Two finals befitting a Super Sunday. At the Wimbledon, Novak Djokovic trumped Roger Federer to bag his fifth title on grass while at Lord's, England clinched their maiden World title on boundary count after the Super Over, too, ended on a tie. Kudos to New Zealand for the fight they put up but a word of appreciation for Jofra Archer, who held his nerve to take England over the line in a contest that was increasingly looking like going NZ's way.
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Archer begins with a wide. Neesham collects a brace off the second ball. 13 off five balls. SIX! Neesham has deposited him into the stands. Seven off four balls. Sloppy work in the outfield allows Neesham to come back for the second. FIVE FROM THREE. Another brace. Three off two now. A single. Can't get it away. Two off one now! Super Over ends in a tie. England win on boundary count and Super Over.
Jofra Archer has been assigned the task of defending the total. Neesham and Guptill to start the chase.
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Stokes swings and the ball lands in no-man's region near short third-man. The batsmen run three. Just a single for Buttler. 4 off the first two balls. FOUR! Stokes is batting like a man possessed. Slog sweeps Boult for four. Single now. Nine off four. A brace now. Eleven off five. Buttler gets the last ball away for four. 15 off six. New Zealand needs 16 to win the World Cup.
Stokes and Buttler to bat in the Super Over. Boult with the ball. IF the super over is tied - the team with the more boundaries will win - that's England right now. England has got six more.
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England 241-all out. Trent Boult holds his nerve. New Zealand holds its nerve. This is, ladies and gents, the first World Cup to end in a tie! What a moment. What a match. A contest befitting the final.
Boult to bowl the most important over of his life. Stokes on strike. Turns down a single. 15 off 5 balls. Another dot. 15 off 4 balls. STOKES. YOU. BEAUTY. Slog sweeps Boult for a six. Nine off three balls. Six runs ... the ball ricochets off Stokes' bat and races away for four. Three needed off two balls. DRAMA! Adil Rashid has been run-out. England needs 2 to win the title, one and we will have a super over. It's a TIE! Would you believe it? It's a damn tie.
Neesham to bowl the penultimate over. Plunkett takes a single and gets off strike. Brilliant over. Right in the blockhole and Stokes can only get a single. Plunkett holes out. OUT! Archer joins Stokes. SIX! Oh DEAR. Stokes has hit that for a six. What a match. Boult catches it but hits the rope. Bowled'em. Neesham knocks over Archer. 15 to win off 6 balls. Stokes on strike
Boult into the attack. FOUR! Boult misses the yorker by a foot and Stokes puts it away. 29 now off 16 balls. Plunkett on strike. He takes two. 27 off 15 now. Another brace. Just a single off the last ball. 24 off 12 balls.
GONE! Woakes holes out. Ferguson bags his third and the match continues to oscillate like a pendulum! Plunkett joins Stokes. What a contest this is turning out to be. SHOT! What a way to get off the mark. Plunkett does it with a boundary. Five runs from that over. 10-0-50-3. ENG 208/6 after 47 overs.
SHOT! Buttler with unarguably the most valuable fifty of his ODI career. Brings it up with his four. Stokes too gets to his fifty. Buttler in a hurry now. Gets a boundary off Ferguson before collecting another brace. England's match to lose now. GONE! Just as I say that, Buttler holes out ! Ferguson with the breakthrough. Huge moment in the match. Woakes joins Stokes. What a brilliant comeback from Ferguson after that boundary. ENG 196/5 after 45 overs. England need 46 runs in 30 balls.
Buttler and Stokes are playing arguably the most important knocks of their ODI careers. The two have added 91 for the fifth wicket. Seven runs off the last two overs. But the Kiwis need wickets, and fast! ENG 177/4 after 42 overs.
England need 69 runs in 54 balls to win the World Cup.
Stokes hammers a pull off Ferguson. England collects six from the over. Buttler ends the next over with a cheeky hit for four to fine-leg. England in the driver's seat. Eight off Henry's last over. He bowls out. 10-2-40-1. ENG 170/4 after 40 overs.
Buttler is chipping away one boundary at a time. Punishes a short and wide Ferguson ball for four before collecting another boundary off Neesham. 13 runs off the last two overs combined. ENG 156/4 after 38 overs.
