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England have managed to win their first ever silverware in an ICC event as they outplayed an off-colour Australian side comfortably by 7 wickets in the final of the third ICC T20 World Cup. England continued their wonderful form the previous stages into the final as each member of the side fulfilled his job to perfection. Australia, on the other hand seemed to be a mere shadow of the team that had brushed aside all opponents in the previous rounds and were no match for the Englishmen on the day it mattered the most.

Starting from the toss, everything seemed to be going right for England. Paul Collingwood's decision to put Australia in paid off right-away as his bowlers responded with early wickets and though Australia staged some sort of a mini-recovery in the latter half of their innings, a total of 147 was never going to be good enough for the in-form English batsmen, who knocked off the required runs with three overs to spare.

Australia's quest for the only feather missing in a very illustrious baggy green cap didn't get off to a perfect start as they lost a wicket in each of their first three overs. Ryan Sidebottom dismissed Shane Watson and Brad Haddin on either side of David Warner's wicket. Watson (2) was the first to go when the ball flew off his outside edge and though the keeper, Craig Kieswetter couldn't hold on to it, Graeme Swann at first slip made sure that the chance didn't go begging. Next it was Warner (2) making the walk back to the pavilion when a slight hesitation between him and Michael Clarke coupled with a direct hit from Michael Lumb found him short. Haddin (1) didn't have lady luck on his side as the umpire ruled him out, caught down the leg-side when the ball seemed to have come off the thigh-pad.

With Australia reeling at 8 for 3 in 2.1 overs, David Hussey joined Clarke at the centre. England's seamers didn't give away easy runs and maintained the pressure with some tight bowling. Australia didn't suffer any further casualties in the powerplays, but a single boundary in a total of 24 at the end of 6 overs wasn't the best effort from the batting side.

The spinners Graeme Swann and Michael Yardy came on in tandem almost immediately after the field restrictions were lifted. One would have expected the Aussies to go after the spinners to try and up the scoring rate. But there weren't any signs of intent from the batsmen. Swann, however, didn't take long to break through. Clarke dancing down the wicket was beaten in flight and he ended up chipping the ball to the left of short mid-wicket where his opposite number Collingwood pulled off a blinder to send him packing for a run-a-ball 27.

Cameron White once again came out with his team in a spot of bother and it was once again upto him to try and bail Australia out of trouble. With 47 runs on the board at the half-way stage, Australia's innings didn't seem to be heading in the right direction. The batsmen needed to start finding the boundaries as soon as possible. The moment finally arrived in the 12th over when Hussey and White decided to go after Yardy. Two sixes and two boundaries in a 21 run over finally opened the floodgates for the Aussies. White kept going after the bowling and finally the boundaries were coming. Australia nearly suffered another setback in the form of Hussey, but Stuart Broad grassed the skier much to the relief of the Aussies.

But just when the innings seemed to be gathering some momentum, Luke Wright bowling for the first time in this tournament got the prized wicket of White for 30. The batsman failed to pick up the slower delivery and sliced the ball high up in the air and this time Broad didn't make any mistake. Michael Hussey, the hero of the semi-final, joined his brother and the two of them went after the bowling. David, who had started off slowly brought up his half-century in 49 deliveries as the Hussey brothers tried to give the total some semblance of respectability. A partnership of 46 in 22 deliveries was exactly what the doctor had ordered for Australia. When David Hussey (59) left in the 20th over, Australia had managed to cross the 140 barrier. They finally ended on 147, a total that didn't seem too likely at the half-way stage.

Australia would have fancied their chances at the break, more so when Tait had Michael Lumb (2) caught at mid-on in the second over. But that was as good as it got for Australia. Kevin Pietersen, in at number 3, and Craig Kieswetter went after the bowlers, who didn't seem to have any answer for the aggression of the batsmen.

Kieswetter had got the team off to good starts on quite a few occasions, but he had not gone all the way to get a big one. Fortunately for England, the wicket-keeper batsman had saved his best for last. Pietersen had been among the best batsmen on show in the competition and he made the most of his good form. The boundaries kept on coming regularly and the required rate was heading south with every passing over.

Australia had ripped through the line-up of every opponent they had played at Barbados thus far, but England were another kettle of fish. Watson seemed to be singled out for special treatment as his first two overs were smashed for 28. Kieswetter reached his half-century in just 40 deliveries as the required rate slipped below six runs an over. In a desperate attempt to get wickets, Clarke brought back his frontline seamers, Tait and Nannes. But they weren't spared either as Pietersen and Kieswetter smashed 15 and 14 off them respectively in successive overs. Pietersen, in a hurry to finish off the match, finally fell for 47 from 31 deliveries when he tried to smash Steven Smith out of the ground but failed to clear Warner at long-off.

Kieswetter (63) didn't last long after that as Mitchell Johnson cleaned up his stumps, but it all seemed to have come a little too late for the Aussies. Paul Collingwood and Eoin Morgan had a not so difficult job of knocking off 27 off 35 deliveries for victory. And they managed to do so without any further setbacks. Watson was once again targeted and had 14 runs taken off him. Paul Collingwood knocked off the winning runs with three overs to spare to spark off the celebrations in the English camp.

Craig Kieswetter was awarded the man-of-the-match for his explosive knock that nullified any chances the Australians might have had. Kevin Pietersen was deservedly awarded the man-of-the-series for his contribution to his side's triumph. Coming into the tournament, not many would have given England much hope to be around on the final Sunday, leave alone lift the trophy, but at the end of it all one would have to agree that it is best team that has come out on top. Finally, finally, England have claimed their first ever championship on the World stage. Australia, meanwhile, will need to wait a couple more years before they can fill that one empty spot in their trophy cabinet.

Mini Scorecard:

Australia 147/6 (20 overs, 7.35rpo)
D Hussey 59 (54)         R Sidebottom 2-26
C White 30 (19)           L Wright 1-5

England 148/3 (17 overs, 8.7rpo)
C Kieswetter 63 (49)    S Smith 1-21
K Pietersen 47 (31)     M Johnson 1-27

File Photograph Copyright: ICC World T20

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