• Australia are five-time winners of the Women’s World Cup, with the most recent victory in 2005.

• New Zealand were runners-up in the 2009 World Twenty20 after making just 85 against England in the final.

• Australia had a disappointing campaign in the 2009 Women’s World Cup, where they finished fourth, losing twice to India, although they were the only side in the competition to defeat  England, the eventual winners.

• New Zealand captain Aimee Watkins was the leading run-scorer at the 2009 World Twenty20, scoring 200 runs in five innings.         

• Ahead of the 2010 World Twenty20, Australia had won only ten of their last 20 matches.     

• Ahead of this tournament, New Zealand won 14 of the 22 matches in the Twenty20 format.

AUSTRALIA reached the semi-final of 2007 World Twenty20 tournament despite having lost to Zimbabwe in the Group Stage.

• Since losing in the 1992 World Cup final, England have only appeared in two semi-finals of ICC events – at the Champions Trophy in 2004 and 2009.

• Australia failed to qualify for the second round of 2009 World Twenty20, losing both first-round matches.

• England played their first Twenty20 International against Australia in Southampton in June, 2005, winning by 100 runs.

• Australia made the highest total batting second in a Twenty20 International, scoring 214-4 against New Zealand in Christchurch in February this year to tie the match. They lost on the Super over.

• England finished third in their group in the second round of the 2009 World Twenty20.

IN THE yellow corner is a multiple champion that has won every belt barring one.

In the blue corner is an uncrowned contender that has looked ominous in search of its first belt. They have thrown punches with ominous power over a series of preliminary bouts.

Now, they come face-to-face in a contest that will make one of them champion in the latest division of the sport.

That’s the script for the men’s final of the ICC World Twenty20, featuring all-conquering Australia and impressive England at Kensington Oval today.

For Australia, it presents a chance to add the only major title that has eluded them. They have won the last three World Cups, the last two Champions Trophies, but never made an impression in the first two tournaments in this the shortest form of the game.

“It would be fantastic [if we won]. We came here to try and win this tournament. We haven’t won it before. We’d be much happier leaving Barbados with that one last trophy,” captain Michael Clarke said yesterday.

For England, it gives them an opportunity to lift a global title for the first time. Defeats in the 1979, 1987 and 1992 World Cup finals and the 2004 Champions Trophy final will be forgotten if Paul Collingwood’s men can knock over Australia.

“When you’re going into a World Cup final there’s a lot of emotion around. But the guys seem very relaxed, and know their roles very well,” Collingwood said.

“We haven’t won anything yet. We’ve got to a final, but it means nothing until we win a World Cup. Until we do that, we’re going to keep our feet on the ground.”

Australia, who failed to get past the Group Stage at last year’s competition in England, have stormed into the final with a 100 per cent winning record.

They brushed aside the challenges of Pakistan and Bangladesh in the Group Stage; India, Sri Lanka, and West Indies in the Super Eights, and Pakistan again in the semi-finals when they had to dig deep to pull off a sensational victory off the penultimate ball when they were chasing 192.

On the evidence of that record, many will regard them as favourites to duplicate their unbeaten record of the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean.

“People would have thought we were the favourites on Friday and we nearly got beaten,” Clarke said. “The fact is that we’ve got two wonderful cricket teams who’ve played fantastic Twenty20 cricket throughout this tournament.

“We have come a long way in this form of the game. But we didn’t come here to make the final, we came here to win the final.”

England have lost only once – in a rain-affected match in which they smashed 191 for five against West Indies and complained about the effectiveness of the Duckworth/Lewis Method in the Twenty20 format after the hosts were set a revised target of 60 in six overs.

Once they moved on to the Super Eights, England looked more and more ominous in taking care of Pakistan, South Africa, and New Zealand, and were even more convincing in the semi-finals where they made light work of Sri Lanka.

“There’s plenty of confidence in our side, the way we’ve played throughout this tournament has given us a lot of belief,” Collingwood said.

“We believe we’ve got the skills to beat any side on the day. We have surprised a few ourselves in this tournament and the guys are very, very positive.”

