Flower’s appointment key for England

It’s taken 18 attempts and 35 years, but England have finally won a global limited-overs tournament.

Victory over Australia – and a crushing victory at that – in the World Twenty20, finally shed an unwanted record: no longer are England the only major Test nation to never have won a major, world trophy. For a team that last reached a major final in 2004 – and hasn’t looked consistently dangerous in limited overs cricket for nearly 20 years – that is a fine achievement.
Perhaps the most pleasing aspect of this success is that it was based around an all-round team performance. England have only used 12 players in the entire event – and Bopara played just the one game while KP was on paternity leave – with all of the first choice XI contributing.

Ryan Sidebottom, who was controversially selected ahead of James Anderson, vindicated that faith by finishing as England’s leading wicket-taker in the event (equal with the excellent Graeme Swann) and claiming two early wickets in the final. Luke Wright contributed with a couple of fine innings and a nerveless over under pressure in the final, Mike Yardy was mean with the ball and Eoin Morgan, despite limited opportunities, reinforced the impression that he could become one of the finest players in the world.

Neither Lumb – who was exposed by Australia’s pace – or Kieswetter – who was lucky to see Swann catch Watson via a rebound off Kieswetter’s iron-like gloves in the first over and has questions to answer against the short ball – are ready for Test cricket.

But they proved the right choice for this event. Broad conceded fewer than seven runs an over and Bresnan showed well-honed skill with bat and ball. All have fielded with commitment and skill. It has been a highly impressive performance.

For all that, one man stood out this tournament. Kevin Pietersen was immense for England. It was not just that he was the second highest run-scorer in the event (only Mahela Jayawardene managed more), it was the manner he scored them. KP’s batting now intimidates bowlers in a way that few  – Bradman and Viv Richards spring to mind – have ever managed. He’s not just back to his best, he’s batting better than ever. A prolific summer looms.

His batting in the final emboldened the team. Before his arrival, Lumb and Kieswetter had both looked troubled by the extreme pace of Nannes and Tait.

KP looked to have all the time in the world, however. Treating Tait – who topped 97 mph at one stage – like a medium-pace trundler – KP, lent back and drove him for six over mid-off. It was batting of the highest class.

Recognition as player of the tournament was no more than he deserved.
Afterwards, Pietersen admitted that his improved form was rooted in “disappointment”. “It was the disappointment of the last 12 months [that motivated me],” he said. “So I worked very hard in Bangladesh and India. I spent hours in the nets, had lots of nights and dinners with ‘Colly’ [Paul Collingwood] when I had lost sight of how I should play.

“So these are moments to savour. It’s difficult to believe. It’s humbling.
“But the team is the important thing and if not for the team, I wouldn’t be here.”

Kieswetter followed KP’s suit with some audacious strokes. He’s nowhere near the finished article, but he demonstrated some raw talent that bodes very well for the future.

And what of Andy Flower? It’s little over a year ago that Flower assumed the England coaching role against a background of chaos and discord. After a tricky start – remember the ignominy of Jamaica and Holland – he’s now overseen Ashes victory and that elusive limited-overs success. That, by any standards, is an excellent achievement and it is no coincedence that England’s revival coincided his appointment. 

England are almost unrecognisable from the rabble he inherited. Where once the players seemed timid and hesitant, they now appear fearless and positive. Where once England were, at best, workmanlike in the field, they are now consistently superb, and where once their bowling was predictable, it is now intelligent and disciplined. Flower must take much of the credit.

Perhaps England had a little fortune in the final. The dismissal of Haddin surely owed more to poor umpiring than fine bowling, but Michael Clarke was quite right when he admitted afterwards that his team had been “outplayed by a better team.” Indeed, he said England played “wonderful cricket.”

In truth, Australia had been living dangerously for a while. Their top-order had rarely fired at this event and, excellent though the Husseys and White remained until the end, it was asking too much of them to continually rebuild.

Collingwood compared the success favourably with any in his career. Including the Ashes.

“It’s very special,” he said. “This is right up there with the best [moments of my career]. To be the first [England] team to win a [cricket] world cup is amazing and it’s something that can never be taken away from us.

“Everyone in the team contributed but, the really exciting thing is that we have a lot more potential. The good team kick-on and we can do that now.

“This [no global success] has been a real monkey on our back. But now we’ve done it on the big occasion; we’ve done it under pressure and we’ve done it as a team. It’s a very special moment.”

England win the World T20

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…