Cricket World Cup: England beat New Zealand to lift trophy

England won the Cricket World Cup for the first time in extraordinary circumstances, beating New Zealand by a tiebreaker of boundaries scored after the final was tied after regulation play and again following the first Super Over in the tournament’s 44-year history.

England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler ran out Martin Guptill off the last ball of the Super Over on Sunday as the New Zealand opener scrambled back for a second run that would have earned the Black Caps their first world title.

Both teams scored 241 after the regulation 50 overs per side, with England hitting 14 off the last over – including a six made up of two runs followed by an accidental four deflected off the bat of the diving Ben Stokes – to tie New Zealand’s 241-8.

Boundaries win the World Cup? Lovers of cricket turn up for wickets (ENG 10-241, NZ 8-241) AND runs. I love both of these teams but am feeling extremely dissatisfied despite such an amazing match. Shame on all media who fail to highlight the fact that this was a tie. BOOOOOO

— stu macgill (@scgmacgill) July 14, 2019

Nice work @ICC … you are a joke!!!

— Scott Styris (@scottbstyris) July 14, 2019

That meant the World Cup’s first-ever Super Over, which fans watched with hands around their heads and with a rule explainer required on the big screens inside the home of cricket.

Stokes and Buttler were England’s first designated batsmen and they struck 15 – including two fours – off six balls delivered by Trent Boult.

New Zealand pair Jimmy Neesham and Guptill also struck 15 off Jofra Archer but England won courtesy of a superior boundary count – 22 to 14 – in regulation play.

New Zealand has lost two straight finals. England had previously lost three finals, including one at Lord’s.

After Buttler collected Jason Roy’s throw from deep midwicket and removed the bails with his left hand, England’s players erupted in celebration – but still had an agonising wait before the decision was confirmed by the TV umpire.

“OUT” read the message on the big screen after Guptill was shown to be a yard out of the crease.