Melbourne: The Australian Cricket team became the winners of the 2015 edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup. They overcame the challenge from their neighbors New Zealand. The Kiwis though could take heart from the fact that they were the team to beat in the entire tournament. Infact they won the first encounter of the Trans Tasmanian battle when the Aussies toured New Zealand in the group stages.
Call it destiniy or nerves on playing their first ever world cup final but New Zealand who had had a stellar world cup 2015 came up well too short in the finals against the Australians.
Captain Clarke leads the way
Ahead of the world cup it wasn’t even sure whether Michael Clarke would be playing in world cup 2015 or not, but on Sunday night in front of a packed MCG Clarke led from the front scoring a half century en route to all but taking his team across the finishing line. With this win Clarke called it a day on his one day career.
Steve Smith’s super summer continues
They say make hay while the sun shines, Steve Smith it seems though has gone on a planet where the sun never sets. The talented Australian who is one of the front runners in contention for the post left vacant by outgoing captain Michael Clarke scored a fifth consecutive 50+ score to take his team across the finishing line. It was only appropriate that the winning runs came from his bat.
Earlier, a collective display of disciplined bowling from the Australian bowlers helped them restrict a nervous New Zealand to a paltry 183 in 45 overs after Brendon McCullum opted to bat. A mid-innings collapse which saw New Zealand lose their last seven wickets for only 33 runs in 10 overs effectively ended their hopes of putting up a respectable total despite semi-final hero Grant Elliott’s gutsy innings of 83 off 82 balls.
Plan worked against Brendon McCullum
All hopes were on Brendon McCullum to provide another whirlwind start to the black caps in the finals of the world cup but Mitchel Starc had other ideas.
Starc bowled a brilliant first over, to get rid of Brendon McCullum, who was out without scoring. McCullum charged and missed out on a couple of balls dug short and the result was full delivery at the base of off-stump which the batsman had no answer.
End of great careers
The match was the final time fans got to see Daniel Vettori and Michael Clarke in colored clothing. Unfortunately there had to be winner in this match and while Clarke got the perfect send off, Vettori had to be content with the runners up title.
