England, as part of 25-game streak that included just four wins.

News that makes sense

Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

But with momentum into the finals key, Langer said the memories of a horror 2018 would continue to fuel them.

"One thing you will not have to worry about from where we have come from in the past 12 months is (whether) the Australian cricket team will get complacent," Langer said.

"Don't lose one second of sleep about it."

Tuesday's game also shapes as the spiciest of the World Cup so far for Australia, with Steve Smith and David Warner set to play their first official games against England since the ball-tampering scandal.

The pair have received far friendlier receptions in their past three games, but Langer is well aware things will be different at Lord's.

Warner is still expected to play through the tournament, with wife Candice heavily pregnant and due to give birth between Saturday's game against New Zealand and the following Saturday's clash with South Africa.

Meanwhile Langer is happy to see a positive in his team's end to the round-robin stage, as they jostle for finishing positions in the event.

"We've got England, New Zealand and South Africa, three really tough teams which have had good contests before with," Langer said.

"I always believe if you are nice and battle hardened, you might be a bit weary but nothing really surprises you."


2 min read

Published

Source: AAP



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News straight to your inbox

Sign up now for daily news from Australia and around the world. You can also subscribe to Insight's weekly newsletter for in-depth features and first-person stories.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Stream now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world