Fearsome fast bowling skittled New Zealand for 183, setting the platform for a fairytale end to captain Michael Clarke’s one-day international career as his slick 74 handed Australia a fifth World Cup crown.
The home pace trio of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Johnson, aided by man of the match James Faulkner’s canny variation in pace, undermined the Black Caps who had been so dangerous with the bat previously in the competition.
Australia win #CWC15Final! They get home by 7 wickets with 16.5 overs to spare. http://t.co/n1mLhh9DDC#AUSvNZpic.twitter.com/EsqBFcvSTk
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) March 29, 2015
Brendon McCullum was made to regret his decision to bat first as fast, full and straight bowling did for his side, who had won every game in reaching the final including beating Australia in the group stage.
That victory was in a low-scoring match, New Zealand chasing 152 with just one wicket to spare in Auckland, but they could not manage another low-run win at a packed Melbourne Cricket Ground where 93,013 were in attendance.
Were it not for a fourth-wicket stand of 111 between Ross Taylor and Grant Elliott, the hero of the semi-final defeat of South Africa, it would have been embarrassing for the Black Caps. Elliott’s 83 today was one less than he managed on Tuesday.
Faulkner ousted Elliott midway through a slide that saw the visitors lose their last seven wickets for 33 runs to be dismissed in 45 overs.
Confetti rains at the MCG for the #cwc15 champions! #AUSvNZhttps://t.co/062hC5muZ0
— Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) March 29, 2015
Early in the reply Australia lost Aaron Finch for nought, but David Warner’s smooth 45 dominated a fifty partnership with Steven Smith.
Smith and Clarke then made sure of success with an accelerating century alliance, which ended when the skipper departed with victory in sight.
Smith, unbeaten on 56, hit the winning runs with seven wickets and 16.5 overs to spare, sparking joyous celebrations from the hosts and their adoring fans who formed the majority of the largest cricket crowd in Australia.
Clarke, who announced his ODI retirement yesterday, could barely have dreamed of a better send-off, which comes at the end of a difficult season that started with the death of close friend and Australia team-mate Phillip Hughes.
It should be remembered that Clarke was a doubt for the World Cup with a hamstring injury that ruled him out of the tournament opener against England.
Valiant effort in the comp, team. Hat tip to the boys! @BLACKCAPS#AUSvNZ#cwc15#backtheblackcapspic.twitter.com/DOQvDaIEZO
— Cam Parker (@CamParker) March 29, 2015
Faulkner was another to miss the England clash through injury, a side strain, but his fitness since returning enabled Australia, like New Zealand, to be unchanged today.
While England were knocked out in the group stage, they had representation in the final through on-field umpire Richard Kettleborough and Ian Gould, the fourth umpire. Kettleborough’s on-field colleague Kumar Dharmasena became the first person to play and stand in a World Cup final.
The showpiece began abruptly with McCullum falling in the first over, his attacking approach that had been so effective in the tournament not paying off as he was yorked by a beautiful Starc late swinger that hit the base of off stump.
Faced with menacing fast bowling, Martin Guptill and Kane Williamson had little option but to consolidate.
Yet Guptill, having top-edged a Hazlewood bouncer for six, was undone by Glenn Maxwell’s off-spin, bowled for 222 less than his World Cup record 237 not out versus West Indies in the quarter-final.
When Johnson had Williamson caught and bowled for 12 in the next over, New Zealand were in strife at 39 for three.
Here's the final list of #CWC15 top wicket-takers. #fireituppic.twitter.com/ILTkDZbbk0
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) March 29, 2015
Taylor and Elliott rebuilt as Clarke rotated his bowlers, albeit the latter batsman survived when he overturned a Maxwell lbw. The right-hander was beaten on the sweep but the ball was going just down leg.
Elliott, aided by a top-edged six off Starc, moved to his fifty at almost a run a ball as the Black Caps looked like giving themselves something to defend. The batting powerplay, forced after 35 overs, put paid to their progress.
From the first ball Faulkner, varying his pace effectively, had Taylor caught behind for 40 with a slower delivery. Two balls later Faulkner yorked Corey Anderson for nought.
In the next over Clarke did well, given Brad Haddin went for then pulled out of the catch, to hold Luke Ronchi head-high at first slip for a duck to give Starc a second scalp.
Elliott then survived an lbw review off Faulkner as the powerplay crucially cost 15 for three.
Daniel Vettori, having sensibly played himself in, was soon beaten by a Johnson yorker. Five deliveries later Faulkner’s back-of-the-hand slower ball saw Elliott caught behind.
Facing Johnson, Tim Southee retorted by smiting his first delivery for six over long-on. Yet the paceman shortly dismissed Matt Henry for nought one ball before Southee was brilliantly run out by Maxwell, whose throw from short-leg caught the batsman short at the non-striker’s end to curtail the innings.
Here is a very happy Player of the Match @JamesFaulkner44#AUSvNZ#cwc15pic.twitter.com/q6qW8GjEHK
— ICC (@ICC) March 29, 2015
Faulkner finished with 3-36, Johnson 3-30 and man of the tournament Starc 2-20. Hazlewood was unfortunate to go wicketless.
New Zealand desperately needed early breakthroughs but made only one, Trent Boult having Finch caught and bowled via pad for a five-ball duck.
With licence to attack, Warner took Southee for three consecutive fours, the latter edged through second slip from where McCullum had just removed a fielder.
Warner decelerated to score at around a run a ball, although his crunching cover-driven four off Boult raised a half-century alliance with Smith inside the mandatory powerplay.
Warner could not register a fifty of his own, top-edging a pull off Henry to deep square-leg and ending a stand of 61.
If that wicket offered the Black Caps hope, Smith and Clarke soon snuffed it out. Together they initially took few risks, albeit Clarke was lucky to get back-to-back fours off Henry. The right-hander edged over the slips and then just past gully.
3 - @stevesmith49 is the 3rd Australian to hit 50+ scores in 5+ consecutive innings, after Ponting & M. Waugh. Form. pic.twitter.com/ETDUXdWkYi
— OptaJim (@OptaJim) March 29, 2015
Clarke lifted Vettori over long-off as he moved towards his fifty before kicking on with four consecutive fours off Southee.
Clarke played on to Henry with nine runs needed for victory, earning himself a rousing ovation as he walked off following an alliance of 112.
Smith reached his half-century in a tight Southee set of six and at the start of the next over pulled Henry for a winning four.
Let the celebrations begin! #cwc15#AUSvNZpic.twitter.com/SVWIIJ5Tup
— ICC (@ICC) March 29, 2015