WORLD CUP FINAL, BARBADOS: Australia 281-4 beat Sri Lanka 215-8 by 53 runs (D/L method)
By Oliver Brett
Opener Adam Gilchrist's century was overshadowed as Australia won a fourth World Cup amid scenes of high farce.
The 35-year-old hit a brilliant 149 for the highest score made in a World Cup final, and the fastest century, in an overall score of 281-4 off 38 overs.
Sri Lanka lost their way after Sanath Jayasuriya and Kumar Sangakkara briefly raised hopes with a stand of 116.
But the match ended in total darkness and no little confusion, with Australia eventually winning by 53 runs.
They had embraced in premature celebration three overs before the finish, believing the match to be over after the umpires offered the light to the Sri Lanka batsmen.
Sri Lanka lost a crucial toss. By batting first, Australia knew how many overs they would face, and had the best of the conditions.
Their opponents, on the other hand, faced a swinging ball when they began their chase.
And for most of the conclusion, the light was technically unplayable and they had to try to keep on top of the Duckworth-Lewis rate while bearing in mind their final target.
Over the closing overs, the match had long ceased to be an even contest, but the umpires were reluctant to take the players off.
The light closed in even more, and some cheap wickets came Australia's way.
Gilchrist took a sprawling catch at one point to give McGrath a wicket in his last match.
But the final stages of the match were the opposite of what the organisers would have wished for, with batsmen groping about blindly, and even the fielders and commentators struggling.
Australia couldn't care less though, and when it finally ended they could reflect on yet another dominant display in a World Cup tournament.
Although Sangakkara and Jayasuriya had done their best, it was ultimately as one-sided a victory for Australia as the ones achieved in both 1999 and 2003.
By Oliver Brett
Opener Adam Gilchrist's century was overshadowed as Australia won a fourth World Cup amid scenes of high farce.
The 35-year-old hit a brilliant 149 for the highest score made in a World Cup final, and the fastest century, in an overall score of 281-4 off 38 overs.
Sri Lanka lost their way after Sanath Jayasuriya and Kumar Sangakkara briefly raised hopes with a stand of 116.
But the match ended in total darkness and no little confusion, with Australia eventually winning by 53 runs.
They had embraced in premature celebration three overs before the finish, believing the match to be over after the umpires offered the light to the Sri Lanka batsmen.
Sri Lanka lost a crucial toss. By batting first, Australia knew how many overs they would face, and had the best of the conditions.
Their opponents, on the other hand, faced a swinging ball when they began their chase.
And for most of the conclusion, the light was technically unplayable and they had to try to keep on top of the Duckworth-Lewis rate while bearing in mind their final target.
Over the closing overs, the match had long ceased to be an even contest, but the umpires were reluctant to take the players off.
The light closed in even more, and some cheap wickets came Australia's way.
Gilchrist took a sprawling catch at one point to give McGrath a wicket in his last match.
But the final stages of the match were the opposite of what the organisers would have wished for, with batsmen groping about blindly, and even the fielders and commentators struggling.
Australia couldn't care less though, and when it finally ended they could reflect on yet another dominant display in a World Cup tournament.
Although Sangakkara and Jayasuriya had done their best, it was ultimately as one-sided a victory for Australia as the ones achieved in both 1999 and 2003.