Appeal for lbw against Buttler. Not given. New Zealand review. The replays show the ball missing the stumps by a big margin. NZ loses its review. Excellent over. Only two from it. Ferguson back into the attack, is greeted by Buttler with a boundary. Six from the over. ENG 149/4 after 37 overs.
Henry returns into the attack and concedes three braces and a single off the first four balls. In the meantime, Buttler and Stokes have brought up the fifty stand off 65 balls. A dot to end the over. Eight from it. Santner, earlier, went for just three. ENG 137/4 after 34 overs.
Mitchell Santner has been introduced into the attack. Good start. Four singles off the over. Boult continues. In the air and just out of the fielder's reach: Buttler gets a boundary. Guptill the fielder on that occasion. Seven runs from the over. ENG 126/4 after 32 overs.
CDG bowls out. His 10 overs include two maidens, 25 runs and the wicket of Bairstow. Meanwhile, Boult has been brought back into the attack. He is into his sixth over. Four singles from it. England needs 127 from 20 overs. NZ need more wickets.
SHOT! Where did that come from? What a way to get your team past 100. Stokes gives Neesham the charge and hammers the ball over the bowler's head for four. Neesham slips in a wide next ball. Eight runs from that over. This after CDG bowled his second maiden of the match last over. ENG 106/4 after 28 overs.
Neesham and CDG bowling tandem. The latter continues to be conomical with the ball. Four singles from his eighth over. Neesham follows it up with a five run-over. Stokes and Buttler massive to England's chances here today. ENG 98/4 after 26 overs.
GONE! Morgan has holed out. Neesham strikes with his first ball, and New Zealand will believe it has the upper hand here. Ferguson completing a fine catch diving forward. Buttler joins Stokes. Three dots to end the over; the last one cuts Stokes into half. ENG 89/4 after 24 overs.
Grandhomme in the middle of a brilliant spell. He has bowled six overs for 14 runs and one wicket. Last over goes for just two. Ferguson continues with fielders in catching positions on the prowl. There's a gully, short cover and two others near the point region for Morgan.
FOUR BYES FIVE WIDES.
That took off! Escapes the reach of the keeper and races away to the fence.
ENG 82/3 after 22 overs.
CDG and Ferguson in tandem. The medium pacer goes for three before the latter concedes a boundary to Bairstow, who scythes one through deep extra-cover for four. He's looking comfortable. Bowled'em! He has played on and that's a HUGE wicket! Ben Stokes joins Morgan. Seven from the over. ENG 73/3 after 20 overs.
Ferguson continues. Plenty of men in catching position for Morgan. The England skipper, however, manages to steal a quick second. The plan against Morgan will be quite simple. Push him back with the bouncer and as Dada suggests on air, see how he reacts when the stumps are attacked. Three runs from the over. ENG 63/2 after 18 overs.
Root gives CDG the charge: swing and a miss. There was a stifled appeal for a lbw. GONE! Root has been dismissed caught behind. The pressure told on Root and the Kiwis have got the prized scalp. In comes Captain Morgan. One run and a wicket off the over. ENG 60/2 after 17 overs.
Lockie Ferguson into the attack. CDG's last over went for five . A slip for Lockie. Driven and driven hard by Jonny but Williamson saves a certain boundary. Their fielding has been top notch so far. Two singles and a wide. ENG 59/1 after 16 over s.
A single at last, off CDG's bowling. Just three runs from the over. Henry continues. New Zealand still searching for wickets with those slips in place for Jonny. Henry's into his seventh over. He has been taken for just 13 so far. Whoa! bowls on the pads... but Bairstow gets it through past mid-wicket for four. And now an inside edge runs away for four. 50 up for England. ENG 51/1 after 14 overs.
Grandhomme has been brought into the attack. DROPPED ! Oh God. CDG has dropped Jonny off his own bowling. Could've been a wicket maiden but not to be. Henry continues. Still two slips. Another maiden over. That's 18 dot balls now in a row. ENG 39/1 after 12 overs.
Henry to end the first PowerPlay. Two slips for Root. He's getting a nice movement away from the right-hander. Another very good over from Matt Henry. A maiden this time. ENG 39/1 after 10 overs.
