They may be 35 years without a limited-overs international trophy but, under captain Paul Collingwood, survivor of their last international final, and coach Andy Flower, England look flush with belief
Australia and captain Michael Clarke are yet to fully take to the shortest form of cricket but after winning every one of their games in the tournament, will fancy their chances of adding to their international honours
England win the toss, elect to bowl, Shane Watson takes two runs off the hip from Ryan Sidebottom's first ball, but clips the third to Craig Kieswetter, who loses it only for Graeme Swann to gobble up the rebound at slip
Clarke goes in before Brad Haddin but confusion reigns in the Australians as big-hitting one-day specialist David Warner is run out by Michael Lumb's clever underarm throw in the second over
The bounce in Barbados is aggressive, and confusing to those used to St Lucia pitches, including perhaps umpire Billy Doctrove who gives Haddin out, caught behind, though replays show the ball came off his side
Haddin may be unlucky but Australia aren't batting today - just 24 runs against the power-play fielding restrictions, none from the last five balls of it; and 47 from the first 10 overs, including only two fours
Clarke starts to stick some runs on the board and spanks Swann toward the mid-wicket boundary only for Collingwood to snatch the ball out of the air with a contender for catch of the tournament
As Clarke trudges off the sun comes out and the batsmen find their timing, taking 21 off a single Michael Yardy over and averaging nine runs an over from overs 10 to 15
Michael Hussey may be the semi-final hero but his brother, David, makes the difference today - a 50 partnership with Cameron White (c Broad, 30) and reaching 59 himself from 54 balls - Australia close at 147-6
Kieswetter opens for England but any initial impetus is punctured by a combination of the wicket of Lumb (c D Hussey, 2) and a 10-minute delay for a problem with the sight-screen that frustrates both sides
Kevin Pietersen joins Kieswetter at the crease and the batsmen set about Australia with keen shots, smart half-volleys, and a taste for runs on the off-side as they reach a 50 partnership with ease
England look comfortable at 73-1 from 10 overs, with Pietersen in the unusual role of the calm and fatherly man of the partnership as Kieswetter starts to open his shoulders but not connect with some ambitious shots
England aren't cruising to victory, they are swaggering, passing 100 with eight overs to go, Kieswetter making his 50 from 40 balls, he and Pietersen nailing big sixes and the partnership reaching 101 from 62 balls
Clarke may regret both Mitchell Johnson dropping a difficult catch off Pietersen and not running out Kieswetter in the 11th over but he knows the fault must lie with Australia's uninspiring bowlers
Johnson responds when other Australian bowlers look out of ideas, ripping out Kieswetter's off-stump in a near-maiden over and, with Pietersen caught by Warner, there is a sudden faulter in England's momentum
The wickets only bring Eoin Morgan and Collingwood in to bat and the former goes at the leg-spin of 20-year-old Steve Smith, with his Durham partner and captain playing Shane Watson around the ground
Fittingly, Collingwood - expert in his placements, commanding of his bowlers and leading his fielders by example throughout the tournament - gets the winning runs that confirm England as world champions
The celebrations start and look set to continue long into the night as England revel in their first major global one-day trophy, ending 35 years of hurt
What are these?
E-mail this to a friend
Bookmark with:
What are these?