LEGENDARY West Indies batsman Brian Lara expects the World Twenty20 Championship final to be a cracker but says England could tear up the form books by beating the imperious Australians.

Lara, who quit international cricket in 2007 following the Cricket World Cup, said the final might represent a change of luck for the rampant Aussies. 

“I think the final is going to be a great one. The two best teams, I believe, are in the final,” the prodigious left-hander told CMC Sports yesterday. 

“Obviously, Australia will be favoured to win but I believe especially in a Twenty20 game any team that is doing very well and winning all their games tend not to win at the end.

“We saw that in the IPL with the Mumbai Indians, so the English could spring a surprise.” 

Both England and Australia cantered through the Super Eights, second round of the tournament in style, winning all three of their matches. 

However, while England brushed aside Sri Lanka in their semi-final on Thursday, Australia were forced to pull off a dramatic last-over win over title-holders Pakistan, with a ball to spare on Friday. 

Lara said the different pitches used had played a key role in the tournament and stressed that the Oval strip for the final had been the best one. 

“I think it was a good tournament. Obviously, [with] the different pitch conditions in Guyana, St Lucia and Barbados . . .  obviously you saw different results,” Lara said. 

“Play [was] affected in Guyana [and there were] slow pitches in St Lucia but I think that Barbados has produced the best pitches especially in the second round between May 5 to the 9.” (CMC)

TWENTY20 cricket is fast and sweet but Test matches are the real deal!

Even after playing what he calls “probably his greatest innings” on Friday to put Australia in today’s World Twenty20 final against England at Kensington Oval, Test cricket’s former No.1-ranked batsman Michael Hussey says his first love will always be the traditional five-day game.

“I’ve always enjoyed 20-over cricket. I think it is fantastic for the crowds and bringing people into the game. It is a great way to introduce cricket to the younger generation,” Hussey said after his breath-taking 24-ball knock of 60, studded with six sixes and three fours, helped Australia beat Pakistan in a high-scoring semi-final at the Beausejour Cricket Ground.

“It is a great way for young people to fall in love with the game but my first love is always Test cricket, first and foremost,” he said.

One to cherish

But the 34-year-old, who has played several crucial Test and One-Day International innings for Australia, reckons Friday’s knock will be one he will always cherish.

“I think that’s probably the best feeling I have ever had in my career. To do it in such a big game like the semi-final and get your team in the grand final,” he said.

Hussey said he has made the necessary adjustments to his game to be successful, batting at No. 7 in the Australian T20 side.

“I’m not the kind of batsman who can go in and clear the ropes from the first ball, so to start with, I was just trying to give the strike to Cameron (White),” he said.

“Then it came to the stage where every ball had to go and you just have to try. Even I wasn’t that confident we could do it. I was just trying to slog every ball for six. I knew he would try to spear a few yorkers in – and if he’d done that, I’d have been in trouble. But he just missed his length.

“It was all a bit of a blur and with the last ball I just wanted to hit it out of the middle. I’m so happy and it’s great to see the elation on the boys’ faces. It was an amazing feeling,” Hussey said as he recapped the dramatic final over.

He acknowledged he had doubts whether Australia would win when Pakistan were amassing their challenging total of 191 for six.

“I had a feeling it wasn’t going to be our day – when balls kept lobbing over us in field. But before today (Friday) hitting the winning runs in the Adelaide Test against England was pretty special, but I think this tops it,” Hussey admits.

Hussey, who hit three sixes and a four in the final over when the Aussies needed 18 runs from off-spinner Saeed Ajmal’s final over, came in for praise from his captain Michael Clarke. 

“With the talent and class in this team, you just can’t write us off. We have good depth in the batting and we showed that today,” said Clarke after the match.

“This was just a freakish performance from an unbelievable cricketer,” he said of Hussey’s heroics.

“I can believe it because of the guy sitting beside me,” said Clarke.“He and White had an amazing day. I honestly felt Pakistan scored 15 runs too many and when we lost a few wickets, it was always going to be hard to chase that total.

