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England crowned World Twenty20 champions
Craig Kieswetter and Kevin Pietersen starred in England's 7-wicket win over Australia in the World T20 final at the Kensington Oval in Barbados.
- Press Trust of India
- Updated: May 17, 2010 07:38 AM IST
Read Time:5 min
Bridgetown, Barbados:
Kieswetter made the much vaunted Australian bowling attack look like pedestrian with an explosive 49-ball innings which was studded with seven fours and two sixes as England chased down the target of 148 with three overs to spare in the grand finale at the Kensington Oval.
He was given able support by Kevin Pietersen who made a valuable 31-ball 47 which had four boundaries and a six in it.
The awesome pair brought the hitherto mighty Australians to their knees by stitching 111 runs from just 68 balls for the second wicket to set up the win for England.
Earlier, England produced a clinical bowling performance to restrict Australia to 147 for six, made possible mainly due to David Hussey's 54-ball 59, after Paul Collingwood inserted their Ashes rivals after winning the toss.
Full Scorecard | Statistics
By beating Australia in the final today, England won their first ICC event title after finishing runners-up in three 50-over World Cups -- in 1979, 1987 and 1992 -- and Champions Trophy at home in 2004.
Australia, the reigning 50-over world champions, failed to win the only trophy that have eluded them after making to the final of the showpiece event of the slam-bang format in its third edition in the Caribbean.
England made a cautious start in their run chase scoring just three from the opening over bowled by Dirk Nannes but they lost opener Michael Lumb (2) in second over, holing out to David Hussey as the batsman failed to keep down a rising Shuan Tait delivery.
Nannes, Tait and Mitchell Johnson generated good pace with deliveries clocking above 150 kph on quite a few occasions but Kieswetter and Pietersen played safe by shunning big shots though at the same time scoring above the asking rate. The duo later treated the pace trio with disdain once they smell victory.
Pietersen, who became a father during the tournament, was imperious. He dominated the Australian attack right from the moment he walked into the simmering cauldron, hitting on the up with elan and pulling with timing when the ball was pitched trifle short.
Kieswetter matched his ebullient partner stroke for stroke and he cared little for reputation, hacking all the Australian fast bowlers with disdain. A six of a pull shot off Nannes which sailed over the fence behind square was the pick of his strokes.
If the Aussies had expected to use the pace and bounce in the wicket, there was very little assistance for the fast bowlers, reflected in Pietersen walking down the aisle and smashing the dreaded Shaun Tait twice into the stands at long on and long off.
The duo was particularly severe on Shane Watson who bled 28 runs in his first two overs which included three fours and a six off the blade of Kieswetter.
Pietersen opened up his arms by treating Tait with a four and a six in the 12th over to take England score past 100-mark. Kieswetter joined him by treating Nannes with disdain in his last over with a four and then a six, which the England opener deposited at the stands with a one-handed shot, in the 13th over.
Pietersen was out in the 14th with 30 runs adrift of victory and next over and three runs later Kieswetter departed but Paul Collingwood (12 not out) and Eoin Moragn (15 not out) completed the formalities taking England to 148 for three in 17 overs.
Tait, Johnson and Steven Smith took a wicket each for Australia.
Earlier, David Hussey struck a fighting 59 as Australia posted 147 for six.
Playing in their maiden final of a Twenty20 World Cup, Australia made a disastrous start after being put into bat as they were eight for three after 2.1 overs before David Hussey's 54-ball effort took them to a respectable score under overcast conditions and on a wicket which had moisture early on.
David, who came to the crease at eight for three in the third over, got support from Cameron White (19-ball 30) and captain Michael Clarke (35-ball 27) at Kensington Oval here.
Collingwood's decision to bowl after winning the toss apparently to use the fast and bouncy pitch first paid rich dividend as three Australian batsmen were out by the third over for just eight runs in a sensational start to the grand finale.
Ryan Sidebottom induced Shane Watson (2) a top edge off the third ball of the final match which wicketkeeper Craig Kieswetter could not quite hold on but Graeme Swann took the rebound to reduce Australia to two for one.
Next over and five runs later, a brilliant under-arm throw by Luke Wright found David Warner (2) well short of the crease after being called for a single by Clarke off the bowling of Tim Bresnan.
Two balls later, it was the turn of wicketkeeper Brad Haddin (1) to make a hasty return to the pavillion after facing just two balls, with Kieswetter making a fine catch diving high to his left though television replays suggested the ball came off the Australian's thigh.
Run rate plummeted with the Australians scoring just 24 from the first powerplay six overs and they were in deep trouble after Clarke perished in the 10th over for run-a-ball 27. His opposite number Paul Collingwood took a fine catch at mid-wicket after Clarke had failed to keep a Swann flighted ball and Australia were 45 for four in 9.2 overs.
It was left to White and David Hussey to repair the tottering Australian innings and the duo stitched a 50-run partnership from 38 balls for the fifth wicket to take the score nearer the 100 mark.
White and Hussey took 21 runs from the 13th over bowled by Michael Yardy with a six each before the former was out in the 16th over of the bowling of Wright. White holed out to Stuart Broad who made amends for a futile attempt to dismiss David Hussey in the earlier over by taking a superb catch.
That brought Hussey brothers David and Michael at the crease and they raised 47 runs from just 22 balls for the sixth wicket before the former was out for 59 which was studded with two fours and as many sixes.
