It was despair for New Zealand, who beat South Africa and got to the end of their fairytale Cricket World Cup story only to find Australia had penned a cruel twist on the final page.
Their worst fears were realised; Brendon McCullum failed, the batsman save Grant Elliott could not resist the exhibition of left-arm pace by Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Johnson and James Faulkner, and the World Cup final was an anticlimax.
Australia win the cup for the fifth time on the back of a world class performance, a seven-wicket victory over New Zealand sending most of the 93,013 fans - a world record for a cricket match - at the Melbourne Cricket Ground into delirium and captain Michael Clarke into ODI retirement a world champion.
The Black Caps fought in the field, chipped three wickets out, but 183 was never enough to defend and the target was achieved off the first ball of the 34th over.
Clarke hit 74 from 72 balls but became Matt Henry's second victim with the finish line in sight. Fittingly, though, captain-in-waiting Steve Smith was there at the end, 56 not out.
Their worst fears were realised; Brendon McCullum failed, the batsman save Grant Elliott could not resist the exhibition of left-arm pace by Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Johnson and James Faulkner, and the World Cup final was an anticlimax.
Australia win the cup for the fifth time on the back of a world class performance, a seven-wicket victory over New Zealand sending most of the 93,013 fans - a world record for a cricket match - at the Melbourne Cricket Ground into delirium and captain Michael Clarke into ODI retirement a world champion.
The Black Caps fought in the field, chipped three wickets out, but 183 was never enough to defend and the target was achieved off the first ball of the 34th over.
Clarke hit 74 from 72 balls but became Matt Henry's second victim with the finish line in sight. Fittingly, though, captain-in-waiting Steve Smith was there at the end, 56 not out.