Boult continues. Root drives through covers with soft hands for a single. The left-arm seamer needs to bowl fuller. Too short to trouble Jonny. Pays the price this time - bowls too short and Bairstow pulls it away for four. ENG 39/1 after 9 overs.
Henry into his fourth over. Three dots followed by a single for Root. Still two slips in place. The ploy almost worked: drew Bairstow forward and got the ball to jag away from the batsman. Another dot to finish off the over. ENG 34/1 after 8 overs.
Boult to continue. Bairstow on strike. A slip in place. Two dots followed by a wide. FOUR ! Bairstow plays a drive past the bowler for four. Lockie Ferguson failed to cut it off. Three dots to end the over. Another over goes by and the match is hanging in balance - another wicket and Kiwis will start fancying their chances. ENG 33/1 after 7 overs.
Henry continues. SHOT! Roy carves this through covers for four. Runc coming thick and fast for the host. GONE! Roy has been caught behind and rare failure for Roy but it has come in the final. Kiwis pumped up ! He falls for 17 off 20 deliveries. Root joins Bairstow. Two dots to finish the over. ENG 28/1 after 6 overs.
Beautiful bowling by Boult from the other end. He's getting prodigious movement in the air. Bairstow will be wary of those in-swingers. Not if he bowls him there... driving length and Bairstow goes past 500 runs in the event with a searing cover-drive for four. Another one, equally well hit. So after a testing start, Bairstow's up and running. ENG 24/0 after 5 overs.
Henry into his second. Two dots to Roy before the batsman clips one to backward square-leg for a single. Bairstow, too, takes one and gets off strike. Roy gives him the charge now, lifts it over mid-on but the timing wasn't great which means he has to settle for just a couple. ENG 16/0 after 4 overs.
Boult continues. What an over this is turning out to be from the left-armer. After a wide and two dots, Boult cranks up the pace, goes full looking for the swing and almost cleans up Roy. Corker! Next ball, Roy steps out and guides one past sweeper cover for four. Seven from the over . ENG 12/0 after 3 overs.
Matt Henry to share the new ball. Two slips for Henry, who ran through India's top-order in the semifinal. Excellent start from Henry. He is getting the ball to move away from Roy. Four dots on the trot. Pressure, pressure. Pressure released: half volley on the leg-stump and Roy drives it down the ground for four. ENG 5/0 after 2 overs.
Huge shout for lbw against Roy first ball! Just clipping the leg-stump. Umpire's call. Kiwis retain their review . Not Out . What a dramatic start to the chase. Slip in place, by the way. Roy gets off the mark with a single. Bairstow now. Plays out two dots. He's getting the ball to shape into the right-hander, is Boult but needs to get his line right. ENG 1/0 after 1 over .
Out comes the most prolific opening pair in World Cup 2019: Roy and Bairstow. Trent Boult with the new ball. A lot will depend on how the Kiwi pacers bowl in the first 10 overs.
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Henry Nicholls scored a fifty while Kane Williamson was his usual composed self but the latter's dismissal put the brakes on New Zealand's scoring. Plunkett and Woakes picked three each to tighten the noose on the Kiwi middle-order. However Tom Latham's 47 has pushed New Zealand to 241/8: a moderate total on paper, surely, but the pressure of chasing in final and a potent new ball attack could work in NZ's favour. England needs 242 to win its maiden World Cup.
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Archer to bowl the final over. He starts with a dot. Santner scampers across for a risky single, makes it! Third ball, Archer goes too short and it has been called a wide. 240 up for the Kiwis. He cleans up Henry next ball. Archer finally has a wicket. Greets Boult with a dot. Boult manages to steal a single next ball. Another dot and Kiwis finish on 241/8.
Archer into his ninth. Another good over from Jofra. Five singles from it. Last two overs to go. Woakes to bowl the penultimate over. England review a lbw call against Latham. But the ball is pitching outside leg. Latham survives. Woakes concedes five wides before getting rid of Latham! Matt Henry opens his account with a much-needed four. NZ 238/7 after 49 overs.
Woakes returns into the attack. The sun's peeping out in London. GONE ! CDG's struggle comes to an end - a tame dismissal. Tried to work Woakes on the on-side, gets a leading edge that's grabbed comfortably by substitute James Vince. Mitch Santner in the middle. Six from the over. NZ 220/6 after 47 overs.
