Aussies on top of the world CREME DE LA CREME . . . Michael Clarke (third from left) raises the trophy as he and teammates celebrate victory against New Zealand in the Cricket World Cup final in Melbourne yesterday. — AFP
CREME DE LA CREME . . . Michael Clarke (third from left) raises the trophy as he and teammates celebrate victory against New Zealand in the Cricket World Cup final in Melbourne yesterday. — AFP

CREME DE LA CREME . . . Michael Clarke (third from left) raises the trophy as he and teammates celebrate victory against New Zealand in the Cricket World Cup final in Melbourne yesterday. — AFP

MELBOURNE. — 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 yesterday.

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 returned unbeaten on 56.

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 show-piece 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 front-line batsmen, Corey Anderson and Luke Ronchi, also failed to score.

South Africa-born Grant Elliott top-scored with 83, sharing a fourth-wicket stand of 111 with Ross Taylor (40) after New Zealand had been reduced to 39 for three in the 13th over.

The massive crowd, which broke the MCG record of 91 112 on the opening day of the Boxing Day Test against England in 2013, saw New Zealand lose their last seven wickets for 33 runs.

A ground record crowd of 93 013 watched yesterday’s World Cup final between Australia and New Zealand at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

That shattered the venue’s previous record attendance for a cricket match of 91 112, according to officials.

The massive final turnout had already surpassed the biggest cricket crowd at the vast stadium, set on the opening day of the 2013 Boxing Day Ashes Test against England.

Yesterday’s crowd has also topped the attendance of 87 182 for the 1992 World Cup final at the MCG between Pakistan and England.

Organisers added that 1 016 421 people attended the matches at the six-week World Cup.

New Zealand crumbled after going into the final as the only unbeaten team in the 14-nation tournament, their eight wins including a one-wicket success over Australia in a low scoring pool stage thriller.

Australia’s previous titles came in 1987, 1999, 2003 and 2007 with coach Darren Lehmann, a two-time World Cup winner as a player, celebrating another success off the field.

No other country has won the tournament, which was first held in 1975, more than twice.

“We’re really proud,” Clarke said. “It’s a wonderful achievement, to win in our own backyard in front of family and friends.”

Clarke, who announced his retirement from one-day cricket on Saturday, said the Australian team had played really well through the match.

“It has been an honour and a privilege to represent my country in both test and one-day cricket. The time is right for me to step down from ODI cricket,” he said.

New Zealand raised hopes of repeating their amazing win in the league when they removed Aaron Finch for a duck in the second over, Trent Boult taking an easy return catch as the ball lobbed off the batsman’s bat and pad.

Left-hander David Warner slammed seven boundaries in his 45 off 46 balls, adding 61 for the second wicket with Smith.

But the pugnacious opener was unable to build on his fine start as he pulled seamer Matt Henry down Elliott’s throat at deep square-leg.

Smith, who scored a century in the semi-final against India in Sydney last Thursday, continued his good form to help Clarke take charge of the match.

Clarke was bowled by Henry when just nine runs remained for victory and was given a standing ovation by team-mates and fans as he returned with his bat raised. Smith sealed victory by pulling Henry for a boundary, sparking jubilant scenes in the stands as Clarke and the rest of the team ran on to the field to embrace Smith.

Starc’s two wickets in the innings took his tally to 22, enabling him to emerge with Boult as the joint highest wicket-takers in the tournament.

Martin Guptill surpassed Sri Lankan Kumar Sangakkara’s 541 runs to become the tournament’s leading run-getter when he reached 10, but he managed to add just five runs more.

The tall opener, who hit a World Cup record score of 237 not out against the West Indies in the quarter-finals, was bowled trying to cut Glenn Maxwell’s second delivery.

Taylor and Elliott settled in to build a strong partnership and had taken the total to 150-3 when the batting power-play began after the 35th over.

Both sides fielded unchanged teams from their semi-final wins where Australia beat India and New Zealand downed South Africa in a penultimate-ball thriller.

Scoreboard

New Zealand

M. Guptill b Maxwell 15

B. McCullum b Starc 0

K. Williamson c and b Johnson 12

R. Taylor c Haddin b Faulkner 40

G. Elliott c Haddin b Faulkner 83

C. Anderson b Faulkner 0

L. Ronchi c Clarke b Starc 0

D. Vettori b Johnson 9

T. Southee run out (Maxwell) 11

M. Henry c Starc b Johnson 0

T. Boult not out 0

Extras (lb7, w6) 13

Total (all out, 45 overs) 183

Fall of wickets: 1-1 (McCullum), 2-33 (Guptill), 3-39 (Williamson), 4-150 (Taylor), 5-150 (Anderson), 6-151 (Ronchi), 7-167 (Vettori), 8-171 (Elliott), 9-182 (Henry), 10-183 (Southee)

Bowling: Starc 8-0-20-2 (1w); Hazlewood 8-2-30-0; Johnson 9-0-30-3 (2w); Maxwell 7-0-37-1 (1w); Faulkner 9-1-36-3; Watson 4-0-23-0 (2w);

Australia

D. Warner c Elliott b Henry 45

A. Finch c and b Boult 0

S. Smith not out 56

M. Clarke b Henry 74

S. Watson not out 2

Extras (lb3, w6) 9

Total (3 wkts, 33.1 overs) 186

Did not bat: G Maxwell, J Faulkner, B Haddin, M Johnson, M Starc, J Hazlewood

Fall of wickets: 1-2 (Finch), 2-63 (Warner), 3-175 (Clarke)

Bowling: Southee 8-3-65-0 (3w); Boult 10-0-40-1; Vettori 5-0-25-0; Henry 9.1-0-46-2 (2w); Anderson 1-0-7-0 (1w);

Result: Australia won by 7 wickets

Man-of-the-match: James Faulkner (AUS)

Man-of-the-tournament: Mitchell Starc (AUS)

Toss: New Zealand

Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena (SRI) and Richard Kettleborough (ENG)

TV umpire: Marais Erasmus (RSA)

Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SRI). — AFP.

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