'Big Brother' Australia rules over New Zealand in Cricket World Cup final
Climax to co-hosted Down Under tournament fails to live up to expectations
Michael Clarke hit 74 in his last one-day international to lead Australia to their fifth Cricket World Cup title with a seven-wicket win over New Zealand in a disappointing final on Sunday.
A record crowd of 93,013 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground saw power-packed Australia bowl out the Black Caps for 183 and then gallop to victory in the 34th over.
Clarke, who announced his retirement from the one-day format on the eve of the final, added 112 runs for the third wicket with his likely successor Steve Smith, who was unbeaten on 56.
We played some outstanding cricket in the tournament, but we ran into an outstanding Australia team [in the final] who continue to set the way in world cricket
"I'm sure everybody standing on this stage will say we played this World Cup with 16 players," said Clarke in reference to close friend and former teammate Phillip Hughes who died in November last year after being hit on the head by a bouncer in a first-class match in Sydney.
"This victory is dedicated to ... Phillip Hughes."
The emphatic win was set up by the left-arm fast bowling trio of Mitchell Starc, James Faulkner and Mitchell Johnson who shared eight wickets after the Kiwis elected to bat on a good pitch.
New Zealand messed up their maiden appearance in the title clash of cricket's showpiece event, falling like nine pins against the hostile Australian bowling.
Inspirational captain Brendon McCullum fell off the fifth ball of the innings for a duck and two other frontline batsmen, Corey Anderson and Luke Ronchi, also failed to score.