Craig Kieswetter struck a sparkling 63 as England were crowned World Twenty20 champions after crushing Australia by seven wickets in the summit clash to win their maiden ICC tournament title on Sunday.Kieswetter made the much vaunted Australian bowling attack look like pedestrian with an explosive 49-ball innings which was studded with seven fours and two sixes as England chased down the target of 148 with three overs to spare in the grand finale at the Kensington Oval.
He was given able support by Kevin Pietersen who made a valuable 31-ball 47 which had four boundaries and a six in it.
The awesome pair brought the hitherto mighty Australians to their knees by stitching 111 runs from just 68 balls for the second wicket to set up the win for England.
Earlier, England produced a clinical bowling performance to restrict Australia to 147 for six, made possible mainly due to David Hussey's 54-ball 59, after Paul Collingwood inserted their Ashes rivals after winning the toss.
Full Scorecard | Statistics
By beating Australia in the final today, England won their first ICC event title after finishing runners-up in three 50-over World Cups -- in 1979, 1987 and 1992 -- and Champions Trophy at home in 2004.
Australia, the reigning 50-over world champions, failed to win the only trophy that have eluded them after making to the final of the showpiece event of the slam-bang format in its third edition in the Caribbean.
England made a cautious start in their run chase scoring just three from the opening over bowled by Dirk Nannes but they lost opener Michael Lumb (2) in second over, holing out to David Hussey as the batsman failed to keep down a rising Shuan Tait delivery.
Nannes, Tait and Mitchell Johnson generated good pace with deliveries clocking above 150 kph on quite a few occasions but Kieswetter and Pietersen played safe by shunning big shots though at the same time scoring above the asking rate. The duo later treated the pace trio with disdain once they smell victory.
Pietersen, who became a father during the tournament, was imperious. He dominated the Australian attack right from the moment he walked into the simmering cauldron, hitting on the up with elan and pulling with timing when the ball was pitched trifle short.
Kieswetter matched his ebullient partner stroke for stroke and he cared little for reputation, hacking all the Australian fast bowlers with disdain. A six of a pull shot off Nannes which sailed over the fence behind square was the pick of his strokes.
If the Aussies had expected to use the pace and bounce in the wicket, there was very little assistance for the fast bowlers, reflected in Pietersen walking down the aisle and smashing the dreaded Shaun Tait twice into the stands at long on and long off.
The duo was particularly severe on Shane Watson who bled 28 runs in his first two overs which included three fours and a six off the blade of Kieswetter.
Pietersen opened up his arms by treating Tait with a four and a six in the 12th over to take England score past 100-mark. Kieswetter joined him by treating Nannes with disdain in his last over with a four and then a six, which the England opener deposited at the stands with a one-handed shot, in the 13th over.
Pietersen was out in the 14th with 30 runs adrift of victory and next over and three runs later Kieswetter departed but Paul Collingwood (12 not out) and Eoin Moragn (15 not out) completed the formalities taking England to 148 for three in 17 overs.
Tait, Johnson and Steven Smith took a wicket each for Australia.
Earlier, David Hussey struck a fighting 59 as Australia posted 147 for six.
Playing in their maiden final of a Twenty20 World Cup, Australia made a disastrous start after being put into bat as they were eight for three after 2.1 overs before David Hussey's 54-ball effort took them to a respectable score under overcast conditions and on a wicket which had moisture early on.
David, who came to the crease at eight for three in the third over, got support from Cameron White (19-ball 30) and captain Michael Clarke (35-ball 27) at Kensington Oval here.
Collingwood's decision to bowl after winning the toss apparently to use the fast and bouncy pitch first paid rich dividend as three Australian batsmen were out by the third over for just eight runs in a sensational start to the grand finale.
Ryan Sidebottom induced Shane Watson (2) a top edge off the third ball of the final match which wicketkeeper Craig Kieswetter could not quite hold on but Graeme Swann took the rebound to reduce Australia to two for one.
Next over and five runs later, a brilliant under-arm throw by Luke Wright found David Warner (2) well short of the crease after being called for a single by Clarke off the bowling of Tim Bresnan.
Two balls later, it was the turn of wicketkeeper Brad Haddin (1) to make a hasty return to the pavillion after facing just two balls, with Kieswetter making a fine catch diving high to his left though television replays suggested the ball came off the Australian's thigh.
Run rate plummeted with the Australians scoring just 24 from the first powerplay six overs and they were in deep trouble after Clarke perished in the 10th over for run-a-ball 27. His opposite number Paul Collingwood took a fine catch at mid-wicket after Clarke had failed to keep a Swann flighted ball and Australia were 45 for four in 9.2 overs.
It was left to White and David Hussey to repair the tottering Australian innings and the duo stitched a 50-run partnership from 38 balls for the fifth wicket to take the score nearer the 100 mark.
White and Hussey took 21 runs from the 13th over bowled by Michael Yardy with a six each before the former was out in the 16th over of the bowling of Wright. White holed out to Stuart Broad who made amends for a futile attempt to dismiss David Hussey in the earlier over by taking a superb catch.
That brought Hussey brothers David and Michael at the crease and they raised 47 runs from just 22 balls for the sixth wicket before the former was out for 59 which was studded with two fours and as many sixes.
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