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Aussies blow away the Black Caps in the final─── 09:26 Mon, 30 Mar 2015
It’s all over…and Australia has been crowned champions for a record fifth time at the sports flagship event.
The Australians peaked at the right time during the tournament after getting off to a slow start at the tournament in Australasia, to beat trans-Tasman rivals, New Zealand 7 wickets.
After losing by one wicket to the Black Caps and having their match against Bangladesh in Brisbane abandoned due to Cyclone Marcia wreaking havoc on the Australian east coast, Michael Clarke’s men were considered underdogs to lift the trophy.
The Kiwis in their turn were riding high after breezing through the tournament unbeaten and leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.
The Blacks Caps won the toss at the iconic MCG and elected to bat first in a decision the team may be ruing after proving that they are a highly affective unit in the chase.
They were on the back foot early in the match with captain Brendan McCullum being bowled out for a duck in the second over.
The side never recovered from the early set back and where bundled out in the 45th over for 183 runs, which South African-born Grant Elliott top scoring with 83, and Ross Taylor contributing 40 runs.
Mitchell Johnson was the pick of the Australia bowlers with 3 for 34 in nine overs.
The final debutants, would have though they have a sniff at defending the time after the dangerous Aaron Finch was caught and bowled by Trent Boult for duck however it was not to be.
David Warner scored 45 and Steve Smith added 56 runs to set the stage for retiring Aussie skipper to play a captain’s knock of 74 to lead his side to victory.
The now five-time champions chased down the score in 33.1 overs to claim the honours.
Following the match, Clarke said they have the upmost respect for New Zealand, however it was their day.
He added that the win in front of 85 000 spectators in Melbourne was the perfect way to call time on his One-Day International career.
Mitchell Starc and Trent Boult finished as the joint leading wicket takers with 22 scalps a piece, while martin Guptill edged Kumar Sangakkara as the leading runs scorer with 547 runs in nine innings.
McCullum was also named as the captain for the 2015 Cricket World Cup team.
Martin Guptill, Kumar Sangakkara, Steve Smith, AB de Villiers, Glenn Maxwell, Corey Anderson, Daniel Vettorri, Mitchell Starc, Trent Boult, Morné Morkel and Brendan Taylor have all been named in the team as well.
The 2019 Cricket World Cup will feature 10 teams with the event being played in England and Wales.Morgan Piek / OFM News
Listen to the Final Cricket World Cup wrap for 2015:
