England rule the cricketing world after incredible Lord's final against New Zealand

It seemed as though nothing could separate them from New Zealand, with the sides battling to an unprecedented tie, both sides locked on 241 after 100 overs of nerve-shredding tension that cast Ben Stokes as the home side's hero of the hour.

That paved the way for a super over, a six-ball shoot-out that had only occurred 11 times in international history and never before in an ODI.

Incredibly, the teams went blow-for-blow once again, Stokes and Jos Buttler hitting 15 off Trent Boult before Jofra Archer conceded 14 off his first five deliveries.

The Barbados-born bowler, the least experienced player on either side, held his nerve as Martin Guptill forced the ball into the off-side and came back for a second that would have taken the trophy.

Enter Jason Roy, who picked up cleanly despite unimaginable pressure and hurled a flat, decisive throw towards Buttler, who scattered the stumps as Guptill scrambled.

Tied once again, England triumphed on account of boundaries scored in the original 50-over match.

In the end England's 22 fours and two sixes proved the difference, besting the Black Caps' tally of 14 and two.

Rarely has the tension at the home of cricket reached such emphatic peaks and rarely has a winning team celebrated with such gusto, the game and all the prizes that go with it having seemingly disappeared from their grasp on several occasions.

Stokes had brought England back from the brink with an unbeaten 84 and came back out alongside Buttler for the decisive super-over.

England's prospects receded sharply after Stokes hit the in-field twice but then clubbed the next ball for six, high and handsome over wide long on, then sprinted for two off the next, diving to beat Guptill's throw and inadvertently steering the ball to the ropes as it hit his bat and adding a further four to England's total.

For a moment there was confusion, Stokes holding his arms out by way of apology as New Zealand's fielders wrestled with disbelief. Even then the drama was only half complete, New Zealand incredibly pulling off two run-outs in a row to end the game in a tie.

Stokes and Buttler resumed for the historic super over, both hitting a boundary as they set a winning target of 16, leaving the stage to Archer.

A six from Neesham swung the pendulum once more but Archer finished well before Roy and Buttler combined for a run out that will live forever.

Lancashire's Buttler said: "It's unbelievable. I thought I'd seen everything in cricket but that was just ridiculous. What an amazing occasion, what an amazing day. It's hard to find the words at the minute. "I don't know what happened there at the end, it was unbelievable."

Man of the match Stokes said: "Jos and I kept talking about controlling the run rate and not letting it get too far away from us. We knew if we were there close to the end then New Zealand would be under pressure.

"In that last over, when the ball hit my bat and went for four, that's exactly what we asked for and I've already apologised countless times to Kane (Williamson) about that. It's not exactly how you want to do it but we'll take it.

"There was no chance I wasn't going to be there at the end. It's moments like that you live for as a professional cricketer and the new kid on the block Jofra Archer - I backed him all the way. The talent he's got is incredible and he's showed it on the world stage."

After 44 years and 12 editions England finally lifted the trophy, Eoin Morgan's side securing their legacy in front of 30,000 captivated fans, a mass gathering at Trafalgar Square and on television in homes up and down the country.