Lord’s might be the Mecca of cricket, but England chose the home of West Indies’ cricket – Barbados – to script their brightest day in the limited-overs cricket.
Entering the final here on Sunday as underdogs, Paul Collingwood’s men returned as the top dogs of the event, dashing Australia’s hopes of a maiden World T20 title here at the Kensington Oval.
After their disciplined bowlers tied down Australia to a competitive 147 for six, England made 148 for three to register an emphatic seven-wicket win. It was a complete annihilation of Australia in front of a capacity crowd. The victory was also made a touch special as it fetched England their first ever major ICC title.
Once again Kevin Pietersen was in his elements striking a 31-ball 47 and his 111-run association off just 68 balls with an impressive Craig Kieswetter (63, 49b, 7x4, 2x6) knocked the stuffing out of Australia. Michael Lumb departed early, but Pietersen and Kieswetter, both South African imports, exhibited a brilliant display of attacking batting that left the Aussie bowlers clueless.
It was a rare off-day for Australia but unfortunately for them, it came at the most inopportune time.
Opting to bowl first, England were spot on when Ryan Sidebottom got rid of opener Shane Watson off the second ball of the innings. David Warner responded to a suicidal call for a single from skipper Michael Clarke and was run out off a direct under-armed hit.
Umpire Billy Doctrove then wrongly adjudged Brad Haddin out caught behind though the ball had gone off his thigh pad, again off Sidebottom. With three down for eight runs, Australia clearly were on the backfoot.
Clarke and David Hussey then set about repairing the innings and found the English pacemen hard to deal with. They were quick and accurate and didn’t provide many scoring opportunities. Sidebottom, Tim Bresnan and Stuart Broad gave Australia the taste of what the Aussies bowlers have been dishing out to their rivals on this wicket.
Short balls were aplenty and Australia appeared out of their comfort zones contrary to Clarke’s claim of his batsmen’s liking for pace and bounce. It wasn’t just the pacers that troubled Australia. Graeme Swann produced a fine piece of off-spin bowling to concede just 17 runs from his four overs.
Just one four came in the Power Play overs as Australia managed a piddly 23/3 during the field restrictions. Clarke’s decision to promote himself to number three ahead of some of the bigger hitters in his side, turned out to be an ill-advised move. He could neither force the pace nor did he stay longer after spending a good time in the middle. Clarke’s agonising stay (27 off 27) came to an end when the right-hander’s attempted pull off left-arm spinner Michael Yardy was brilliantly held by Paul Collingwood at short mid-on.
Clarke’s departure, in a way, was the best thing to have happened to Australia at that stage as it paved the way for Cameron White.
The Victorian once again lived up to his reputation as a big-hitter scoring a rapid 30 off 19 balls. The right-hander took special liking to Yardy hammering him for two fours and a six to go with Hussey’s second ball six in the same over. From 59/4 after 12 overs, Australia had moved to 80/4 in 13, Yardy’s 21-run over giving Australia the impetus they needed at that point of their innings. Hussey then took over from there stroking his way to a measured half-century that propelled Australia to a total one thought would be enough to shut their traditional rivals out. But England, on this day, were simply unstoppable.
Score Board
AUSTRALIA
Watson c Swann b Sidebottom 2
(2b)
Warner (run out) 2
(4b)
Clarke c Collingwood b Swann 27
(27b, 2x4)
Haddin c Kieswetter b Sidebottom 1
(2b)
D Hussey (run out) 59
(54b, 2x4, 2x6)
White c Broad b Wright 30
(21b, 4x4, 1x6)
M Hussey (not out) 17
(10b, 2x4)
Smith (not out) 1
(2b)
Extras (B-1, LB-2, W-4, NB-1) 8.
Total (for 6 wkts, 20 overs) 147.
Fall of wickets: 1-2 (Watson), 2-7 (Warner), 3-8 (Haddin), 4-45 (Clarke), 5-95 (White), 6-142 (D Hussey).
Bowling: Sidebottom 4-0-26-2 (w-3), Bresnan 4-0-35-0 (nb-1), Broad 4-0-27-0 (w-1), Swann 4-0-17-1, Yardy 3-0-34-0, Wright 1-0-5-1.
Scoring pattern: after 5 overs: 23/3; 10: 47/4; 15: 92/4; end of innings: 147/6 in 20 overs.
Runs during Power Play: 1-6 overs: 24/3.
ENGLAND
Lumb c D Hussey b Tait 2
(4b)
Kieswetter b Johnson 62
(49b, 7x4, 2x6)
Pietersen c Warner b Smith 47
(31b, 4x4, 1x6)
Collingwood (not out) 16
(5b, 2x4, 1x6)
Morgan (not out) 15
(13b, 1x6)
Extras (LB-1, W-8) 9
Total (for 3 wkts, 17 overs) 151
Fall of wickets: 1-7 (Lumb), 2-118 (Pietersen), 3- 121 (Kieswetter)
Bowling: Nannes 4-0-29-0, Tait 3-0-28-1 (w-1), Johnson 4-0-27-1 (w-6), Smith 3-0-21-1, Watson 3-0-45-0 (w-1)
Scoring pattern after 5 overs: 36/1; 10: 73/1; 15: 123/3; end of innings: 151/3 in 17 overs.
Runs during Power Play: 1-6 overs: 41/1.
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