SIX! After struggling to judge the pace, Latham has finally deposited one over the ropes. This one has been hammered over deep mid-wicket. Clean hit. Seven from the over. Archer into his eighth over. Just three from the over. CDG's struggles against Jofra continue. NZ 214/5 after 46 overs.
Wood is back into the attack. Two singles and a short ball then races away for four leg byes. 10 runs off the over. Archer continues. 200 comes up for New Zealand. Latham and CDG are stgruggling to get bat on ball here. Absolutely clueless vs Archer's change of pace. Archer, meanwhile, has bowled three wides this over. Eight from it. NZ 204/5 after 44 overs.
Start of the final PowerPlay. Plunkett to bowl out. He's done for the day. What a spell of bowling and what an occasion to put your hand up. Two runs from the over. Plunkett's figures today: 10-0-42-3. Archer back into the attack. Four singles and a wide from the over. NZ 186/5 after 42 overs. Plunkett's just the 2nd England bowler to take 3 wickets in a men's Cricket World Cup final after Derek Pringle (3/22 in 1992).
Neesham takes two off Plunkett's bowling before carving one through sweeper-cover for four. GONE! Plunkett has his revenge next ball! Neesham holes out and Kiwis slip further. Wood into his eighth over. De Grandhomme at the crease. Six from that over. NZ 179/5 after 40 overs.
First signs of intent from Latham. Plunkett, brought back into the attack, bowls short and Latham pulls it away for four. Just short of a length and waist high for Latham who puts it away. Six runs from the over. 13 overs to go. Latham's upping the ante now. Greets Wood with a cracking drive through the covers. Six off the over. NZ 165/4 after 38 overs.
Stokes errs in line and serves one on Neesham's pads who's happy to work it away to deep square-leg for four before pulling a short ball past mid-on for four more. 11 runs from the over. New Zealand goes past 150. Wood continues. He is bowling from round the wicket, short and into the batsman's body. Neesham now pulls one to square leg where Woakes puts in a dive and saves a certain four. NZ 153/4 after 36 overs .
GONE! Wood comes back into the attack and gets Taylor out lbw first ball! Replays show the ball sailing over the stumps! Doesn't matter as the Kiwis don't have a review left . Neesham comes to the crease. A slip in place. New Zealand has slipped from 103/1 to 141/4. Wicket maiden. NZ 141/4 after 34 overs.
Rashid and Stokes bowl in tandem. Rashid has bowled his eight over for four runs but continues to be wicketless. Meanwhile, the sun has come out in London. Taylor and Latham looking to be slightly more positive against Stokes. Singles continue to come for the visitors. Its been 84 balls since the last boundary. Seven from it. NZ 141/3 after 33 overs.
Leg-spin to continue from the other end. Just a three singles from it. 20 overs to go. How many more can NZ get? How many will they be comfortable defending against a marauding English batting line-up? Meanwhile, Ben Stokes - England's sixth bowler -- has been brought on. Excellent start from the all-rounder. Just four runs from it . NZ 130/3 after 31 overs.
Rashid continues. Tom Latham joins Taylor. Four singles from the over. Expect the Kiwis to go through a brief rebuilding phase now. England, on the other hand, will be on the prowl. Plunkett into his seventh over. He's keeping it around the fifth stump line, is Plunkett. Five dots and a single to end the over. NZ 123/3 after 29 overs.
Plunkett into his sixth. Nicholls collects three at sweeper-cover. Meanwhile, slip remains for Taylor. Bowled'em! It's Plunkett again, who cleans up Nicholls. Kiwis have now lost both their set batsmen. Four runs from the over. NZ 118/3 after 27 overs.
Nicholls brings up his fifty with a single to long-on. Four singles so far off Rashid's bowling. So the plan is simple - to keep scoring runs off the leg-spinner. And another one to end the over. NZ 114/2 after 26 overs .
Nicholls is two shy of a very, very valuable fifty. Meanwhile, Plunkett continues. The left-hander moves to 49 with a single. A slip in place for Taylor. Another top over from Plunkett. Just a single from it. NZ 109/2 at the halfway stage.
