What a day to be at Lord’s!

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As soon as the fixtures and venues for the Women’s Cricket World Cup were announced I decided to go to the final at Lord’s and hoped that England would make it through.

I was delighted the game was sold out but wasn’t prepared for the massive queues to enter the ground, a kindly steward directed us to the Grace entrance and from there we made our way to the Grandstand.

The crowd were really pumped for the occasion and in our section a healthy mix of both India and England fans, male and female and although the English adults seemed a little reluctant to match the volume of the India fans the children had no such reticence.

England won the toss and we were off, Lauren Winfield and Tammy Beaumont at the crease and they started well and were on 47 when Winfield was bowled for 24, bringing wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor into play.

Beaumont and Taylor kept the score-board ticking over nicely, we watched nervously as the score crept up, still OK in the knowledge that the heavy hitters were still to come – I felt we needed 300 runs to be in with a shout against this India side who are so adept with the bat.

Then India introduced Poonam Yadav and with her first ball she got tournament leading scorer Beaumont for 23, Goswani taking the catch.

That’s OK, its Knight up next, NOOO, she’s gone for just 1 run – Knight is clearly gutted and England have gone from being comfortable at 59/1 to 63/3. Heck, the India fans round us are going mad – INDIA, INDIA they chant.

Right, now its Nat Sciver – Nat of the new shot the Natmeg – and together with Taylor they get the scoreboard going again, we relax a little.

Taylor is usually quite an expansive player but on Sunday she and Sciver were both more measured as the score crept up.  The India fans continue to cheer every good ball bowled and the excellent fielding by the India team and the men behind me (also India supporters) applaud every good shot from the batsmen.  Together they put on 83 runs over 16.3 overs before Taylor is caught by Verma off Goswami. Score is now 146/4 and 32 overs and Taylor has gone for 45.

OK, I tell my husband, its Fran Wilson next – she’s really good – which was obviously a kiss of death as Fran is out first ball and Goswami is on a hat-trick!

Now it’s Brunt time and the crowd are calling for Goswami to get her 3 from 3 – Brunt though is made of stern stuff and she sees off the ball, she’s not falling for that.

50 up for Sciver, scoreboard creeping up again, we need her to make a 100 and together with Brunt they have the ability to push the score. However, once again not to be as Sciver is out LBW just a few balls later and departs having scored 51 and England are now 158/6.

The more cautious Jenny Gunn is in now and while Katherine Brunt has our nerves jangling with her shots in the air, Gunn is driving my husband mad constantly sending Brunt back to her crease rather than taking risky runs.

But once again the scoreboard is creeping up until another blow as Brunt is run out by a throw of deadly accuracy from Deepti Sharma.  Katherine had scored 34  the score is now 196/7 (46.0 overs), my husband laments that Brunt and not Gunn has gone, well aware that we need to get as far over 200 as possible – we are long away from the 300 I’d dreamt of at the start.

Laura Marsh comes in and brings the score to the 200 to the delight of the England fans in the crowd.

We pick up 14 runs in the 48^th over – how far can we get? Just 6 from the 49^th and my husband is screaming ‘RUN’ now – should point out he’s not a sports fan but was as engrossed as the rest of us.

England finish on 228/7 and we are deflated and disappointed – my husband is still ranting and I’m worried that India will knock these off in 30 overs – the India fans are dancing, singing and waving their flags – we put on a brave face – they won’t be singing when we win we say – with absolutely no real conviction!

During the break I go and meet with some India fans in the Mound Stand, some of these fans have been to every India game.  They give me a huge welcome and I sadly admit to them that I think they have the game in the bag, I fall short of waving their flag with them. It was great to meet them and it was wonderful to see the way they included all the fans around into their group, singing and dancing and offering food around – they really brought sunshine into the stand. Such a totally different vibe than being in a football crowd.

First over of the India innings and Shrubsole strikes, I’m sitting with my friends but still cheer as they groan and the ever dangerous Mandhana has gone for nought. A good start but a long way to go.

My new friends want me to stay as India start hitting 4s. The last thing we need is for India’s iconic captain Mithali Raj to get really settled at the crease. The unthinkable happens, Raj is run out, Punam Raut left her captain high and dry as she knocked the ball to midwicket and took off; Raj gave up running her bat in as Taylor took off the bails. Raj is gone for just 17 off Sciver. India on 43/2 after 12.1 overs.

My friends are furious about the run out, unnecessary risk  they say, but heat of the moment, the target is not big but they still have to get there, players are human.

England are bowling tidily with Gunn and Marsh restricting India nicely but they only need around 4 an over and just need to be sensible to reach the target.

Punam Raut and Harmanpreet Kaur are very comfortable at the crease and content to take the odd run and punish any loose ball as the score creeps up to 120/2 after 30 overs.  At least my early fear is dismissed, and it will go to the wire.

On 33 overs Harmanpreet reaches her 50 and these overs seem to be going much more quickly than in the first innings, is it my imagination – I have no idea!

The ball is in the air – I can’t watch – it seems an age till the crowd roar, Beaumont held on and Harmanpreet is gone, a glimmer of hope as India now 138/3  after 33.3 overs but I still feel we need a miracle.

India fans cheering every run, every missed field, each missed opportunity and every wide! Tension is building and I am hunched forward on my seat getting cross every time someone comes down the stairs and gets in the way of my view.

Shrubsole strikes again as she gets Raut LBW on 86 and India are 191/4  on 42.5 overs, the run rate is creeping up but still less than 1 run per ball.

The India fans quieten as the England fans roar their delight – we all love Shrubsole!

WICKET – Hartley comes on and gets Verma on just her second ball – she had no time to settle and it must have been like walking into a cauldron. India are now 196/5  (43.3 overs).

But India still have the upper hand and keep their nerve as ours are totally shredded.

India reach 200 and Shrubsole strikes again, Krishnamurthy goes for a big shot but hits it straight up. Sciver had an age to wait (once again I couldn’t watch) the crowd are going mad, Krishnamurthy was on 35 and now we have two new batsman at the crease – can we do it? There are 4 wickets left to clear up.

Cometh the hour cometh the woman, India get just the one run before Shrubsole bowls Goswami – England nemesis in their innings, and she goes for 0. But they still have 3 wickets in hand.

We are in the 47^th over and Taylor has swept the bails off, was Deepti’s foot in the air, the referee reviews from each angle, this does nothing to alleviate the tension. In the end it is inconclusive, would have been harsh to give and Deepti is given the benefit of the doubt. India fans sing again.

Was that our last opportunity?

No, two balls later and Pandey is run out by diving Shrubsole for just 4 runs. We are on our feet again, India fans go quiet again.

It’s the 49^th over and Shrubsole’s last (India fans will be glad to see the back of her) and first ball Deepti hits straight to Nat Sciver, the players go wild, we go wild. Deepti Sharma is gone for 14.

Two balls later and the ball is headed towards Gunn – this time I watch, it’s a simple catch – but the ball slips through her fingers and we all drop our heads into our hands and groan agonisingly – the India fans erupt with joy, a reprieve. But it wasn’t for long, the very next ball Gayakwad is bowled for 0 and Shrubsole, I mean England has won the World Cup!

We all leapt from our seats with unbridled joy – I have never experienced any sporting event like it and am so delighted I was there. I then sank to my seat and wanted to cry, such emotions.

As I looked around I felt genuine sympathy for the India fans sitting near to us – mostly male – they had cheered every ball bowled, every run taken and they looked devastated. However, they stayed to the end of the presentation, cheered both teams and clapped England receiving the World Cup – very sporting.

I cannot say enough about the resilience of this England team, their strength of character and self-belief is amazing.

And to this incredible team and indeed the India team too, I would like to say a massive thank you for putting on the most captivating Cup Final. I hope the India team get a heroes welcome back home and that the performances throughout this World Cup inspire many young people to take up the game.

Player of the match was, who else but Anya Shrubsole who got a record breaking 6 wickets for 46 runs off 9.4 overs.

Player of the tournament was Tammy Beaumont who scored 410 runs, just one more than Mithali Raj.

You can see the team of the tournament here.