Yorkshire pair Boycott and Vaughan lead World Cup tributes

India look dejected before they are given their runners-up medals.

Anya Shrubsole wrapped up a famous win by taking five wickets in 19 balls – and Yorkshire cricketing legend Boycott wasted no time drawing comparisons with the England men’s team’s feeble efforts against South Africa last week.

In stark contrast to the euphoria surrounding the women’s team, Joe Root’s side slumped to a crushing 340-run defeat at Trent Bridge.

Boycott tweeted: “England Ladies wonderful match! Fantastic win! You are playing better than the men #worldcup”.

Another former England captain, Sheffield’s Michael Vaughan, also failed to hide his delight, calling England’s dramatic win “a great spectacle”.

Vaughan tweeted: “Booooooooommmmmmmmm @Anya_shrubsole .... #WorldChampions What a great spectacle for the Game ... !!! Well done India as well ...”

Andrew Flintoff was similarly excited, tweeting: “Yesssssssss @englandcricket girls !!!!!”

England’s women’s football team broke off preparations for their European Championship clash with Spain to also express their congratulations.

Tweeting from their official @lionesses account, they wrote: “GET IN! Well done, @englandcricket - hopefully we can take inspiration from you into the rest of #WEURO2017.”

There was also a magnanimous gesture from the great Indian batsman VVS Laxman, who tweeted: “Congratulations to the @englandcricket women’s team on winning the #WWC17”.

And the bravery of India’s performance did not go unnoticed, with Indian prime minister Narendra Modi tweeting: “Our women cricketers gave their best today. They have shown remarkable tenacity & skill through the World Cup. Proud of the team! @BCCIWomen”

Shrubsole described it as a dream come true after she took six wickets.

Shrubsole said: “I’m a little bit lost for words, if I’m honest. It was just an unbelievable game, we looked for minute like we were out of it, but one of the great things about this team, we never give up.

“We never let the run rate get away from us, even though we weren’t getting wickets. We knew if we got a couple we’d be right in the game and all was well in the end.

“I think it’s a dream and a dream you never think is going to come true.”