Australia Crush New Zealand, Claim Historic Fifth Cup

New Zealand hopes soared when Australia lost opener Aaron Finch (0) in the second over of the innings.

But opener David Warner scored a stroke-filled 45 in 46 deliveries to diminish the pressure on the home team.

Clarke, who will retire from One-Day International (ODI) cricket after this World Cup, notched up his 58th fifty. Smith scored his seventh ODI fifty and stitched a partnership with the 33-year-old that took Australia home. Shane Watson remained not out for two.

Smith pulled pacer Tim Southee for a boundary on the first ball of the 34th over to trigger wild celebrations in the Australian camp and among a record 93,013 people in the MCG stadium.

Earlier, New Zealand won the toss and had a nightmarish start losing skipper Brendon McCullum (0) in the very first over. The right-handed batsman had his stumps shattered by left-arm pacer Starc, who was later named the "Player of the Tournament".

With this wicket, Australia took complete control of the match. With seamers Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Johnson operating with probing line and length, New Zealand batsmen Martin Guptill (15) and Kane Williamson (12) just managed to stave off the looming threat.

It couldn't be better for Clarke, who became the second captain -- after Pakistani Imran Khan in 1992 -- to bid goodbye to the 50-overs format with the biggest prize in cricket -- that too at home.

Australia now have won 1987, 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2015 editions of the World Cup.

Clarke dedicated the triumph to deceased batsman Phillip Hughes, who died on November 27 after being struck on the head by a bouncer two days earlier during a domestic match.
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