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          Australia, ruining World Cup finals since 1999

          • ESPNcricinfo staff
          Mar 29, 2015, 01:55 AM

          A crowd of 93,013 thronged the MCG for the final. They were treated to a bit of action even before the anthems got underway, with a pitch invader winding his way through the 14 participating teams' flags spread across the #MCGsobig outfield.

          New Zealand had won the toss and decided to bat, and that, as per popular opinion, evened the odds in their favour.

          Mitchell Starc did not quite agree, sending down the near-perfect opening over. As good as Starc was, Brendon McCullum was equally bad.

          It was time for some calm to be injected into the innings. There was a little too much calm though, with Kane Williamson and Martin Guptill scoring at around three to the over.

          The pair survived the stick - Australia's pacy trio of Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchells Starc and Johnson - but fell prey to the carrot dangled by Michael Clarke: the gentle offspin of Glenn Maxwell. And Guptill got quite the sendoff too, from Brad Haddin, the first of many verbal displays from Australia.

          Williamson went soon after.

          Same old cricket story then?

          Not if Grant Elliott had his way. For the second time in two big games, the, umm, South Africa-born cricketer player held his nerve expertly.

          He even conquered the biggest, baddest cricket ground of them all with a mis-hit (much like Guptill earlier in the day).

          But New Zealand were yet to face that lethal wicket-taker: the batting Powerplay. In the blink of an eye, Ross Taylor, Corey Anderson and Luke Ronchi were gone.

          New Zealand never recovered. A less-fancied team bowled out for 183 against one of the giants of world cricket. Some thought that was reason enough to be optimistic.

          Hopes were raised a smidgeon courtesy who else but Trent Boult, who struck with his fourth ball.

          The New Zealanders kept hoping and 'praying'.

          But Australia's immovable wall was as firm as ever, and the result was never in doubt.

          Victory was sealed with 101 balls and seven wickets to spare. A fifth World Cup title ...

          Adam Gilchrist said it best, when he said:

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          2:05
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