Rashid continues. How do NZ respond now? Do they keep pressing the foot on the pedal or go on the defensive? It's important that Nicholls plays a big knock here. Taylor's role will be similar to the one he played against India: watchful start before upping the ante. Three singles and a couple. NZ 108/2 after 24 overs.
Plunkett back into the attack. This is good thinking from the two batsmen. The scoreboard is ticking thanks to the ones and twos with KW and Nicholls hitting the odd boundaries. Will be interesting to see how the hosts respond. OUT! England are convinced Williamson is caught behind. Dharmasena is unmoved. They review. A faint edge and England have got the breakthrough! Ross Taylor comes to the crease. One run and a wicket. NZ 103/2 after 23 overs.
Rashid continues. 100 comes up for New Zealand with a single. This has been a terrific response from the Kiwis after the early dismissal of Guptill. Meanwhile, Nicholls is nearing his fifty. Four singles from the over. NZ 102/1 after 22 overs.
Well, fielded by Bairstow. Williamson will still get three for it. He drilled this Wood delivery through sweeper cover and it was destined for the ropes before Jonny's full length dive saved a certain boundary. Nicholls takes a brace too, nearly a boundary again. Rashid with the dive this time. Seven from the over. NZ 98/1 after 21 overs.
SHOT! Williamson targeting Rashid. Goes up and over mid-on for four. He tried a similar shot in the last over but the timing this time was immaculate. He now brings out the sweep to collect a brace. A single to end the over. NZ 91/1 after 20 overs.
Wood into his third over. SHOT! Nicholls uses the angle and pace of Wood to time one away to third-man for four. The fifty run partnership comes up with that boundary. In the meantime, KW is happy to guide the ball to third-man for a single. That was clocked at 151 kmph. Well, bowled. Pushes Nicholls back with a brute short ball. Well defended. NZ 84/1 after 16 overs.
Adil Rashid has been introduced into the attack. Short fine-leg in place. Rashid concedes three singles to start the over. Make that four. KW goes over mid-on for a couple. Another single to end the over. Seven from the over. NZ 77/1 after 18 overs.
Wood to continue. Starts with couple of dots. Nicholls finally gets a single. Wood cranking up the pace. A 149 kmph delivery is defended by KW. He works a single next ball to get Nicholls on strike, who is happy to see off the last ball. NZ 70/1 after 17 overs.
Plunkett begins with a nothing delivery - short ball and Nicholls pulls it away for four. These two batsmen growing in confidence. Ben Stokes put in a full length dive at deep backward square-leg but couldn't prevent the ball from running away to the fence. Five runs from the over. NZ 68/1 after 16 overs.
DRINKS
Woakes is off the attack. Mark Wood to roll his arm. Slip in place. And Wood gets the ball to swing away from KW who plays and misses. Wide given. Whoa. This one swings even more than the previous delivery. Prodigious movement. Good start, until a shortish delivery on the leg is pulled away to fine-leg for four by KW. NZ 63/1 after 15 overs.
Plunkett to continue. Plunkett played his first World Cup in 2007. The field's opened up for Nicholls. He promptly takes a single and gives the strike back to KW. Williamson now gets to the other end with a single to the leg-side. 50 comes up for NZ with a single off Nicholls' blade. Nicholls finishes off with a boundary. NZ 55/1 after 14 overs.
So, Woakes with an extended first spell. A slip and a gully in place for KW. He starts with two dots before erring in line and conceding his third wide of the match. Woakes strikes KW on the pads and a stifled appeal from the bowler but it was going down leg. Brilliant again from Woakes. NZ 47/1 after 13 overs.
Liam Plunkett introduced into the attack. Nicholls steals a quick second off an overthrow of Joe Root's fielding. Plunkett now drops short and Nicholls pulls it away for a couple. He's timing the ball now, is Nicholls but finding the fielder. Plunkett now strays on the pads and Nicholls takes another couple. NZ 46/1 after 12 overs.
Start of the second PowerPlay. Woakes to continue. Two slips and a gully for KW. He starts with a wide. The skipper
goes hard at a wide cuts a delivery that's rather close to the body and gets a single to third-man. The dismissal of Guptiil, meanwhile, has put Nicholls on the edge, at least looks like that. SHOT! Well, that will do. Woakes goes wide and the left-hander hammers him square of the wicket for four. Boundary, two singles and a wide from the over.