“Then I just couldn’t watch the last over after Mitchell got a single. I was in the dressing room and heard cheers so I knew it was a six, then another one and I thought: ‘What’s going on?’” Clarke revealed with a chuckle.

JALISA BURROWES won two gold medals to make a great start for the tenth anniversary of the Austin Sealy Invitational Trac Classic yesterday afternoon at the National Stadium.

Burrowes, a member of host club BC Trac, won the Under-15 Girls’ 300 metre hurdles in 49:37 seconds from clubmate Danielle Scantlebury (52:00) seconds and Fast Lane’s (British Virgin Islands) Shana-Kay Wheatley (55:40).

Burrowes capitalised on a fast start and better hurdling technique to lead the race all the way. She returned to win the long jump with a leap of 4.95 metres, followed by Scantlebury (4.66m) again and Renike Daniel from the Nevis club, Gladiators. Daniel had a best of 4.12 metres.

Pacers’ Thorrold Murray was chasing 2.18 metres in the long jump to qualify for the Central American and Caribbean Games, but he fell short with a best clearance of 2.10 metres. Kemar Jones of Quantum Leap was second at 2.00 metres and Kevin Jones of Elite Distance took bronze with 1.80m.

Keron Arthur of Vinsec (St Vincent) won gold in the Under-17 Boys’ division with 1.65 metres while Brandon Hope of Rising Stars was second with 1.60 metres.

Back on the track, CARIFTA Games silver medallist Tramaine Maloney (56:63) and bronze medallist Dario Scantlebury (56:91) were one-two in the Under-17 Boys’ 400 metre hurdles. Scantlebury had the better start, but Maloney gradually reeled him in and was in full control by the seventh barrier.

Combermere’s Roger Bailey was third in 57 seconds flat, forcing Scantlebury to run at the end.

Tarikah Warner, the lone female competitor in the Girls’ division, was clocked at 1 minute 11:49 seconds.

Ryan King of Pacers won the men’s race in 54:02 seconds, doing all of the running over the last 200 metres. Ricardo Todd of Rising Stars had a clear lead for most of the race, but as he faded down the stretch, King surged to the front. Todd was second in 54:19 and Rhys Phillips of Rising Stars third in 56:80.

Anchored by Leah Barker, Elite Distance won the Under-15 Girls’ 4×100 metre relay in 51:82 seconds from Gladiators (52:77) and BC Trac (53:29).

With a good lead leg from Alec Bruce and finish by Dylan Caddle, Pacers won the boys’ event in 47:59 seconds. Rising Stars were second in 48:33 and Elite Distance third in 48:70.

In the early session, qualifying heats were also held in the 400 metres and 100 metres for the finals which were scheduled for later last night. The meet continues at 3 p.m. today.

SCORES on the first day of first-round matches in the Goddard Enterprises Schools’ Competition yesterday:

At Waterford “B”: Combermere 266 (Leniko Boucher 93, D. Clarke 42, M. Jones 32, N. Mayers 25, D. Jordan 20, T. Drakes 10; J. Farley 4-46, N. Miller 3-53, A. Bowen 2-47) v St James Secondary.

At Crumpton Street “B”: Coleridge and Parry 104 (R. Matthews 3-35, R. Baird 2-39, J. Ince 3-24). Harrison College 55-2 (P. Salt 19 n.o., J. Hibbert 15).

At Husbands: Queen’s College 238-8 (Raymond Bynoe 121, K. Edghill 31, N. Kirton 25 n.o., M. Clarke 17, J. Nicholls 3-29, F. Taylor 3-44) v Princess Margaret 

At the Eyrie: St Leonard’s 193-7 (Javal Hinds 64 n.o., Akeem Springer 55, A. Murray 11, R. Alleyne 17; M. Howard 4-37, S. Clarke 2-30) v Deighton Griffith. 

At Blackmans: Grantley Adams Memorial 109 (Mckhial Austin 56, D. Foster 19; T. Williams 3-25, J. Harewood 3-29, J. Toppin 2-14) and 4-1. Garrison Secondary 82 (Jamal Harewood 53; Shaquan Brathwaite 5-19, M. Austin 4-25).

