WOMEN’S WORLD CUP FINAL:

Anya’s bowling makes it a dream come true

ANYA SHRUBSOLE celebrated her “dream come true” as her six-wicket haul won the World Cup. With India on course for a comfortable win on 191-3, England’s strike bowler ripped through with five wickets for 11 runs in just 19 deliveries. She even added a run-out to clinch a famous win by nine runs in front of a sold-out Home of Cricket. Shrubsole said: “It is a dream. I never thought it would come true. To be back here as a World Cup winner is amazing. “It is a fitting final of what was a brilliant World Cup. There was a huge amount of pressure. “One of the great things about this team is we never give up. One defeat was never going to put us out of the World Cup but we showed a huge amount of fight and that was epitomised by today.”

Chasing what looked a modest 229 for victory, India were on the charge until Shrubsole produced one of the most remarkable spells to finish with 6-46. It was the second-best haul for an Englishwoman in ODIS but a best for England at a World Cup.

She removed opener Smriti Mandhana in her opening spell and returned at the death, with four overs left to bowl.

India required 47 from the remaining 49 balls. Not only did they have seven wickets remaining, but Punam Raut and Veda Krishnamurthy were well set.

In her first over, Shrubsole removed Raut for 86. The following over, left-arm spinner Alex Hartley bowled keeper Sushma Verma before Shrubsole returned to have Krishnamurthy caught at mid-wicket and york Jhulan Goswami.

Her next dismissal came when, stationed at backward point, she stopped a drive from Shihka Pandey and threw to the keeper’s end to find Pandey just short of her ground. With her final over, Shrubsole claimed her fifth wicket as Deepti Sharma skewed to midwicket.

There was more drama when, somehow, Jenny Gunn (above) dropped Poonam Yadav at mid-off.

It didn’t matter as, with the next ball, Shrubsole bowled Rajeshwari Gayakwad for her sixth wicket and England’s fourth World Cup.

It has been a tense campaign for England, with last-over wins against Australia in the group stages and South Africa in the semi-finals. Captain Heather Knight believed that experience gave her side every chance to turn the game around.

“We knew we were in the chance,” said Knight. “We’ve done it the hard way in this tournament and that is what has made it all the better.”

With the bat, it was just as tense. England stuttered to 228 because of a masterful spell from Indian quick Goswami, who took 3-23 from her 10 overs.

Her wickets – of Sarah Taylor (45) and Fran Wilson (0) in successive balls, then Nat Sciver – after she had scored her third fifty-plus of the tournament – curtailed any chance the hosts had of amassing a big score.

England coach Mark Robinson said: “I had great belief in the team and the potential. But it was about handling the occasion.

“It is one of the highlights of my career.”