England beat Australia by eight wickets in the second semi-final. © AFP Former England director of cricket Andrew Strauss was overcome with emotion after the team he helped build “obliterated” Australia to reach the World Cup final on Thursday. England booked their first World Cup final appearance for 27 years with an eight-wicket rout of holders Australia at Edgbaston. Eoin Morgan’s side will face New Zealand at Lord’s on Sunday as they bid to win the World Cup for the first time. It was a big moment for former England captain Strauss, who was drafted into the newly-created role at the England and Wales Cricket Board after the team’s dismal World Cup flop four years ago.Strauss was the man behind the appointment of England head coach Trevor Bayliss and urged the ECB to place more emphasis on white-ball cricket during his tenure, which has seen them rise to the top of the one-day international team rankings.He stepped down from the position in October 2018 to spend more time with his family after his wife was diagnosed with lung cancer.”That was England’s best performance of the World Cup,” Strauss told broadcaster Sky Sports.”England absolutely obliterated Australia with bat and ball. The…