ESA Field Rum Pickwick v Wanderers (AT FOURSQUARE OVAL)

Toss: Pickwick; weather: overcast; pitch: firm; outfield: lush, but uneven.

WANDERERS 1st InningsJ. Leacock c wk J. Yearwood b Collymore    5N. Evans b C. Yearwood    15W. Clarke c wk J. Yearwood b Collymore    0+R. Arthur b Edwin    51*I. Bradshaw lbw b Collymore    19D. Stuart c S. Hope b Collymore    0M. Forde c S. Hope b Edwin    3C. Clarke-Reifer not out    46D. Johnson st J. Yearwood b Layne    15B. Gooding c C. Yearwood b Layne    7G. Belle c K. Hope b Edwin    13Extras (b1, lb1, w1)    3TOTAL (all out – 74.5 overs) 177Wkts fell at: 9, 10, 25, 90, 92, 94, 96, 124, 142.Bowling: Belgrave 9-4-18-0, Collymore 14-2-31-4, C. Yearwood 8-1-11-1, Layne 14-4-40-2, Edwin 20.5-2-60-3, Small 9-4-15-0.PICKWICK – *R. Yearwood, Jason Gilkes, K. Hope, +J. Yearwood, S. Hope, R. Layne, C. Yearwood, Jared Gilkes, R. Edwin, R. Small, T. Belgrave, A. CollymorePoints to date: Pickwick 4, Wanderers 0.Umpires: Earl Collymore, Michael Nurse.

LIME v Old Brigand Dover (At WILDEY)

Toss: LIME; weather: mainly sunny; pitch: easy-paced; outfield: fairly fast.DOVER 1st InningsS. Taylor lbw Charles    23D. Taitt c C. Browne b Edwards    10*S. Armstrong c Nurse b Charles    25W. Bruce st Bruce b Charles    35S. Jones c wk A. Browne b Charles    23J. Phillips c Edwards b Clarke    11+A. Crookendale b Nurse    28V. Greene not out    37L. Kirton lbw Holder    9K. Harte c C. Browne b Holder    0K. Taitt c Nurse b Holder    0Extras (nb7, lb3, b7)    17TOTAL (all out – 68.5 overs)    218Wkts fell at: 22, 56, 67, 119, 130, 139, 183, 212 and 212Bowling: Edwards 14-4-34-1, Marshall 12-2-42-0, Charles 22-7-67-5, Nurse 14-2-51-1, Holder 6.5-1-14-3LIME 1st InningsR. Thomas not out    2K. Beckles lbw Harte    2A. Nurse not out    4Total (1 wkt – 4 overs)    8Wkt fell at: 3.Bowling: Harte 2-1-3-1, Taitt 1-1-0-0, Greene 1-0-5-0.Position:LIME trail by 210 runs with nine wickets standing.Points to date: LIME 4, Dover 2Umpires: Tunley Franklyn, Japheth Kirton.Match referee: Carleon Brome.

Banks v ICBL Empire (At THE BREWERY)

Toss: Empire; weather: overcast; pitch: slow; outfield: slow.BANKS 1st InningsM. Nurse lbw b Hinds    41K. Hurdle c Holder b Forde    17M. Maynard b Evelyn    44*K. Alleyne c Haynes    94+R. Holder c wk Wiggins b Hinds    7A.Sealy c Forde b Hinds    13J. Phillips c Evelyn b Hinds    23A. Ifill st Wiggins b Graham    1T. Hoyte c wk Wiggins b Evelyn    0S. Simmons c Forde b Graham    0R. Sealy not out    0Extras (b4, lb3, nb5, w2)    14TOTAL (all out – 54. 2 overs)    254Wkts fell at: 39, 98, 138, 152, 172, 213, 225, 242, 243, 254.Bowling: Mascoll 5-0-49-0, Forde 3-0-25-1, Blagrove 7-0-36-0, Evelyn 13-3-32-2, Hinds 16-1-60-4, Graham 10.2-1-45-3.EMPIRE 1st Innings*J. Smith c wk Holder b Phillips    1J. Haynes not out    41S. Holder c Phillips b R. Sealy    27A. Greenidge c Nurse b Hoyte    21Extras (b1, lb 1)    2TOTAL (3 wkts – 17. 3 overs)        92Wkts fell at: 1, 46, 92.To bat: S. Graham, J. Hinds, +R. Wiggins, L. Mascoll, M. Blagrove, A. Evelyn, E. Forde.Bowling: Phillips 3-1-28-1, R. Sealy 6-0-33-1, Nurse 4-1-10-0, Simmons 3-0-14-0, Hoyte 1.3-0-5-1.Position: Empire need another 162 runs for first innings points with seven wickets in hand.Points to date: Empire 4, Banks 3.Umpires: Patrick Grazette, Ryan Willoughby.Match referee: Clifford Clarke.

