Collingwood's aggressive captaincy helped England net their first International cricket Council title in thirty five years
Paul Collingwood's aggressive captaincy helped England net their first International cricket Council title in thirty five years
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England wins. England wins. England finally wins a world cricket title and what an emphatic victory it was over their arch rivals Australia.
England beat Australia at their own game; they played aggressively, confidently and every time their opponent looked like climbing off the canvas they delivered another hefty punch. A century partnership between Craig Kieswetter and Kevin Pietersen put England on the path to victory and when they perished in pursuit of a quick kill the win was appropriately clinched by an equally belligerent Paul Collingwood.
Right from the start the Englishman came to play, led by the inspirational Collingwood. His aggressive captaincy helped England net two wickets early on; he had a slip in place and Graeme Swann grabbed the rebound when the keeper couldn't hang on to Shane Watson's edge.
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| Captain Paul Collingwood celebrates England's win in the World Twenty20 final against Australia at the Kensington Oval Cricket Ground in Bridgetown yesterday. Pic/AFP |
He then had his infielders in position to save singles and this claimed the scalp of the dangerous David Warner who was run out, following a horrible call from Michael Clarke.
Clarke seemed nervous, he made some dodgy calls and also struggled to shed the shackles against some tight England bowling.
With three early wickets in the bag Swann then put on an off-spinners clinic; he flighted the ball and used guile to pick up a wicket and contain the batsmen. So masterly was his control that only one boundary, a four, was hit off his bowling. Swann showed that if you have control, guile and a big heart you can keep extremely good batsman under control.
First David Hussey and Cameron White looked like they might produce a late Australian revival with some big hits but England never wilted. Even when the semi-final hero Mike Hussey threatened to repeat his dramatic rescue feat, England came up with the answers; they bowled tight, fielded athletically and held their nerve.
Having restricted Australia to a manageable 147 it was a matter of batting in a similarly positive fashion.
Following the loss of Lumb, Kieswetter and Pietersen settled into their partnership with some sensible stroke play, which then branched out into some expansive shots.u00a0 It has taken thirty five years from the first World Cup to now for England to claim a big title but in the end they did it not only in emphatic style but also by playing extremely aggressive cricket.
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