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Former England spinner Graeme Swann led the congratulations to cricket's new world champions saying he felt like crying, singing and screaming all at once.
England claimed their first ever men's Cricket World Cup title at Lord's in the most dramatic fashion, claiming victory by virtue of having struck more boundaries on the day when the match finished tied and a super over still could not separate the teams.
That's the best game I've ever seen and the last hour was the worst and most nervous I've ever felt. WHAT A WIN!!!!! @englandcricket officially World Cup champions, I feel like crying/singing/dancing/hugging/screaming all at once!!!! ๐๐๐๐๐๐โค๏ธ
โ Graeme Swann (@Swannyg66) July 14, 2019
And Swann tweeted: "That's the best game I've ever seen and the last hour was the worst and most nervous I've ever felt. WHAT A WIN!!!!! @englandcricket officially World Cup champions, I feel like crying/singing/dancing/hugging/screaming all at once!!!!"
Swann was joined in congratulating the winners by England's key Test match bowlers James Anderson and Stuart Broad.
That's the best white ball game of all time!ENGLAND ARE WORLD CUP CHAMPIONS!! ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ๐๐๐๐๐๐#CWC19Final โ Stuart Broad (@StuartBroad8) July 14, 2019
Broad said it was the "best white ball game of all time" while Anderson tweeted: "Wow!! What a game! What a team!!"
Wow!! What a game! What a team!! โค๏ธ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ https://t.co/C87XyMpA7H โ James Anderson (@jimmy9) July 14, 2019
Broad's sentiment was echoed by a number of former England players, including Ravi Bopara, who described it as "probably the best game of cricket in history", and Luke Wright who tweeted: "Huge congratulations @englandcricket. So special. Best match I've ever watched. Feel for @BLACKCAPS but let's hope that this match has inspired so many young kids to get into cricket!"
Probably the best game of cricket in history #CWC19Final #ENGvsNZ โ Ravi Bopara (@ravibopara) July 14, 2019 Huge congratulations @englandcricket. So special. Best match I've ever watched. Feel for @BLACKCAPS but let's hope that this match has inspired so many young kids to get into cricket! Amazing. #WorldCupfinal โ Luke Wright (@lukewright204) July 14, 2019 Couldn't be happier for each & every one of them. Strauss too. Don't forget Strauss. ๐ โ mark butcher (@markbutcher72) July 14, 2019
Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen simply tweeted a trophy emoji, while Alec Stewart wrote: "CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD. How good does that sound? Congratulations @englandcricket.
๐ โ Kevin Pietersen๐ฆ (@KP24) July 14, 2019
"Every one of the playing and backroom staff are heroes. Celebrate like never before"
CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD ๐How good does that sound?Congratulations @englandcricket Every one of the playing and backroom staff are heroes.Celebrate like never before ๐๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ๐พ #CWC19Final โ Alec Stewart (@StewieCricket) July 14, 2019 Cricket how it should be played .. full on .. with enormous respect on both sides .. pure โ David 'Bumble' Lloyd (@BumbleCricket) July 14, 2019
There was huge disappointment from New Zealand with former Black Caps skipper Stephen Fleming describing the game as "cruel" and Neil Wagner tweeting: "Heartbreaking!!!!!"
Cruel! โ Stephen Fleming (@SPFleming7) July 14, 2019 Heartbreaking!!!!! โ Neil Wagner (@NeilWagner13) July 14, 2019
Former New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris said the match was a "stunning effort from two champion teams", but was among a number of former players criticising the rule which saw England win thanks to having hit more boundaries than their opponents.
Styris described the ICC as "a joke", while former India batsman Gautam Gambhir wrote: "Don't understand how the game of such proportions, the #CWC19Final, is finally decided on who scored the most boundaries. A ridiculous rule @ICC."
Nice work @ICC ... you are a joke!!! โ Scott Styris (@scottbstyris) July 14, 2019 Congrats to both teams in World Cup final. Stunning effort from two champion teams โ Scott Styris (@scottbstyris) July 14, 2019 Don't understand how the game of such proportions, the #CWC19Final, is finally decided on who scored the most boundaries. A ridiculous rule @ICC. Should have been a tie. I want to congratulate both @BLACKCAPS & @englandcricket on playing out a nail biting Final. Both winners imo. โ Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) July 14, 2019
Dean Jones said the rules "need to be looked at" and fellow Australian Brett Lee added: "I've got to say that it's a horrible way to decide the winner. This rule has to change."
Congrats England in their first World Cup win... unlucky New Zealand... the Laws or rules of the Tournament need to be looked at! It's a WC Final!!! Another Super over at least! โ Dean Jones (@ProfDeano) July 14, 2019 Congratulations to England!Commiserations New Zealand.I've got to say that it's a horrible way to decide the winner. This rule has to change. โ Brett Lee (@BrettLee_58) July 14, 2019
Elsewhere congratulations for both teams came in from around the world.
Former India batsman VVS Laxman said "cricket has been the winner" and Harbhajan Singh added: "Never seen a match like this and it will never be again."
What a game. Cricket has been the winner. Really tough on the @BLACKCAPS but they can be very proud . Many congratulations to England on winning the Cricket World Cup in the most dramatic way. #EngvsNZ โ VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) July 14, 2019 Never seen a match like this and it will never be again.. what a final congratulations to both the team for playing this great final.. Well done @ECB_cricket new CHAMPIONS ๐๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ๐ โ Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) July 14, 2019 Trophy deserved to be shared and one of the best games in the history of cricket.congratulations to @ECB_cricket and @BLACKCAPS for providing an absolute brilliant game of cricket ๐๐ โ Angelo Mathews (@Angelo69Mathews) July 14, 2019
Former West Indies bowler Ian Bishop said: "Best finish imaginable to a World Cup final."
Unbelievable finish. Best finish imaginable to a world up final. Congrats to England on their first. Well played to both teams really for the theatre. โ ian bishop (@irbishi) July 14, 2019 Congratulations England ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ The World champions . #WorldCup2019 โ Wasim Akram (@wasimakramlive) July 14, 2019
And on a day when the Wimbledon men's singles final went into a final-set tie-break, former South Africa bowler Shaun Pollock summed up the situation saying: "Sport.. the best form of theatre/entertainment.. their are no scripts involved here...!!!"
Sport.. the best form of theatre/entertainment.. their are no scripts involved here...!!! โ Shaun Pollock (@7polly7) July 14, 2019
