MELBOURNE, March 29 � Australia today clinched the coveted ICC Cricket World Cup for the fifth time, thrashing New Zealand by seven wickets to provide a perfect farewell gift to skipper Michael Clarke, who played a key role with a 74-run knock in his final ODI appearance, reports PTI.
After the bowlers produced a clinical performance skittling out New Zealand for 183, the stage was set for the Australian captain, who used the platform to the fullest with a stylish 72-ball innings as the hosts regained the trophy winning the match in 33.1 overs � ending an eight-year wait.
The moment Steve Smith (56) hit the winning runs, the entire Australian team was out in the ground delirious in joy celebrating the very special achievement.
All performers yearn for a stage as grand as the World Cup final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and Clarke got his walking out as a hero with the entire MCG giving him a standing ovation once he was dismissed after getting his team to the doorstep of victory.
It was a touching sight to find all his teammates standing at the boundary line to greet him.
Clarke added 112 runs in the company of his deputy Smith (56) and it looked as if the skipper was passing on the team�s baton to his heir apparent.
Earlier, a collective display of disciplined bowling from the Australian bowlers helped them restrict a nervous New Zealand to a paltry 183 in 45 overs after Brendon McCullum opted to bat.
A mid-innings collapse, which saw New Zealand lose their last seven wickets for only 33 runs in 10 overs, effectively ended their hopes of putting up a respectable total despite semi-final hero Grant Elliott�s gutsy innings of 83 off 82 balls.
Ironically, this is the second time that a team in a World Cup final was bowled out for 183 after India in the 1983 final against the West Indies, which they won by 43 runs.
Seamer James Faulkner�s brilliant change-ups during the middle overs saw him end with impressive figures of 3/36 in 9 overs as the Black Caps collapsed from decent 150/3 after 35 overs to 183 all out in 45 overs in about an hour.
This was after Elliott along with Ross Taylor (40) had added 111 runs for the fourth wicket after the visitors were tottering at 39 for three.
Faulkner was well complimented by the two Mitchells � Starc (2/20 in 8 overs) and Johnson (3/30 in 9 overs) � who had the opposition batsmen in trouble with pace and movement on a lively MCG track.
Starc bowled a brilliant delivery first up, to get rid of Brendon McCullum, who was out without scoring. McCullum charged and missed out on a couple of balls dug short and the result was a full delivery at the base of off-stump which the batsman had no answer.
Guptill, at the other end, got a freak six when his intended pull off a Josh Hazlewood short delivery flew behind the wicketkeeper for a six. Before that, he had hit a copybook square drive.
Both Guptill and Williamson were cautious during the first 10 overs in which New Zealand scored 31 runs as they got rid of the impetuosity that brought about McCullum�s downfall.
The best shot during that particular phase was a straight drive from Williamson off Hazlewood�s bowling.
