New Zealand vs Australia, Cricket World Cup final: as it happened

Over-by-over coverage of the Cricket World Cup 2015 final as New Zealand make just 183, and see Michael Clarke and Steve Smith knock them off with plenty to spare

Slipping away: New Zealand's chances of victory are getting smaller Photo: REUTERS

AUSTRALIA 186/3 (33.1 overs) BEAT NEW ZEALAND (183 in 45.0 overs) BY SEVEN WICKETS WITH 101 BALLS REMAINING

11.50 So congratulations to the Aussies. Worthy winners. New Zealand have probably been the form team of the tournament but they were beaten fair and square today. The semi-finalists South Africa, India and these two are a long way ahead of the rest. England's relative position is for another day, but my goodness Peter Moores and company are in for a tough summer. We'll come back to that another time no doubt. For today, well done to Michael Clarke, who lifts the World Cup in his last match as an Aussie ODI cricketer, and to the whole Australian team. Thanks for following this with us.

11.40 Michael Clarke: "New Zealand are always a hard team to beat in any format, congratulations to Brendon for the way they have played. And most of all congratulations to my amazing team and our support staff, they were amazing to me when I came back. I have got a black armband on, it says PH on it. Every game I play for Australia I will wear it. We said we have got 16 players in this World Cup and we will think of him when we party tonight. We will make sure we drink two drinks at a time - one for us and one for him! This is is for our little brother, our team-mate Phillip Hughes."

11.37 Mitchell Starc with a modest and charming interview as he picks up the man of the tournament award. Thanks the Australian public, praises coach Craig McDermott, good lad.

11.36 Man of the tournament and man of the match awards are being presented bySachin Tendulkar.

11.35 James Faulkner is the man of the match: "Amazing feeling, to play in front of 93,000 at the MCG. Tried to chip in and play my role today, but what a performance from the team."

Mark Nicholas with not one but two positive remarks about the man of the match wristwatch.

11.30 Brendon McCullum: "They were the best side. I still thought with 180 we could dare to dream, and maybe if a couple of things had gone our way then who knows, but Australia were excellent. We have no regrets, we have been on an incredible journey, we have forged memories and friendships that will be with us forever. This is the greatest time of our lives, to represent your country with your friends and to test yourself against the best in the world, it is the greatest feeling. We tried to play with a free heart and I think we have a lot to be proud of."

11.25 Here is Scyld Berry's match report. Austraila win Cricket World Cup - Michael Clarke bows out in style as New Zealand succumb in final at MCG.

We'll bring you some of the post match reaction. If whooping Australians are your thing, then you've come to the right place. They thoroughly deserved to win, best team in it. Kiwis a solid silver medal, had an excellent tournament but were second best by a long way today. Not a great match, but a very, very good performance.

Brad Haddin: "I'm thirsty. I will have a beer with everyone in the place."

Darren Lehman: "A week of celebrations? Aw, more than that I would think." He takes it in good heart when some of the players empty a bucket of iced water over him in the American tradition.

Steve Smith: "I was saying to Pup 'stay with me, stay with me!' Shame he couldn't stay til the end but it was a fitting [crowd reaction] way to end his career."

Shane Watson: "Brendon McCullum has done an incredible job with the New Zealand team, they have so many match winners and they are the form side in world cricket so we knew we would have to be at our very best to beat them."

George Bailey is SUCH a good bloke: "Obviously you'd rather be playing but it is great to be part of this group, best seats in the house - and what a side to watch."

OVER 33.1: AUS 186/3 (Smith 56* Watson 2*) Smith has done it! Just one ball of that over needed, he's hit Henry for four through the legside and Australia win by seven wickets.

OVER 32: AUS 182/3 (Smith 52* Watson 2*) Good yorkers from Southee, nothing to hit in this over, just two off it.

OVER 31: AUS 180/3 (Smith 51* Watson 1*) On the upside for Clarke, he does get to enjoy the adulation of the crowd as he walks off. Watson comes in to help finish the job, and one of his first duties is to join in the congratulations for Steve Smith as he makes a fifty. Just four needed.

WICKET! Clarke b Henry 74 Ah, well skipper won't be there at the end after all, Henry with an unremarkable ball outside off stump. Probably too close to cut, but cut he does, and he's chopped it on. FOW 175/3

OVER 31: AUS 174/2 (Smith 47* Clarke 74*) Clarke wants that glass of chamapge NOW! First four balls in the over, he goes four, four, four, four. Bottom-hand over long on. Full toss laced through the covers. Now a ball sliced through point. And now cut for four. Southee the unfortunate bowler, 17 off the over. 10 needed off like a thousand balls or something.

OVER 30: AUS 157/2 (Smith 47* Clarke 57*) Boult trying to slip some yorkers through the defences of Clarke and Smith. One to Clarke becomes a full toss, clattered for four. Smith nearly leading edge his one back to the bowler. But not today, Trent. Not today.

