The DJ sensed the writing on the wall by the end of Australia’s power play. The melancholy strains of Adele warbled around Lord’s as Phoebe Litchfield and Beth Mooney swigged their drinks. Sixty-two for one read the scoreboard. Only yesterday was the time of our lives.

English cricket had wanted to go where the Red Roses and the Lionesses rampaged in 2025. And they did nearly everything right in the buildup. It’s just that no one told the ruthless opposition, who won the toss and said “have a bat”.

The figures in dark green patrolled the lime striped London grass as if it was their own. Springing on elastic feet, coiling around the infield, ponytails swinging in unison to a jolly swagman beat. Even their shadows folded obediently under their gimlet boots.

If England had eased through to the final undefeated and largely untested, they knew they were going to have their work cut out when Amy Jones got an inside edge down to fine leg to the second ball of the day. Litchfield and Georgia Wareham harried to the boundary boards at full pelt and threw themselves down. They didn’t stop the four but the intention was there in bold green and gold capitals.

England were on edge, stalling through the early overs, stuck between momentum and caution. In the stands, the crowd were nervy too. History hung heavy. England had won this trophy once, in 2009, when today’s coach Charlotte Edwards was a young captain. Australia were old hands – champions in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2020 and 2023.

In T20 World Cup finals between the two, Australia held a 3-0 advantage. As England crawled along, the crowd seemed unclear exactly how they were supposed to react. Was this enough? It seemed unlikely.

At noon, three and half hours before the start, there was a queue outside the Rachael Heyhoe Flint gate, and, importantly for the MCC, a sizeable collection of members collecting outside the Grace Gates. In 2017, for Anya Shrubsole’s miracle work at this same ground, the pavilion had been embarrassingly empty in comparison with the packed public stands. This time the MCC chief executive, Robert Lawson, issued a stern warning to his members to turn up.

And they did. The rose pink walls of the pavilion was packed with members and friends enjoying the freedom of a relaxed dress code. Earlier in the day the England and Wales Cricket Board had hosted a brunch for the women’s Afghan refugee team in the long room. There were warm words from Richard Thompson, selfies with Jay Shah, and almost promises to which the Afghan women should be able to hold important people.

Outside the pavilion, the stands were full. The final attendance of 28,887 included a group of 14 New Zealand women embracing five former White Ferns. While the fudge stall did a roaring trade, all the fans really wanted was the players. A rapt group held back by stewards applauded England in matching black jackets off the coach and into the pavilion. On the other side of the ground, spectators roared as they walked back from the nursery ground in their mirrored shades. And there were a few tears when the captain Nat Sciver‑Brunt appeared for the anthems holding her baby, Theo.

It soon became clear that, unlike the Lord’s finals of 2017 and 2019, this one would be without jeopardy. But a good‑natured crowd stayed until the end and there was a huge roar when Mooney was out for 64 with just 11 needed and the game long done.

Despite the other World Cup unfolding on the other side of the Atlantic, this competition has gently cut through into mainstream. Some of England’s women appeared in Vogue, photographed in the Long Room in their training gear. The residents of Ambridge made it to Edgbaston for a World Cup game despite the logistical stress of a flat tyre on the minibus, while women’s cricket commentators appeared on Bargain Hunt alongside Enid Bakewell.

The crowds have been excellent – especially at Lord’s and the Oval – and England have been better, so much better, than they were during that 16-0 drubbing in the Ashes 18 months ago where they were unfit, disorganised and described by Gideon Haigh as “probably the worst team ever to be gifted a Test match at the MCG”.

Once home from that horror tour, there were mass sackings and then came the Edwards revolution – fitness Tests, fielding drills, hard yards.

If England’s 50-over World Cup win of 2017 was a pinch me moment – how many people! Women! Girls! Queues for the ladies! – this final was more of a settling in, a realignment. In the words of Heather Knight prior to Sunday. “It was a full house in 2017 and it did feel like a seminal moment. It will feel slightly different, because it is quite normal for us now to have that crowd. This is pretty normal now.”

Women’s cricket no longer needs to be patted on the head. But Australia have won the chance to pat England down for a little longer.