NZ 40/1 after 11 overs.
Here's Archer to wrap up the first PowerPlay. Nicholls defends the first ball before picking a single off a rather unconvincing shot. That was a back of a length ball, shaping into the left-hander. Williamson is quick to take a single and get to the other end. Nicholls defends the final ball solidly. NZ 33/1 after 10 overs.
Woakes into his fifth. Teases Nicholls with a fuller delivery outside off. Well defended. Next ball, short and wide and the southpaw is beaten on the top edge. He finally gets off strike with a streaky single. Williamson defends the fifth and sixth delivery without a fuss. NZ 31/1 after 9 overs.
Archer continues. Two slips for Nicholls. Dot ball followed by a quick single. Good call from Williamson at the other end and the left-hander responds. Archer greets Kane with a bumper and the Kiwi skipper is happy to arch away and let it through to the keeper. What a delivery. The ball swings after passing Williamson's blade. Five dots. NZ 30/1 after 8 overs.
From the other end, Woakes continues to nip the ball back into the batsman. Slip comes out for the first time in the match.
GONE! Guptill has been adjudged lbw. But he reviews! That's hitting the stumps, surely. England have drawn first blood. Three reds and that's a terrible review, must say.
Kane Williamson walks out.
Two Three slips for him. Shoulders arms first ball. What an over. One run and a wicket.
NZ 29/1 after 7 overs.
This is good intent from the Kiwi openers. They are not letting England target one batsman for too long. Keeping the ones and twos coming. More importantly for New Zealand, Guptill's looked positive so far. Meanwhile, Archer's been fraction too short in this spell so far. Nicholls sneaks a single last ball. NZ 28/0 after 6 overs.
Woakes into his third. Starts with a short ball, slightly outside off and Nicholls guides it to third-man for a single. Guptill now gets a single but this is good strategy from Woakes; he is aiming for the right-hander's pads. Just a couple from the over. NZ 24/0 after 5 overs.
Archer to continue. Begins with a short of a length ball before dropping it short and Guptill stays on the leg side, opens the face of the bat and helps the ball over third-man for his first six of the match. SMASHED! Guptill now scythes it over the bowler's head for four. The ball's moving around for both seamers. 12 from the over. NZ 22/0 after 4 overs.
Woakes continues. Chris has been exceptional with the new ball so far. Starts with two dots vs Nicholls. GONE ! Nicholls has been given out lbw. He reviews. That looks plumb. Oh no, it doesn't! Jeez, what a review. It's missing the stumps and Nicholls survives. Woakes keeping it full and that slight movement back into the left-hander is testing him. The southpaw gets a couple to backward square-leg. NZ 10/0 after 3 overs.
Jofra Archer to share the new ball. How crucial has he been in England's campaign? Nicholls to face the searing pace of Archer. Two slips for him too. Right on the money. Full and on the stumps; blocked back to the bowler. Nicholls gets one leg-bye next ball. Guptill, now, works one to the leg side for a couple. GONE! Or is he? No, replays show the ball brushing the thigh pad. Huge appeal from the England fielders for a caught behind. Erasmus was unmoved. NZ 8/0 after 2 overs.
Guptill to take strike. Two slips in place. Woakes starts with a wide. Guptill goes for a mighty swing and misses. Hint of away movement straightaway. SHOT! Guptill squirts one away past the gully fielder for his first boundary of the match. A dot to end the over. NZ 5/0 after 1 over.
Here come the Kiwi openers Martin Guptill and Henry Nicholls. Guptill's been out of form through this tournament, however, it was his dismissal of Dhoni via a direct hit that effectively sealed New Zealand's place in the final. He'll hope to make a contribution with the bat today. Chris Woakes to start proceedings with the new ball.
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The two teams march out to the middle for the respective national anthems. What a momentous occasion this for both Eoin Morgan and Kane Williamson. Who will have the last laugh tonight? First up, New Zealand's national anthem followed by England's.
TOSS UPDATE| Kane Williamson has won the toss and New Zealand will bat first.
