At last year's Twenty20 World Cup, England suffered a chastening defeat to the unseeded Netherlands team in the opening game of the tournament, and Australia failed to qualify for the second round, losing both games of their first stage. A year later, in 2010, it was England and Australia in the finals - the two oldest rivals in cricket, and maybe even international sport - facing each other for world Twenty20 glory. Of the three formats in cricket, Twenty20 world trophy is the only one that has eluded Australia's grasp, and England were desperate to win their first global cricket title in 30 years of trying. And it was England who triumphed, cantering to victory by seven wickets in Barbados.

Put in to bat, Shane Watson started aggressively, hooking Ryan Sidebottom's first ball for a couple. But Watson fell shortly afterwards (2), edging a catch to Graeme Swann, who caught the ball after it rebounded off Craig Kieswetter's keeping gloves. David Warner was run out (2), and Brad Haddin given out (1) to an excellent catch by Kieswetter that came off Haddin's hip, as England climbed all over the Australians - 8/3. Captain and out-of-form batsman Michael Clarke combined with David Hussey to try and control the damage, which they did among some nervy running and strangling bowling and fielding from England. Clarke was dismissed by a brilliant catch from Paul Collingwood at midwicket for 27 (45/4), but Hussey and Cameron White plundered 21 runs from Michael Yardy bowling in the 13th over to provide some impetus for an innings that was in danger of never getting off the ground. Tim Bresnan should have had Hussey on 27, as the batsman skied a catch to mid on, but Stuart Broad was deceived by the strong breeze and got only fingertips to it. Broad made up for it by taking a tough catch to remove the dangerous Cameron White for 30 off 19 balls (97/5). It brought Michael Hussey, who architected Australia's magnificent run-chase against semi-finalists Pakistan, to the crease to join his brother, but there were to be no fireworks from either Hussey. David reached his 50 off 49 balls, but was run out in the last over, from which Stuart Broad conceded only 7 runs. Australia finished on 147/6 - from their perspective, a disappointing, but a defendable total.

Their defense got off to a good start, Shaun Tait removing the solid Michael Lumb for just 2. Kevin Pietersen joined his South African-born counterpart Craig Kieswetter at the crease, and the two combined to take the game away from the Australians. Kieswetter has promised much in the last couple of weeks, and he delivered on the biggest stage. Pietersen was at his imperious, arrogant best, sashaying down the wicket to dispatch anything full over the long-off and long-on boundaries. The Australians - especially Shaun Tait and Shane Watson - erred by bowling too full and not making either Kieswetter or Pietersen think about playing on the back foot. The two put on 111 for the second wicket at 9.79 an over. Pietersen went for 47, trying to hit Steven Smith into orbit, leaving England at 118/2. With England needing 27 from 36 balls, Kieswetter went the next over (63), backing away too far to reach a Shaun Taint delivery which sent his off stump cartwheeling. Two new batsmen at the crease, and England would have been only too aware of what I wrote in my preview - that with Australia, it's never over until the final run is scored.

New batsman Eoin Morgan settled the nerves by smacking Steven Smith for six and scampering a couple of couples, before captain Paul Collingwood hit a 6 off Shane Watson to take England within five runs of victory. Collingwood had the honor of hitting the winning runs (a 4 and a single) to lead his team to their first World Cup victory. Craig Kieswetter received the Man of the Match award for his maiden 50 in international cricket, and Kevin Pietersen was named the Man of the Series for scoring 248 across the tournament, including vital knocks in the semi-finals and the finals to see England climb the top of the mountain.

So England cap off an exemplary World Cup campaign, winning not just their first global title, but soundly beating Australia in the process. Whispers have already started about the next Ashes series, and Australia will look to put this defeat behind them as soon as they can. They have nothing to be ashamed of - they were the form team of the tournament, playing aggressive, and sometimes impossible cricket to qualify for their first World Twenty20 final. But England were right up there with them, matching them pound for pound and staying just one step ahead. Australia never really recovered from 8/3, and only the best efforts of Cameron White and David Hussey saw their team to a competitive total. It proved too little against an England team that fired on all cylinders at the right time. Nobody would have believed it after the Netherlands beat England last year, but Paul Collingwood's team now hold the Ashes and the World Twenty20 Cup. What a funny thing sport can be.