Cricket World Cup final: Australia best on the planet after smashing New Zealand
AUSTRALIA will wake the proud owner of a fifth cricket World Cup after retiring captain Michael Clarke led his side to a history-making win at the MCG.
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AUSTRALIA will wake the proud owner of a fifth cricket World Cup after retiring captain Michael Clarke led his side to a history-making win at the MCG.
A record crowd on Sunday night watched Clarke’s men thrash New Zealand by seven wickets to become the first Australian team to win the World Cup on home soil.
Melbourne created history with its biggest cricket attendance in Australia’s barnstorming triumph against the Kiwis.
A crowd of 93,013 packed the MCG for the final, smashing the previous best Australian cricket tally of 91,112 set at the same ground during the 2013 Boxing Day Test.
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After ensuring his team was crowned kings of cricket in his final one-day innings with a dominant win achieved in just 33 overs, Clarke said he was “over the moon’’.
“I couldn’t have asked for anything more,’’ he said.
“We’re really proud, it's a wonderful achievement, it’s a great thing just to make a World Cup final but to be able to win in your own backyard in front of your family and friends, it’s extremely special and I guarantee we will celebrate hard tonight.”
Clarke said the win was dedicated to fallen batsman Phillip Hughes, who died when he was struck by a bouncer while playing state cricket in November.
“Tonight is certainly dedicated to our team mate and our little brother Phillip Hughes,” Clarke said.
“Hughesy used to party as good as any of them so we’ll make sure we drink two at a time tonight, one for Hughesy and one for us.”
Fittingly, Clarke’s top score of 74 provided the backbone of Australia’s victory but it was young gun Steve Smith who hit the winning runs.
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Aussie wicketkeeper Brad Haddin immediately vowed to try to have a beer with every Aussie in the stadium in celebration.
Cup winning coach Darren Lehmann declared those celebrations would last more than a week.
Smith paid tribute to Clarke and thanked the fans.
“It’s not every day you win a World Cup — it’s a special feeling and I thought it was a fitting tribute for Pup,’’ he said.
The new official crowd record shattered the former One Day International crowd of 87,182 set in the 1992 World Cup final in Melbourne.
And the MCG fan-fest in last night’s trans-Tasman showdown helped this year’s World Cup break through the one million spectator mark for total attendance during the tournament.
World Cup chief John Harnden said the event had exceeded expectations, especially with a final framed by the host nations, friendly foes and rivals.
“The World Cup has produced a lot of great cricket and some incredible individual performances,’’ he said.
“But in many ways the stars of the tournament have been the fans. They have come in huge numbers and their passion has created an atmosphere we’ve never experienced before on our cricket fields.’’
Australia started its quest for glory in the best possible way, bowling out New Zealand for just 183 in the 45th over before the clock had even struck 6pm.
By 9.05pm the show was over, save for a post-match party signalled by the explosion of fireworks, streamers and the Men at Work tune I Come From The Land Down Under blaring from loud speakers.
The tournament also appears to have scored handy runs for Victoria’s finances with Premier Daniel Andrews estimating it had injected up to $90 million into the state economy.
“Cricket has a truly international audience, and hosting the World Cup puts our great state on the world stage,’’ Mr Andrews said.
“It’s a chance to both showcase our state and prove that nowhere else in the world quite does major events like we do. It’s good for tourism and it’s good for jobs.’’
With Melbourne bathed in brilliant sunshine, Aussie fans made the day brighter still dressing proudly in Australian gold at the ground and in pubs, lounge rooms and backyard barbecues around the nation
Hundreds of fans took the gesture even further in the build-up to yesterday’s match, marching en-masse from Birrarung Marr to the MCG dressed head-to-toe in team colours.
The Kiwi invaders did their best too, draping themselves in Black Cap black or their team’s old “Beige Army’’ outfit as they dared to dream of a maiden World Cup crown and bragging rights.
With the World Cup over for another four years, the MCG will now undergo a dramatic costume change.
More than 200 staff will help tear up the turf from today, to make it AFL-ready for Thursday’s Richmond-Carlton season-opening blockbuster.
Originally published as Cricket World Cup final: Australia best on the planet after smashing New Zealand
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