Lara: England can spring surprise on Aussies

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Legendary West Indies batsman Brian Lara expects the World Twenty20 Championship final to be a cracker but says England could tear up the form books by beating the imperious Australians.

The two teams will clash at Kensington Oval today to determine the new kings of international T20, following a bruising 16-day campaign waged in Guyana, Barbados and St Lucia.

Lara, who quit international cricket in 2007 following the Cricket World Cup, said the final might represent a change of luck for the rampant Aussies.

“I think the final is going to be a great one. The two best teams, I believe, are in the final,” the prodigious left-hander told CMC Sports yesterday.

“Obviously Australia will be favoured to win but I believe especially in a Twenty20 game any team that is doing very well and winning all their games tend not to win at the end.

“We saw that in the IPL with the Mumbai Indians so the English could spring a surprise.”

Both England and Australia cantered through the Super Eight, second round of the tournament in style by winning all three of their matches.