Tele Barbados Carlton v Guardian General Barbados Youth (At Cane Garden)

Toss: Carlton; weather:overcast; pitch: firm; outfield: slowCARLTON 1st InningsD.Richards c Warrican b Earl    103V. Nurse lbw b Mayers    80K. Hurdle c wk Dowridge b Mayers    25C. Morris c Rampersaud b Warrican    25K. Gibson run out    5*M. Graham not out    68K. Springer c Chase b Warrican    4A. Nurse c Kraigg Brathwaite b Warrican    49A. Bridgeman not out    56Extras (b6, lb16, w1, nb11)    34Total (7 wkts – 70 overs)    444Wkts fell at:166, 218, 232, 232, 269, 273, 357.To bat: D.Currency,J. NoelBowling: Mayers:14-1-81-2, Clarke 11-0-72-1, Greaves 6-1-39-0, Warrican 25-5-97-2, Chase 5-0-58-0, Earl 6-0-61-1, Kraigg Brathwaite 3-0-18-0.BARBADOS YOUTH – *R.Chase, Kraigg Brathwaite, C. St Hill, S. Dowridge, M. Rampersaud, K. Mayers, Kemar Brathwaite, J. Greaves, J. Watrrican, M. Clarke, K. EarlUmpires: Anthony Farrel, Ricardo Harrison.Points to date: Carlton 4, Barbados Youth 0.

Super Centre Spartan v Police (At QUEEN’S PARK)

Toss: Spartan; weather: cloudy; pitch: slow; outfield: damp.POLICE 1st Innings         D. Yearwood c wk Niles b Gill    18S. Payne c wk Niles b Gill    0D. Broomes c wk Niles b Pounder    20*+B. Corbin c Nurse b Pounder    5R. Harewood c Pounder b Husbands    13L. Babb c Blackman b Marshall    39C. Linton lbw b Marshall    15S. Hill c Husbands b Marshall    28D. Leacock run out    1T. Ifill b Gill    4J. Smith not out    1Extras (b2, nb14)    16Total (all out – 41.4 overs)    160Wkts fell at: 1, 30, 41, 51, 103, 107, 149, 150, 156.Bowling: Gill 7.4-1-33-3, Pounder 6-0-40-2, Marshall 15-5-32-3, Brooks 9-0-37-0, Husbands 4-0-16-1.SPARTAN 1st InningsR. Boucher lbw b Ifill    9A. Small b Smith    38W. Blackman c wk Corbin b Ifill    0S. Brooks not out    26R. Nurse lbw b Smith    0M. Bend b Smith    10H. Husbands not out    8Extras (lb6, w1)    7Total (5 wkts – 27 overs)    98Wkts fell at: 12, 12, 64, 70, 80.Bowling: Ifill 5-2-19-2, Leacock 4-0-24-0, Babb 6-3-11-0, Smith 9-2-27-3, Hill 2-0-10-0, Yearwood 1-0-1-0. Position: Spartan require 63 runs with five wickets remaining for first innings lead. Points: Spartan 4, Police 2. Umpires: Dalton Holder, Sylvan Leacock.Match Referee: Carlyle Smith

BNB St Catherine v Caribbean Lumber YMPC (At Bayfield)

