Predicting the Cricket World Cup final between England and New Zealand

A new world cup champion. AfterSri Lanka's triumph in 1996, we will finally see a team that has not won the World Cup, hold the prestigious trophy.

After 47 nerve wracking matches, the 48th and final match will be played at Lords, the Mecca of Cricket. Dare I say, the streets will be witnessing the cries of "It's coming home".

England is on a rampage. Their last three matches have been knock out combats and they have emerged victorious like a gladiator.

They crushed finals opponents, New Zealand inn their last encounter on 3rd July by a whopping  margin of 119 runs. In semi final they pierced a sword in the pride of Australians, when Mitchell Starc was hit for 70 runs in nine overs while chasing only 224.

New Zealand is buoyant after winning over favorites, India and making their second consecutive World Cup final.

Strength

Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson, Mitchell Santner and Matt Henry are a powerful bowling unit. In the whole tournament only England, Australia and Pakistan could manage to tackle them. All other teams could not handle them as they bowl at different lengths and movement.

Batting is the Blackcaps' weakness on most occasions. Their openers have failed to deliver as Martin Guptill and Colin Munro underperformed and replacement Henry Nicholls is also not in the groove. So, Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor play slow and steady innings in order to create a dependable total.

England  is a different team if Jason Roy plays. He comes forward and with his quick hands he clears 30 yards to accelerate. Joe Root and Eoin Morgan play with gay abandon as Ben Stokes, Joss Buttler, Chris Woakes And Liam Plunkett are there to follow.

 Jofra Archer is hard to hit out, so England's bowling  attack will not give runs. Woakes, with his movement, takes early wickets. Plunkett with speed variations is a thorn and Adil Rashid takes wickets as batsmen try to score against him. The Englishmen have a competent bowling unit to back up their star batsmen.

Venue

The Lords pitch assists batting. So the team that wins the toss is likely to bat first.

If New Zealand wins the toss, they will score around 250. Unless Colin de Grandhomme or Jimmy Neesham hit a quickfire 50.

England will be able to chase it unless they are 5/3 at the start like India were in the semi-finals.

 If England bats first then they will score above 300 and the target will be beyond reach. Woakes and Archer will definitely make inroads to take early wickets. Wood and Rashid will do the rest.

Verdict

I expect England to lift their first World Cup title with the odds of 3-1.

Creators of cricket deserve this due to their all-attack entertaining cricket.