New Zealand (Playing XI) : Martin Guptill, Henry Nicholls, Kane Williamson(c), Ross Taylor, James Neesham, Tom Latham(w), Colin de Grandhomme, Mitchell Santner, Matt Henry, Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson
England (Playing XI): Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan(c), Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler(w), Chris Woakes, Liam Plunkett, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood
Eoin Morgan: "The overheads will lean towards the bowlers. Whichever side plays better will lift the trophy. Big challenge against an in-form NZ side. Jonny is fully fit, and we're playing the same XI. The strongest part in Edgbaston was our bowling and we created our opportunities in the first 10. If we can put our ball in the areas early on today, we are in with a great chance. I'm extremely proud of the team. Everyone has put in the hardwork over the last four years to create this opportunity today. Regardless of what happens, we have created a different level of expectation in 50-over cricket from English cricket now. We have embraced pressure throughout the tournament, and the semi-final epitomized that."
Williamson: "A bat-first surface, but the overhead conditions do make it confusing. We have a job first up with the bat. We're playing the same team. The semi was a tough scrap for both sides, but we're happy we got across the line in that game. Always backing Guptill with the bat. He'll go and play with the freedom. Our team has played with a lot of heart and fight and has gotten us across the line so many times. A number of parts that are different from the 2015 final, different personnel, but any experience is a positive to learn from. It's a different day and anything can happen. Winning will be incredibly special, but before that we need to play some good cricket."
PITCH REPORT| "There has been a bit of rain in the morning. But the sun is out right now and the pitch is bright and hard. A lot greener than expected in a one-day game. This is a pitch with a lot of grass, so there will be early seam movement," reckons Sourav Ganguly.
UPDATE: Wet outfield delays start. Toss at 2:45 pm.
Win toss, bowl first eh?
Oh in case you are tuning in from England, the match will be beamed live on free-to-air channels for the first time since the famous summer of 2005!
It was in 1992, in Melbourne, that England last appeared in a World Cup final. Meanwhile, New Zealand has reached its second successive World Cup final. Can it go one better this time... rather which team among the two will go one better this time? Toss now just over half-an-hour away.
Ah well, race to the finish... or should we say, the best vantage point has begun!
Brian Lara on air: " England has such a jam-packed batting order that they can afford to lose wickets up front. Of course, the hosts have played an aggressive brand of cricket, which is very similar to what New Zealand played four years ago. So, today it's going to be a contest between two contrasting styles."
A British Grand Prix at Silverstone and a Wimbledon men's singles final between Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic await the sports lovers on a Super Sunday.
Meanwhile, Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton has criticised the decision to hold the British Grand Prix on the same day as the Cricket World Cup and men's Wimbledon finals. Hamilton said he "didn't understand why they put the race on the same day as all these big events".
"It [the British GP] is such a special event and it needs all the attention," he said. "A lot of people will be switching between channels on Sunday.
WEATHER WATCH| Any patchy rain or showers this morning will slowly fade, to leave a drier and brighter afternoon with some sunny spells. So, good news for both teams and the fans.
UPDATE: A quick heads up from K.C.V, who tells us that it's drizzling in London. It should clear though for the match to start on time!
The Preview: By K. C. Vijaya Kumar
England, cricket’s birthplace, seeks its biggest moment under the sun very appropriately at a venue steeped in history. Lord’s has its iconic red-brick pavilion and even the walls have gravitas and feature stunning lines, like the following one from W.G. Grace: “The great thing in hitting is, not to be half-hearted about it; but when you make up your mind to hit, to do it as if the whole match depended upon that particular stroke.”
The ‘home of cricket’, as Lord’s is referred in brochures, nameplates and its Twitter account, has its quirks ranging from a turf that gently slopes besides a ghastly space-ship styled press box which doesn’t blend with the prevailing aesthetics.
There is irony too as one of its access points has a black and white picture of Sunil Gavaskar and this after the great opener was once barred entry at the Grace Gates by overzealous Marylebone Cricket Club stewards!
READ: Captain Morgan: From an avid Irish cricketer to captaining England in World Cup final
In this theatre, largely ancient in spirit with some modern influences, Eoin Morgan’s men will take on New Zealand in the ICC World Cup final on Sunday.
