Kieswetter inspires England to become T20 world champs
By Gemma Wright
England have won the World T20 in Barbados, beating Australia by seven-wickets in a one-sided final.
Had England captain Paul Collingwood sat down last night to script his dream game, he couldn’t have asked for better. Winning the toss and electing to field, England claimed early wickets, withstood the inevitable late assault from the Husseys and sped to victory thanks to two outstanding innings by Kevin Pietersen and Craig Kieswetter. It means England, finally, have won their first ever ICC trophy.
Had Australia’s middle-order not dug them out of the mire once again, England may clinched victory with even more than 18 balls to spare. Sidebottom struck with the second ball of the game, though it was lucky for Kieswetter and England that Swann was at first slip to take the keepers spilled catch. Watson went for two, as did Warner, and Haddin 1 to leave the Aussies struggling on 24/3 after the power-play overs, Australia’s lowest power-play total in the tournament.
Captain Michael Clarke steadied the ship with his 27 from 27 balls before he was well caught by a diving Collingwood at short mid wicket. The England captain rarely drops those.
Man of the match winners in their super 8’s victories, the Hussey brothers and Cameron White powered Australia to a total of 147 from their 20 overs: Daivd Hussey (59) and Cameron White (30) and Mike Hussey (17 unbeaten). The comeback started in the 13th over, bowled by Yardy, which went for 21 runs. Although not abundant in boundaries, they kept the score ticking over with ones and twos. England kept them to under 150, Broad’s final over going for seven and taking the wicket of David Hussey.
Kevin Pietersen made the chase look easy. Coming in after the loss of Lumb in the second over for two, KP (47) and Kieswetter (63) shrugged off some hostile fast bowling and soon gained the upper hand. Watson’s bowling suffered the most, his second over going for 16. Both Kieswetter and KP played magnificent shots, and quickly had the Aussies worried. A rare misfield by David Hussey to let the ball go through for four showed just how rattled the Aussies had become.
Pietersen was eventually caught by Warner on the boundary off the bowling of Steve Smith for 47, after a second wicket partnership of 111 from 71 balls. Kieswetter didn’t last much longer, going just 6 balls later.
It seemed almost too good to be true, and yet somehow inevitable that England and Australia should avoid playing each other all tournament, and then face each other in the final. England have a well deserved victory here. Since being appointed just over a year ago, England coach Andy Flower, lead England to an Ashes win over the Aussies in England and this World T20 victory. Now for the Ashes in Australia next…