Toss: St. Catherine; weather: overcast; pitch: hard; outfield: fast.YMPC 1st InningsD. Wigginsc wk. Browne b Puckerin    26+M. King c Kellman b Leacock    57S. Cooke c Skeete b Puckerin    0D. Smith c Kellman b Williams    55R, Wiggins c wk. Browne b Bishop    8*C. Watson c wk. Browne b Williams    21J. Jones c Holder b Williams    2T. Roach lbw b Williams    5A. Burke not out    13F. Hurley c Skeete b Williams    0D.Jordan lbw b Bishop    2Extras (nb3)    3TOTAL (all out – 49.5 overs)    191Wkts fell at: 59, 59, 128, 142, 155, 162, 167, 188, 188, 191.Bowling: Batson 3-025-0, Holder 6-1-31-0, Puckerin 5-0-35-2, Leacock 5-0-34-1, Bishop 17.5-6-38-2, Williams 13-6-26-5ST CATHERINE 1st InningsR. Kellman c Burke b Hurley    5C. Proverbs c Hurley b Roach    30D. Sargeant lbw b Burke    19U. Batson c wk. King b Roach    17+P. Browne  c R. Wiggins b Jordan    0*K. Williams not out    17D. Bishop not out    12Extras (lb1, nb2)    3TOTAL (5 wkts – 25 overs)    103Wkts fell at: 5, 38, 62, 67, 87Bowling: Smith 6-1-16-0, Hurley 3-017-1, Jordan 7-3-26-1, Roach 5-2-15-2, Cooke 2-0-10-0, Burke 2-0-18-1Position: St Catherine need 88 more runs for first innings lead with five wickets in hand.Umpires: Leslie Reifer Jnr., Andrew Corbin.Match referee: Carson Howard. 

CGI Maple v Sagicor UWI (At Trents)

Toss: Maple; weather: sunny; pitch: slow; outfield: slow.UWI Ist InningsK. Corbin c Nero b Brome    1M. Bascombe c Depeiza b Yearwood    0N. Parris b Depeiza    3R. Reifer c wkpr Worrell b Ramsay    35*R. Currency run out    5+S. Naitram b Ramsay    5R. Austin b Ramsay    55K. Catlin b Depeiza    15M. Miller b Ramsay    1G. Moore not out    3J. Bennett b Depeiza    0Extras: (b1, lb 1, nb 13)    15Total: (all out – 52.3 overs)    138Wkts fell at: 01, 03,17, 26, 36, 107, 117, 122, 136, 138.Bowling: Yearwood 5-0-16-1, Brome 11-6-22-1, Depeiza 9.3-1-34-3, Ramsay 20-4-42-4, Parris 2-0-10-0, O’Neal 5-1-12-0MAPLE Ist InningsR. Parris not out    18J. Worrell c Reifer b Miller    15K. Brome not out    0Extras: (b3, w 1, nb 7)    11 Total: ( for 1 wkt – 17 overs) 40Wkt fell at: 37To bat: P. Agard, A. Nero, C. Worrell, S. Ramsay, D. O’neal, S. Depeiza,  M. Albert, B. Yearwood.Bowling: Moore 6-3-5-0, Bennett 3-1-8-0, Austin 5-0-19-0, Catlin 1-0-2-0, Miller 2-0-3-1Position: Maple are 98 runs behind with nine first innings wickets in hand.Umpires: Vincent Bullen, Jonathan Blades.

FOUR CAPTAINS got a chance to hold onto the two ICC World Twenty20 trophies at Kensington Oval yesterday.

Only two of them will have that privilege tonight after the finals of the third edition of the tournament is played out.

The men’s showdown brings together awesome Australia and impressive England at 11:30 a.m.At 4 p.m., it will be the women’s battle between Trans Tasman rivals Australia and New Zealand.

On the evidence of earlier matches in the tournament, both finals should be highly competitive.

Here, Australia women’s captain Alex Blackwell (left) joins her New Zealand opposite number Aimee Watkins in holding the trophy, while England men’s skipper Paul Collingwood (second right) is joined by his Australian rival Michael Clarke. (Picture by Kenmore Bynoe)