'Best in 25 years': UK papers react

A thrilling semi-final win by England's men's team was offset by a loss to their women's team at the hands of a resurgent Southern Stars, prompting mixed reactions from the UK media.

'Best one-day performance I have seen from us in 25 years'

England's men are through to their second ICC World T20 final, having comfortably fended off the Black Caps' challenge with a seven-wicket win off the back of Jason Roy's 78.

"England, the laughing stock of the international game as recently as a year ago, are in the final of the World Twenty20 after pulverising New Zealand on a heady night in Delhi," wrote Lawrence Booth in the Mail Online.

"New Zealand, don't forget, had come through their group unbeaten, playing the kind of canny Twenty20 cricket that, in these parts, can lead to a lifetime of idolatry and riches.

"This, then, was an English statement made loud and resoundingly for the benefit of whichever of India or West Indies join them in Sunday's final at Kolkata.

"'It's something we're buzzing for, and it's going to be an incredible experience,' said Roy. 'It's another game of cricket – it just happens to be at Eden Gardens in a World Cup final in front of 100,000 people.'

"The hyperbole was forgivable: only a year after England were sent packing from the 50-over tournament with the world's mockery ringing in their ears, they are pinching themselves at the near-absurdity of it all."

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Writing in the UK's Telegraph, Former England captain Michael Vaughan was lavish in his praise, the headline highlighting his delight: "England's defeat of New Zealand was the best one-day performance I have seen from us in the last 25 years".

"To reach a World Cup final in India with a bunch of kids and only one player who has played in the Indian Premier League, and that is Eoin Morgan who has barely scored a run, is a remarkable achievement for this England side," Vaughan wrote.

"They have every single ingredient in the batting line-up, they put in their best fielding performance of the competition in the semi-final, which shows they revel in the pressure of a big occasion, and the bowlers' confidence must have rocketed after a brilliant display at the death.

"It is a joy to watch England play with skill, execute sensible tactical plans and bully the opposition."

Vaughan even went so far as to compare England's current T20 outfit with the legendary Australia ODI teams of yesteryear – tantamount to sacrilege Down Under.  

"The way they beat New Zealand reminded me of Australia in their pomp," he added. "Matthew Hayden used to do what Jason Roy did for England.

"Hayden would whack you everywhere and put you out of a game before you had time to catch breath.

"Roy smashed New Zealand and it is the first time I have seen an England side go out in a massive game like that and completely destroy a total."

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In The Guardian, Vic Marks described England's victory as "easy" and "the almost perfect game" as even the broadsheets continued to trumpet their team's success with vigour.

"Oh Jason Roy! Oh Calcutta!" Marks began. "This is where England’s gloriously instinctive opening batsman will be heading after playing his highest, most significant and most brilliant innings in international T20 cricket.

"His barnstorming 78 enabled England to charge to a seven-wicket win over New Zealand with 17 balls to spare in the World Twenty20 semi-final in Delhi.

"No-one anticipated it could be that easy."

In addition to the praise for Roy, Marks pointed out the quality of England's bowling, which restricted the Black Caps to 8-153 and – more impressively – just 20 from the final four overs.

"When (Colin) Munro was out in the second ball of the 14th over New Zealand were 107 for three and on course for the 175 target they would have been looking for but England produced their best out-cricket of the tournament," he wrote. "Chris Jordan and Ben Stokes, not always the most reliable pair of bowlers, were magnificently to the fore.

"The yorker was their most potent weapon, though not their exclusive one."

'When it mattered, Australia raised their game and England wilted'

Invariably, England's press corps was far less complimentary of their women's side, who put themselves in a strong position to beat three-times defending champions Australia before crashing at the final hurdle to lose their semi-final by five runs.

The Guardian, among others, focused on coach Mark Robinson's assessment that his squad needed to "get fitter and toughen up a little bit".

"They out-ran us," Robinson said post-match. "Athleticism is something you are given by God but fitness is something we've got to get better at, because we missed out on twos. We've lost by one boundary.

"We're looking for players who can stand up and be counted and play under the pressure, and have the aerobic fitness to do the job necessarily. That will be a necessity for any women's team going forward."

Robinson said the size of the boundaries – approx. 65 metres around the Delhi outfield – posed a two-fold issue for his batters.

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"It was a bit of a problem because we couldn't run our twos," he added. "It was a catch-22 because if you can't get past the boundary, you're starting to struggle a bit. We found the boundary more in the back 10. It was the front 10 that was the issue."

Reporters in the UK's Telegraph were blunt in their assessment, honing in on England's inability to win the critical moments of a match that "was so patently within their grasp, if only they had reached a little harder for it".

"When it mattered, Australia raised their game and England wilted," wrote Charlie Eccleshare and Jonathan Liew.

"For days – weeks, perhaps – England will wonder how they contrived to lose this. They looked to have the measure of a target of 133, and with seven overs remaining required just 45 runs.

"But while the brilliant Australian captain Meg Lanning had ridden her luck to make a decisive 55, England's strong top three all departed at a crucial stage.

"Ultimately England's most fragile section – their middle and lower order – were left to withstand the highest pressure.

"For all the talk of England's buccaneering new era, defeat here laid bare some very old failings."

The Mail Online hummed a similar tune.

"England's women threw away a glorious chance to reach the World Twenty20 final, stuttering in sight of victory as Australia completed a five-run victory at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium.

Charlotte Edwards' team had reduced the equation to a highly achievable 45 off seven overs with nine wickets in hand. It ought to have been straightforward."

The matter of 36-year-old Charlotte Edwards' continued leadership was immediately brought into sharp focus, with the captain forced to defend herself post-match.

"I feel I'm playing as well as I ever have done," she said. "Of course I want to keep captaining England. If I'm not the right person, it's not going to be my decision."

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