Cricket Tournaments

The result surprised many, but none can deny that England deserved to emerge triumphant. This year’s tournament has emphasized that, like in the other two versions of cricket, consistency has a major part to play. True, luck is a big factor as well in T20 – how else can one explain Pakistan making it to the semis on the basis of one decent performance in the Super Eights?

However, the bottom line was that the two most consistent sides made it into the grand finals, and the team which was better on the day eventually won, and rather handsomely at that.

As everyone is aware by now, this was England’s maiden triumph in an ICC final. Prior to this, they made it to three 50-over World Cup finals and the 2004 ICC Champions Trophy summit clash, where they eventually went down to West Indies. This time, however, they were determined to set the record straight, and went about their task in a highly impressive professional manner.

For England to clinch the World Cup, a hell of a lot had to go right. After all, they were nowhere near in contention for the title compared to favourites Australia, India and, to an extent, Sri Lanka. Also, apart from Kevin Pietersen, they did not have a star name, who could be termed as a potential match-winner, at least at the start of the tournament. But, it all turned around for England, and how.

Among the major contributors to the win was undoubtedly the man himself, and now daddy, Pietersen. It was his aggression at the start of the series that set things off on a positive note, and the Englishmen never looked back from there. Often in the past, Pietersen has been guilty of getting only half the job done, and at most other side, has run out of support.

However, during the course of the last two weeks, both of these follies were rectified. If it was Craig Kieswetter who took most of the pressure off Pietersen in the finals, earlier in the tournament, the likes of Michael Lumb, Eoin Morgan and the rest also came good.

This was the difference between England and some of the other teams. Sri Lanka had Mahela Jayawardene, India had Suresh Raina and Pakistan had Salman Butt, who were among the top-run getters in the series, yet their teams could not make it all th way.

In contrast, the strong back up he received allowed Pietersen to play freely, which is when he is at his best, and most dangerous. Still, one cannot to take anything away from the tall lad, who batted that number three for England during this World Cup, as he was at his mature best.

It wasn’t enough just for the batsmen to click though. The bowlers also needed to chip in. They did a lot more than that. Most importantly, they were positive as opposed to some other sides. Ryan Sidebottom was lethal at the start with his accurate swingers and deadly at the end overs, with his nagging yorkers, a combination that strangled most batsmen.

Everyone from Stuart Broad, Tim Bresnan to Michael Yardy made a noteworthy contribution. But the performance that stood out was that of off-spinner Graeme Swann’s. As seen in the IPL, the tweakers have a significant role to play in the T20 format. And Swann’s showing in this World Cup adds further credence to the theory.

Instead of looking to contain the runs, (hope Harbhajan Singh was watching) Swann was prepared to toss the ball and invite what could have been a lot of trouble in the form of runs. Instead, the confidence-personified Swann defeated most batsmen, in the air as well as in the mind.

As the result, the runs were also kept down to a premium. Swann’s striking efforts only reiterates that, irrespective of the form of the game, attack in the best form of defence.

His performance with the bat notwithstanding, skipper Paul Collingwood also enacted his role as a leader of the side as per the demands of the script. He was inspirational in the field, pulling off some spectacular catches at key moments, and rarely let the heads drop in the field.

Never in the recent past has an English side so effervescent on a cricket field, and it wouldn’t be unfair to grant an acknowledgement to the captain of the ship for making it happen.

It is too early to predict whether this win will open a fresh chapter in English cricket. But, for the moment at least, they have proved to one and all, who are the kings of T20.

The in-form Kevin Pietersen celebrated the birth of his first child in great style. He lead England into the finals of the T20 World Cup with a typically aggressive 42 not out, as his side chased down a modest target of 129 set by Sri Lanka, who batted first after Kumar Sangakkara called correctly in the first semi-final.

It was disappointing overall batting effort from the Lankans, but for a fighting 58 from Angelo Mathews. However, against a rampant England batting order it was far from enough. Craig Kieswetter and Michael Lumb got their team off to a whirlwind start, blast 68 for the opening wicket in eight overs. Pietersen then carried forward the momentum and finished the game off in a hurry with his 26-ball knock.

Before Pietersen’s bravado though it were the bowlers who set up with the win for the Englishmen with a controlled yet penetrative effort. The seamers as well the pacers were equally impressive and never ever allowed the Lankans to get away.

Things began disastrously as Ryan Sidebottom forced the totally out of sorts Sanath Jayasuriya to nick a well-pitched outswinger to a gleeful Paul Collingwood in the slips. A restless Tillakaratne Dilshan, also out of form, tehn perished trying to hit out against Tim Bresnan, but only managing to loop the ball high up in the air.

Lanka had hardly snailed past 20 when their big hope Mahela Jayawardene was undone by Stuart Broad, beaten for pace and caught behind the wickets.

Kumar Sangakkara had already arrived at the crease, but the pressure was immense even for the level-headed Lankan captain. His side was down in the dumps at 38 for the loss of their top three batsmen at the end of the Powerplay overs.

With the introduction of spin, Sangakkara saw an opening to relieve the pressure. However, very soon England were celebrating once again as Sangakkara, in an effort to loft Graeme Swann, ended up gifting a dolly at mid-off, which was accepted by Pietersen.

Amidst the carnage, only Mathews kept a still head and guided Lanka to a score in the region of respectability. Known for his big shots, he was prepared to rotate the strike and, only occasionally hit out, emphasizing his maturity as a cricketer. Even when he played the lofted shot, he ensured it was with a straight bat, like the six he took off Swann’s bowling.

If Lanka thought they had a slight opening to get away, England ensured the reverse happened. Their pacers resorted to the use of the slow bouncer smartly, and everyone, including Mathews, struggled. And, soon the wickets started falling again. Broad ended Chamara Kapugedera’s frustration out in the middle by getting him to mistime one.

A 17-run over by Bresnan, including three wides, helped Lanka cross 120, and also gave them some momentum going into the break. However, it wasn’t to last for long.

After a couple of quiet overs delivered by the spinning combo of Dilshan and Ajantha Mendis, England’s openers went on the attack. Kieswetter did not allow Suraj Randiv to settle, slogging him for successive boundaries in an over, and later slammed Mathews for a maximum on the off side.

His partner Michael Lumb, meanwhile, was lucky to get off to a start. He should have been back in the pavilion early on when following a mix-up, which left him stranded midway down the pitch, but a nervy Mendis couldn’t gather a simple throw.

Soon, he was dropped by a diving Nuwan Kulasekera at mid-off and even the normally brilliant Jayawardene sent a wayward throw when a simple, well-directed one would have had the batsmen well short of the ground.

Lanka did manage to dismiss both, but by then the game was out of their grasps. Both the openers had made merry and blasted Jayasuriya for a six each befor Lasith Malinga’s deadly yorker knocked over Kieswetter.

Lumb threw his wicket away for 33, moving across the stumps and trying to hit Thissara Perera against the line. Collingwood perished in a hurry to finish things, but daddy Pietersen made sure England cruised to their first ICC final in six years.