LONDON, July 15 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Monday that England's success in the World Cup Cricket Series has helped the nation fall in love again with the sport.

May hosted a reception at 10 Downing Street on Monday night for the team that beat New Zealand in the final at Lord's, the London home of cricket.

"All combining to create a real thriller, one of the great sporting spectacles of our time," said May.

She told the England squad: "You are a team that represents modern Britain, and that plays like no other side in the world.

"When the odds were against you in the biggest game of your lives, you simply and stubbornly refused to lose. It is that determination, that character, that has made you world champions," she said.

"You have helped the nation fall in love with cricket once again," she said. "We have a team that will be spoken of in awe for generations to come."