New Zealand fitting final foes after England’s thrilling transformation | Barney Ronay


The Black Caps were once the inspiration, now they are the last obstacle standing between a daring England and the World Cup

As it was in the beginning, so shall it be in the end. Four years on from the start of English cricket’s great white‑ball paradigm shift, Eoin Morgan’s band of buccaneers return to Lord’s on Sunday for the World Cup final. In the process they find themselves facing the most poignant of opposition.

Through that period of revamp and clearing out it is New Zealand who have been a significant constant for this new model England. First as an inspiration, then as a yardstick of progress and now as the final obstacle in the path of this brilliantly planned and executed sporting project.

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