Pace pack gives Australia fifth title

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Mar-2015The Australian pacers would go on to inflict more damage, and Glenn Maxwell chipped in with Martin Guptill’s wicket in his first over to reduce New Zealand to 33 for 2•Ryan Pierse/Getty ImagesMitchell Johnson made it 39 for 3 after he induced a return catch from Kane Williamson•Ryan Pierse/Getty ImagesHowever, two players – Ross Taylor and the hero from Auckland, Grant Elliott – stood up to the Australian onslaught with a 111-run alliance in 22.5 overs•Quinn Rooney/Getty ImagesElliott frustrated Australia with his blend of deft steers and punchy drives•Ryan Pierse/Getty ImagesTaylor was scratchy for the most part, but his resilient innings ensured Elliott’s wasn’t a one-man act. New Zealand went into the batting Powerplay reasonably well-placed at 150 for 3•Cameron Spencer/Getty ImagesBut it began badly for New Zealand, as Taylor was brilliantly caught by a diving Brad Haddin off the first ball of James Faulkner’s over•Cameron Spencer/Getty ImagesTwo balls later, Faulkner shattered Corey Anderson’s stumps, and sent him back for a duck•Ryan Pierse/Getty ImagesAustralia then dismissed Luke Ronchi, and completed an impressive Powerplay that saw them concede just 15 runs for three wickets. Faulkner’s slower balls then accounted for Elliott, who made 83 off 82 balls. New Zealand’s tail didn’t offer much resistance, and they were bowled out for 183 in 45 overs•Darrian Traynor/Getty ImagesNew Zealand got an early breakthrough through Trent Boult, who snaffled a caught-and-bowled chance offered by Aaron Finch in the second over•Mark Kolbe/Getty ImagesDavid Warner remained unaffected by the setback, and smacked 45 off 46 balls before falling to Matt Henry•Darrian Traynor/Getty ImagesThere was a sprinkling of good fortune, too, as Steven Smith watched a ball kiss the stumps but not dislodge the bails•Cameron Spencer/Getty ImagesMichael Clarke, playing his last ODI, smashed 74 off 72 balls before being dismissed with nine runs to get. He put on 112 runs along with Smith to quell New Zealand’s challenge•Mark Kolbe/Getty ImagesIt was only a matter of time before Smith pulled Matt Henry to hit the winning boundary – and let out a victory cheer•Cameron Spencer/Getty ImagesAustralia completed their seven-wicket victory with 101 balls to spare, and clinched their fifth World Cup title•Mark Kolbe/Getty Images