England's 'victory over the old enemy' at Twenty20

British commentators yesterday savoured the England cricketers' "crushing victory over the old enemy" after they beat Australia in the World Twenty20.

England won their first major one-day title in a seven-wicket defeat of Australia in the final of the tournament on Sunday, providing a pleasant surprise for Britain's cricket pundits.

"England gave one-day cricket to the world almost half a century ago and finally, after decades of international hurt, they have drawn a dividend from their invention," said the Times.

"They won their first ICC event with such ease that you had to wonder what took them so long."

The Daily Mail noted it had been "a ridiculously long wait for England's first one-day title since the World Cup.

"But they finally and gloriously lifted one at the 18th attempt with a crushing victory over the old enemy."

The Guardian hailed South African-born batsmen Craig Kieswetter and Kevin Pietersen, who starred for England.

The pair "had exposed how uncharacteristically timid the Australian batting had been, and all but sealed the match," said the paper.

England, chasing 148 to win, after reducing a previously unbeaten Australian side at the tournament to eight for three, saw Kieswetter (63) and Pietersen (47) put on 111 for the second wicket at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados.

As far as the Guardian was concerned, the win meant the team had finally arrived in the one-day game.

"Suddenly England feel like a force in international one-day cricket. Winning this tournament is a major achievement," it said.