On 16th May 2010 England recorded their first ever ICC global title with a comprehensive seven wicket victory over Australia. Despite another accomplished all-round display by Paul Collingwood's versatile bunch, it was England's bowlers that proved the deciding factor, who after 13 legitimate deliveries had already three of the Australian top order. David Hussey did his best to propel his side to a competitive score with 59 from 54 balls but, as Michael Clarke later conceded, 147 for 6 was always 25 runs short and England made their opponents pay, reaching Austalia's target with three overs to spare.
It was Ryan Sidebottom, to some a surprise pick at the beginning of the tournament, who inspired England's opening burst with the ball. His two wickets saw Australia slump to 8 for 3, removing Shane Watson with the third delivery of the match and after Michael Lumb had ran out David Warner for two the over before, was lucky to bag the wicket of Brad Haddin who was adjudged caught behind off his hip - albeit a mighty fine catch by a gazelle-like Craig Kieswetter.
England did well to keep the pressure on the Aussies opting to keep the ball full, persisting with a good old-fashioned line and length forcing the opposition batsmen to work for every last run. Not until the fifth over did Australia register their first boundary and with the score reading 34 for 3 after seven overs England turned to their pair of ever-reliable spinners Messrs Graeme Swann and Michael Yardy who have proved a constant burden on batsmen's strike-rates throughout the tournament.
When Collingwood plucked an attempted flick from Clarke expertly out of the air at short midwicket it appeared England's ploy to take pace off the ball was a successful one, but Cameron White, arguably one of the most improved cricketers in the last few years, had other ideas. He decided to spark Australia's innings into life in the 13th over, Yardy's third, with a six, four and six in successive deliveries, ruining Sussex off-spinner's tidy figures and transforming Australia's innings, lifting his side to 80 for 4. White was now on a roll and two fours in consecutive overs saw him quickly amass 29 from 17 balls. Collingwood was forced to react and gave Luke Wright the nod, a man yet to bowl a ball in the competition.
Targeting the yorker with every delivery Wright was soon rewarded as White lost his patience and slashed outside off-stump only to loft the ball to Stuart Broad at point who maneuvered himself well to take the catch. The less enterprising Hussey brothers joined forces to inject some last-minute fraternal fury into the innings nurdling 47 runs from 22 balls for the sixth wicket. Australia finished their 20 overs on 147 for 6, a total that would have proved more-than-competitive in previous matches, but was always going to short on a very forgiving track at Bridgetown.
Craig Keiswetter claimed the Man of the Match Award
for his superb half century
England in reply lost Lumb early, but much like they had done against South Africa in the Super Eights, Collingwood's men were not deterred, and within the blink of an eye Kevin Pietersen and Craig Kieswetter went about putting the game beyond doubt with a second wicket partnership of 111.
The renewed freedom in Pietersen's batting after his return to the competition for the semi-final against Sri Lanka was again evident. After Kieswetter had creamed consecutive fours off the bowling of Dirk Nannes and a third off Shaun Tait to lift England to 41 for 1 in the Powerplay, KP joined in the fun.
It was young legspinner Steven Smith who was first to feel the force of Pietersen's blade hit for a boundary four before Kieswetter collected two fours in-a-row off a particularly wayward Watson over. As Watson continued to struggle Clarke was forced to chop and change frequently. In desperate need of a break through Tait was finally brought into the attack to try and liven things up but Pietersen, as he so often does against the fiercest competitors greeted the Aussie quickie with a magisterial lofted drive over mid on for four and then added insult to injury making room to drive a sensational six over extra cover to take England's required run-rate ominously under six runs an over.
Kieswetter soon brought up his half-century from 40 balls punishing Nannes not for the first time with an audacious one-handed six over backward square leg. Kapes was unable to join his partner on 50 charging Smith only to haul out to Warner in the deep. but with seven overs remaining and only 30 runs required England were still well and truly in the driving seat.
Despite the loss of Kieswetter whose impact on the tournament has been phenomenal, Eoin Morgan and captain Collingwood sealed the deal in style. England had finally won an international limited overs competition and made it look easy.
Paul Collingwood makes his mark on England's
first ever World Cup silverware
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