It’s tough to overlook how the ocean of sunshine blue shirts erupted when England beat New Zealand in probably the most dramatic means doable at Lord’s in July 2019.
However England’s journey to victory was not simple as their World Cup marketing campaign nearly got here to an finish after struggling back-to-back defeats to Sri Lanka and Australia within the round-robin stage.
In two must-win video games in opposition to India after which New Zealand, England fought again exhausting to finish up within the semi-finals, the place they thrashed outdated rivals Australia, earlier than happening to win the World Cup in extraordinary vogue.
It was the primary time there had been a tie in a World Cup ultimate and what higher place for it than on the ‘House of Cricket’, with the group singing Candy Caroline.
Because the gamers’ shadows lengthened over Lord’s, we witnessed one of the crucial miraculous moments in British sporting historical past. This is the way it occurred:
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England’s Jos Buttler runs out New Zealand’s Martin Guptill throughout the Tremendous Over
Problem of the group stage
England acquired their World Cup marketing campaign off to a stable begin after beating South Africa by 104 runs at The Oval, the place Ben Stokes accomplished a unbelievable one-handed diving catch to dismiss Andile Phehlukwayo on 24.
It was described by Sky Sports activities Cricket commentator, Naseer Hussain, as “one of many biggest catches of all time.”
Nonetheless, of their following recreation Pakistan set England the highest-ever chase in a World Cup. Requiring 349 for victory, the hosts fell to a good 14-run defeat.
Pakistan’s seamers Wahab Riaz and Mohammad Amir skittled by way of England’s center and decrease order on the loss of life at Trent Bridge, regardless of centuries from Joe Root and Jos Buttler.
England recovered effectively kind this encounter and went on to beat the West Indies by eight wickets and Afghanistan by 150 runs, their captain Eoin Morgan smashing a report 17 sixes within the course of, however fell to 2 extra heavy losses in opposition to Sri Lanka and Australia.
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Sri Lanka’s Lasith Malinga celebrates with teammates after the dismissal of England’s Jonny Bairstow
Quick bowler Lasith Malinga impressed Sri Lanka at Headingley as he picked up 4 wickets to assist his facet win by 20 runs.
England had been favourites on this recreation and made a powerful begin by dismissing Sri Lanka’s openers inside the first two overs.
Stokes contributed with the bat, including 82 not out, however was left stranded within the center because the tailenders fell sufferer to Sri Lanka’s pacers, with veteran Malinga main the cost.
Australia additional dented England’s hopes for the semi-finals as they defeated them at Lord’s by 64 runs.
Left-arm quick bowler Mitchell Starc bowled an unbelievable yorker that flattened Ben Stokes’ (89) off-stump, whereas Jason Behrendorff picked up a maiden ODI five-for, leaving the hosts’ marketing campaign hanging by a thread.
A change in fact
Heading into the all-important recreation in opposition to India at Edgbaston, England recovered effectively from their back-to-back defeats to revive their hopes of reaching the semi-finals.
An outstanding 111 from Jonny Bairstow, together with 79 from Stokes pulled England to a commanding complete of 337-7 from their 50 overs.
After India misplaced opener KL Rahul for a duck within the third over, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli constructed a 138-run partnership for the second wicket to present their followers some hope. Nonetheless, England seamer Liam Plunkett broke up the duo and helped limit India to 306-5 by taking 3-55.
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A shocking semi-final win over Australia ensured England are by way of to a primary World Cup ultimate in 27 years. This is how they acquired there.
That took England right into a must-win conflict in opposition to New Zealand at Durham the place Bairstow scored a second straight century in blasting 106 off 99 balls to assist them clinch a semi-final spot because the Black Caps had been bowled out for 186.
Baristow additionally grew to become the primary English batter to attain back-to-back World Cup tons.
In quest of redemption at Edgbaston, England confronted Australia within the semi-final. Armed with paceman Jofra Archer and Chris Woakes, the boys in blue hammered their outdated foes by eight wickets to succeed in the ultimate.
Archer picked up a wicket from the very first ball of his set to take away the damaging Aaron Finch earlier than Alex Carey suffered a blow on the chin from the quick bowler too.
Lifting the trophy
The Lord’s crowd roared the nationwide anthems earlier than the electrical environment was silenced by the stress of the ultimate.
Bathed within the sweltering solar, Ben Stokes scored a sensational 84 not out from 98 balls that pulled England from 86-4 and to tie them with New Zealand’s 241-8.
Within the final over of the common match, England required 15 runs and Ben Stokes hit a six earlier than a throw from the deep by New Zealand’s Martin Guptill ricocheted off his bat for 4 overthrows.
Archer, who solely made his ODI debut two months beforehand, was entrusted to bowl the infamous Tremendous Over. Jimmy Neesham hit Archer’s second ball for six to extend the nerves among the many Lord’s crowd.
Needing two off the ultimate supply, Guptill clipped the ball to deep mid-wicket the place Jason Roy collected and a diving Guptill was caught wanting his crease, leaving Buttler to whip off the bails because the stands erupted in celebration.
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Ben Stokes was instrumental as England beat New Zealand in an unbelievable finale to the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup.
It was pleasure incapsulated as England huddled collectively and Lord’s spectators pulsated from adrenaline in what stays as one of the crucial thrilling finals in cricket, with commentator Ian Smith they’d gained the World Cup “by the barest of all margins.”
Archer missed the Ashes and the remainder of the cricketing summer time this 12 months after struggling a recurrence of a stress fracture to his proper elbow.
Nonetheless, the 28-year-old will journey with the England squad to the upcoming World Cup in India as a reserve and proceed engaged on his health.
England head to India hoping to defend the 50-over title they gained so thrillingly and in addition add to the T20 World Cup they claimed final 12 months in Australia by beating Pakistan within the ultimate.
Watch the ICC Cricket World Cup reside in full on Sky Sports activities between October 5 and November 19.