ICC World Cup 2019 Final | Full Coverage
It is also heartening that in a nation where football reigns, this particular clash, marinated in overwhelming expectations, will be beamed live on free-to-air channels and the common man can savour it with his favourite beverage and some fish and chips at home.
This is an epic contest which is England’s to lose. After a splendid start before a series of losses forced it into a ‘win or perish’ zone within the league phase, the host found a pulsating tail-wind and qualified for the semifinals where old foe Australia got hammered.
The return of Jason Roy after he recovered from a hamstring injury, has turned out to be the x-factor and his pulverising bat found a mirror image in opening partner Jonny Bairstow.
The relatively sedate Joe Root has hit the straps, Morgan found key runs against Australia and England bats deep as Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler are around to either rescue an innings or indulge in a biff.
READ: New Zealand's Nicholls declared fit for World Cup 2019 final
The bowling core has its varied shades of pace and swing, be it through Jofra Archer or a Chris Woakes and Adil Rashid is present in the spin-stakes.
Scripting fresh chapter
In the opposition corner, New Zealand awaits with a chuckle. It is a pretty relaxed unit, aware of its strengths: dogged batting embellished through skipper Kane Williamson’s authoritative blade, plus a fast attack led by left-armer Trent Boult and Matt Henry while spinner Mitchell Santner does a holding job.
This joust's fate primarily hinges on the battle between Williamson’s bowlers and the home squad’s fire-spewing willow wielders on a pitch with its tinge of green.
READ: Roy and Bairstow's brilliance highlights New Zealand woes
On match-eve here on Saturday, just before they trained, the Black Caps sat in a circle and Williamson spoke. He was perhaps quelling the nerves, may be pepping up his wards besides reminding them of being a bridesmaid in the 2015 edition when the Kiwis lost the summit clash to Australia.
May be he was telling them, ‘let’s do this for our country, let's do this for Baz (Brendon McCullum)’, who was the losing captain in the previous climax. Whatever be the conversation, surely the late Martin Crowe, a mentor for many in this bunch, would have approved from above.
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England and New Zealand have never won the World Cup since its inception in 1975. On Sunday evening with the forecast hinting at a fine summer day, one of the rivals would have scripted a fresh chapter that will last for posterity.
Morgan has the force with him but remember, this is the place where Kapil’s Devils defended a paltry 183 against the mighty West Indies during the 1983 final. And as Williamson regularly reminds the press: “anything can happen on any day.”
READ: Soft-spoken giant-slayers ready for summit clash
Tournament so Far
Both teams lost three matches during the group stage, with New Zealand squeezing into the semi-finals as the last of the four qualifiers. However, they then produced a brilliant display to down India in a rain-affected semi-final at Old Trafford that spanned two days.
England had a major wobble during the group stage when Roy was injured, but they head into the final on the back of wins against India, New Zealand and Australia - all three of their fellow semi-finalists.
What They Said
England captain Morgan: "I think in general throughout the tournament the scores have been a lot lower than they have previously here in the last three or four years. Us adjusting to that has been harder work than it normally is. New Zealand have done it brilliantly and Lord's isn't ever a high-scoring ground so I'd say it will be a bit of a battle.
Black Caps skipper Williamson: "We were in a different part of the world on a different surface against a different opposition [for the 2015 final], and both sides are very different from four years ago, so it's kind of hard to compare those times. Whether having had experience in a final or not is a good thing? Any final you get the opportunity to play in is a really positive thing."
Facts
- Ben Stokes (England) is yet to be hit for a six in the tournament, making him the only one of 59 bowlers to send down more than 30 overs yet to concede a maximum.
- Kane Williamson has scored more runs (548) 2019 than any other player has managed in an edition of the World Cup for New Zealand, Joe Root has set the same record for England (549 runs).
- England are trying to emulate the England women's ODI side who lifted the Women's Cricket World Cup in 2017 with a dramatic nine-run victory over India, also at Lord's.
- Ross Taylor (987 runs) and Martin Guptill (976) are vying to become the second player after Stephen Fleming (1,075) to score 1,000 World Cup runs for New Zealand. Williamson requires 119 to reach the same milestone.
Hello and welcome to Sportstar's Live coverage of the ICC World Cup 2019 final between England and New Zealand at Lord's, London.
The match will be streamed Live on Hotstar
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