Cricket: England thrash rivals Australia to win their first world title

Blackleaf

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Oct 9, 2004
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England's cricketers today beat their fiercest rivals Australia to win their first limited overs world title.

Both teams reached today's World Twenty20 Final (a tournament of the 20 overs version of cricket, the game's shortest form) in impressive circumstances, with Australia having won all of their matches and with the minimum of difficulty and England losing undeservedly to West Indies, after completely dominating the match, in the Group Stage in the Duckworth/Lewis Method after rain disrupted play.

The 12-team tournament started with four groups of three teams. Australia were in Group A with Bangladesh and the holders Pakistan, whilst England were in group D with Ireland and hosts West Indies.

The top two teams in each group then progressed to the Super 8s, consisting of two groups of four teams each, with the top two in each group qualifying for the Semi-Finals.

England were drawn against Pakistan, New Zealand and South Africa, and breezed through it easily, winning all three of their games. Pakistan, just, qualified from that group, too.

Australia were drawn with Sri Lanka, West Indies and India, with Australia winning all their matches. Sri Lanka also qualified.

England then faced Sri Lanka in the Semi-Finals. The Sri Lankans were many people's favourites to win the tournament, but England had other ideas, winning by a comfortable 7 wickets after being set a target of 129 to win.

In the other Semi-Finals, Australia were set a target of 192 to win by holders Pakistan, and they were lucky to win. They needed six runs to win with just two balls remaining, those six winning runs coming off the second last ball. They won by 3 wickets with just one ball remaining.

So today's Final was contested between England and Australia.

England were hoping to make it fifth time lucky, having lost in three World Cup Finals (1979, 1987, 1992) and the 2004 Champions Trophy Final.

England, in their first World Twenty20 Final, bowled first. Sidebottom took two wickets, getting watson out for just 2 runs, and Haddin for just 1, as England's bowlers, without doubt the best in this tournament, devastated the Aussies.

Australia's best batsman with in the match was Hussey, who scored 59 runs from 54 balls before being run out, as Australia posted a total of 147-6 after their 20 overs.

That left England needing 148 for victory, with Kieswetter (63 runs) and Pietersen (47 runs) helping England along.

When Kieswetter got out fairly late on, England would have started to feel nervous, hoping there wasn't going to be a devastating batting collapse.

But Collingwood and Eoin Morgan made sure there was no late drama, sealing a superb 7 wicket win with 18 balls to spare.

England win their first major world tournament in the limited overs tournaments' 35 year history.

England beat Australia to win World Twenty20 title


By Harry Reekie
BBC Sport
16th May 2010





2010 World Twenty20

The Final (At the Kensington Oval, Barbados)

Australia: 147-6
England: 148-3

England win by 7 wickets


Glory: Paul Collingwood and the England team celebrate with the series trophy after winning the final of the ICC World Twenty20. It is the first time they have won a limited overs world title.


England had never won a major limited-overs tournament in 35 years of trying until today


England secured their first victory at an ICC limited-overs tournament with a crushing seven-wicket win against Australia in the World Twenty20 final.

Australia slipped to 8-3 after being put in by Paul Collingwood but recovered to post a competitive 147-6, with David Hussey top-scoring on 59.

Craig Kieswetter (63) and Kevin Pietersen (47) took England to 118-1 but then fell in quick succession.

But Collingwood eased his side home with three overs remaining.

It was a crushing win for England and delivered their first global trophy in the 35-year history of limited-overs competitions.


Final flourish: Kevin Pietersen has been in supreme form throughout this tournament

Andy Flower's side have reinvented themselves as a hugely dangerous outfit in the West Indies, and few could argue they are worthy winners after another hugely impressive display with bat and ball in Bridgetown.

Once again the bowling was tight and disciplined and the batting aggressive from the off. Indeed, it was rather out of character for England to win a game against Australia at such a canter.

Victory for Michael Clarke's side, who came into the tournament unseeded, would have given them a clean sweep of World Cup, Champions Trophy and Twenty20 titles.

But it was not to be as England continued to dominate in the Caribbean sunshine.

Much has been made of the international flavour of England's batting line-up but, just as had been the case against Sri Lanka in the semi-final, it was a thoroughly homegrown bowling attack that did the early damage for Collingwood's side.


Front foot: Kieswetter in fine touch again for England

Shane Watson, so often the bludgen at the top of the Australia order, departed after only three balls when a wild edge off Ryan Sidebottom was parried by wicketkeeper Kieswetter and taken superbly on the rebound by Graeme Swann at slip.

Opening partner David Warner followed in the second over, run out by a diving Michael Lumb after captain Clarke called a suicidal single to cover.

