England won the toss and put Australia in to bat in last night's final of the World Twenty20 at Bridgetown, Barbados.

Australia made a disastrous start, losing three wickets in the first 13 balls.

First, Arnold Sidebottom had the dangerous Shane Watson caught off his third ball. Watson edged the delivery to wicketkeeper Craig Kieswetter, who could not hold on, but Chris Swann took the rebound.

Australian captain Michael Clarke, who has had a very poor tournament with the bat, then came in. He ran David Warner out in the next over, before almost running himself out next ball.

Immediately afterwards Australia were 8/3 as Brad Haddin was given out to an excellent catch by Kieswetter off the bowling of Sidebottom. It seemed that Haddin was most unfortunate as the ball looked to have come off his thigh.

Clarke and David Hussey then steadied the ship, putting on 37 before Clarke was out to a brilliant catch by England captain Paul Collingwood off the bowling of Swann. Clarke had scored 27 from 27 balls, but never looked settled.

This brought in Cameron White, one of the main contributors to Australia's amazing semifinal win over Pakistan on Friday.

He and Hussey put on 51 from 38 balls, helped by 21 off one over by England spinner Michael Yardy, before White was out to an excellent catch by Chris Broad off Luke Wright. He had made 30 off just 21 balls and Australia were now 95/5 and the momentum had swung in their favour.

The two Hussey brothers then mauled England's bowling, putting on 47 from just 22 balls before David Hussey was run out in the last over for 59 from 54 balls. Michael Hussey finished on 17 not out as the Australian innings closed on 147/6, helped by England missing a couple of run out chances.

The start of the England innings put Michael Lumb and Kieswetter, who have been given licence to attack the bowling throughout the tournament, against the Australian pace attack of Dirk Nannes and Shaun Tait.

Lumb was out in Tait's first over, but Kevin Pietersen continued his brilliant form of the tournament. He was eventually out to Steven Smith in the 14th over for 47 made from just 31 balls.

He and Kieswetter had added 111 in just 68 balls, hammering the Australian attack to all parts of the field. Three consecutive overs, from Watson, Tait and Nannes, went for 45 runs.

Kieswetter was out in the next over, for 63 made from 49 balls, which left England to make just 27 from 35 balls to win their first-ever ICC trophy.

Eoin Morgan and captain Paul Collingwood then took the team to victory with three overs to spare.