Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
The inventors of the game and pre-tournament outsiders England finally claimed an ICC title by humiliating their arch rivals Australia in a one-sided final in Barbados.
Much had been made of the fast and blast style of cricket played by an Australian side boasting the quickest bowlers in Dirk Nannes and Shaun Tait, along with a batting line-up containing big hitters Cameron White and Mike Hussey who stole the semi-final from Pakistan.
Conversely, the English media had been questioning the decision of a number of English bowlers to sit out the Indian Premier League (IPL). This decision has been well and truly vindicated as they took early wickets and restricted Australian scoring opportunities.
Ryan Sidebottom will feel particularly pleased as many experts have called for him to be replaced by James Anderson yet he rewarded Collingwood's decision with two crucial early wickets.
Given the further disruption of the Icelandic volcano dust cloud preventing England's return home, topically (and tropically) it was Notts teammate Graham Swann's flight that turned the Australian challenge to ashes.
Inspirational captain Paul Collingwood and coach Andy Flower had clearly worked on their strategies in the field and the bowlers delivered. Collingwood varied his options, reacting well to the changing ebbs and flows of the match, whereas his counterpart, Michael Clarke, always seemed one step behind.
Having been reduced early to 8-3 the Australians fought back through the Hussey brothers and some clean hitting from Cameron White.
England's reply faltered initially with the early loss of Michael Lumb, although a well-paced partnership of 111 between 'Player of the Match', Craig Kieswetter, and 'Player of the Tournament' and new father, Kevin Pietersen, took the match out of Australia's reach. Kieswetter's well-timed 63 was his first international 50. His departure shortly after compatriot Pietersen's gave England some collywobbles although, fittingly, this left captain Collingwood to see England comfortably home with three overs to spare.
Ultimately it was England's ability to vary their pace and line with the ball and remain level-headed with the bat that saw them lift the trophy, while Australia's erratic pacemen and powerful batsmen are left looking to the Ashes later this year for revenge.
With two South African-born batsmen seeing the English cricketers to one World Cup title, will this victory inspire England's footballers to another World Cup success in South Africa this summer?