And Australia were left flagging badly on 8-3 when Brad Haddin was given out caught down the leg-side to only the 13th delivery of the match - although replays showed the ball had clipped his hip.

Clarke and David Hussey stemmed the tide but managed little else against the new ball. A remarkable statistic of only two boundaries after seven overs told its own story.


Breakthrough: Tait looks menacing after taking Lumb's wicket

The introduction of spin did little to alleviate the pressure and when Collingwood pulled off a truly sensational catch at mid-wicket to dismiss Clarke, the Aussies were literally scratching their heads in disbelief in the dugout.

But some big hitting from Hussey and Cameron White eventually saw the scoring burst into life when Michael Yardy was smashed for 21 in the 13th over and the pair continued to put on 50 from 37 balls.


Gotcha: Stuart Broad takes a fine catch to dismiss Cameron White

White enjoyed something of a lifeline when Stuart Broad dropped a difficult chance when running back but the England bowler got his revenge by taking another difficult chance to hand Luke Wright his first wicket of the competition.

That brought Mike Hussey to the crease, fresh from his batting heroics in the semi-final against Pakistan, and some lusty blows from the two brothers boosted Australia in the latter overs.

David Hussey (59) was run out with four balls to go in a tight final burst from Broad but 147-6 represented a fine recovery from Clarke's side after such a dreadful start.


Big hitter: Cameron White smashes Australia back in to the game


Out! The finger goes up as Sidebottom takes another wicket

England's hopes of a flying start were curtailed firstly when Michael Lumb (2) chipped tamely to mid-on off Shaun Tait but secondly when a farcical problem with the sightscreen forced play to be suspended for 10 long minutes.

Kieswetter had argued gaps in the electrical screens were making it hard to see the ball but when play finally resumed new batsman Pietersen certainly did not seem to share his concerns.

A series of rasping drives through the covers saw the pair put on 50 in quick time and reach the 100-partnership in only 62 balls.


Early wicket: Sidebottom celebrates taking the wicket of Shane Watson

But when Pietersen was caught at long-off trying to launch Steve Smith out of the ground and Kieswetter bowled comically by Mitchell Johnson leaving a straight one, England nerves began to flutter.

But Collingwood and Eoin Morgan made sure there was no late drama, sealing a superb win with 18 balls to spare.


Beautiful day: The teams come out a a sun-drenched Kensington Oval

TODAY'S WIN MEANS IT IS FIFTH TIME LUCKY FOR ENGLAND...

WORLD CUP FINAL 1979

England VS West Indies

England lost by 92 runs



Still getting to grips with one day cricket, England were blasted by the incomparable Sir Vivian Richards and a magical 138 not out. He took full toll on England's part time bowlers to help his side to 286 in their 60 overs. England's reply was held back by a patient knock from Geoff Boycott taking 17 overs to reach double figures. It left a whopping 158 needed from 22 overs - unthinkable in those days.

WORLD CUP FINAL 1987

England VS Australia

England lost by 7 runs



In the heat of Calcutta, David Boon dropped anchor for Australia in a mini-Ashes battle over the now familiar 50 overs while Allan Border and Mike Veletta launched a late overs assault to get 253.

England were well on their way to reaching the target, with Bill Athey, Mike Gatting and Allan Lamb all getting past 41, but skipper Gatt's reverse sweep dismissal against Border was a cruel blow. With wickets falling, they narrowly missed out.

WORLD CUP FINAL 1992

England VS Pakistan

England lost by 22 runs



Imran Khan's cornered tigers stole the crown from under England's nose in a game they were expected to win.

And had Javed Miandad been given out lbw to Derek Pringle his 58 would never have been.

England's run chase got off to the worst start when pinch-hitting superstar Sir Ian Botham was caught behind for a duck. Neil Fairbrother's 62 got them in the game, but 249 was still too many.

CHAMPIONS TROPHY FINAL 2004

England VS West Indies

England lost by 2 wicket



The game England really should have won. Marcus Trescothick laid the platform with a superb 104, but only Ashley Giles scored more than 20 in a total of 217 on a tricky pitch.

The Windies were in disarray at 114-6 then 147-8 with Freddie Flintoff in rude health, but somehow Courtney Browne and Ian Bradshaw hit not out 30s to win in the South London gloom. Nineteen wides didn't help England either.

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gopher

Hall of Fame Member
Jun 26, 2005
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Minnesota: Gopher State
Congratulations to the Brits - superbly well done!

There will soon be a major international tournament in Lauderdale Florida which, I hope, will convince us Yanks that cricket is a great sport that is well worth watching.

Let's play! (cricket version of "play ball")