OVER 29: AUS 151/2 (Smith 46* Clarke 52*) All coming in a rush now, Southee back on. Smith carves through point for two. Now a poor ball gets the treatment, cut behind third man four. And then he pulls for two. Clarke doesn't quite pick a slower ball and just donks it over mid off. Could have been a catch on another day. But not today - it's two runs.

Tell you what, England are going to get a proper doing in the Ashes on this evidence. And indeed the "warm up" Tests and ODIs v New Zealand in the first half of our summer are going to be seriously tough as well.

OVER 28: AUS 140/2 (Smith 37* Clarke 50*) Boult not giving this up, good over. Accurate, handy bouncer in there, bangs Clarke on the pad albeit with one that pitched outside leg. Just one off the over. 44 runs needed from 22 overs.

OVER 27: AUS 139/2 (Smith 36* Clarke 50*) Five singles in this Vettori over, one of them bringing up Michael Clarke's fifty.

OVER 26: AUS 134/2 (Smith 34* Clarke 47*) Boult returns as Brendon rolls the dice for the last time. Good over. Nearly has Clarke nibbling. But now the Pup has crashed it down the ground for four.

Noticed a fair bit of sniffing from the press box over Clarke announcing his ODI retirement prior to the match.

OVER 25: AUS 130/2 (Smith 34* Clarke 43*) Vettori, poor old soul, comes back on and is treated roughly by Pup, who lofts him over long off for a morale-sapping six. Three singles and a two in the over mean that Australia now need just 54 from 25 overs.

OVER 24: AUS 119/2 (Smith 33* Clarke 33*) McCullum turns to Corey Anderson, whose first ball is a bouncer called wide on height. Clarke drives aerially for three. Brief delay while Clarke gets his bat taped up.

OVER 23: AUS 112/2 (Smith 30* Clarke 30*) Another heavy shelling for the boy Henry, who is punched through the covers for three by MC and then shovelled to long on by the same player for four. This blog needs more Sachin.

Sachin Tendulkar: my memories of the Cricket World Cup 2011 final

OVER 22: AUS 103/2 (Smith 28* Clarke 23*) Vettori, another decent but quiet-ish over, three off it.

OVER 21: AUS 100/2 (Smith 26* Clarke 22*) A couple off Henry, the Aussie hundred is up and the Kiwis need to break this partnership right away or this is over.

OVER 20: AUS 98/2 (Smith 25* Clarke 21*) Nice retro feel to this over as Vettori bowls to Clarke, hounors even between the veterans and there are three runs off the over.

OVER 19: AUS 95/2 (Smith 24* Clarke 19*) Heavy, damaging over. Lovely drive for three from Smith. Short ball from Henry and Clarke creatively uppercuts that very fine over slip, in fact almost straight over the keeper. Finer than he was intending but effective nevertheless. Clarke living on the edge, he's flashed this one past gully for another four, but it feels to me that the Cricketing Gods have already awarded this match. 12 off the over means that we move significantly to Australia being awarded the trophy in this mortal plane as well.

OVER 18: AUS 83/2 (Smith 21* Clarke 10*) Clarke with a thick outside edge that rattles away for four, Southee the unfortunate bowler. He deals him a sharp, unpleasant bouncer off the last ball of the over. Clarke deals with it well. Two square of the wicket. 101 needed

OVER 17: AUS 76/2 (Smith 20* Clarke 4*) Couple off the Henry over. This graphic tells a story.

OVER 16: AUS 74/2 (Smith 19* Clarke 4*) Southee replaces Boult, and tests Clarke out with a bouncer that Pup creakily avoids. Called wide on height. That was the second wide of the over in fact. A bits and bobs over with three singles, no dramas.

OVER 15: AUS 69/2 (Smith 17* Clarke 3*) Aw man. It is surely not New Zealand's day. Smith defends, the ball spins back and hits the stumps - and the bails do not come off! The stumps are heavier than they used to be because they've got electronics in them. That might have been played-on in the old money. Hard lines, Mat Henry.

OVER 14: AUS 68/2 (Smith 16* Clarke 3*) Brendon continues with Boult, who has bowled unchaged. Might as well use his quickest and best bowler while the game is still live. No point in saving him for three overs when it's 170/4 or something. Clarke gets a streaky three through the covers off the leading edge. Dicey.

OVER 13: AUS 63/2 (Smith 14* Clarke 0*) The MCG rises to applaud Clarke to the crease in his final ODI. He has an armguard on, unusual for him, and will no dobut be getting some short balls. Watchful defence to his first four deliveries. Dots.

WICKET! Warner c Elliott b Henry 45 First ball of the over is a pie, short and begging to be hit. Warner obliges, smashing it to the midwicket boundary. But next delivery, he pulls again, and this time he's got the top edge. Grant Elliott takes the low catch out in the deep. FOW 63/2

OVER 12: AUS 59/1 (Warner 41* Smith 14*) This is close to LBW, Boult to Warner, just shaving leg stump but the original call was not out and the Kiwis don't review. ANother close call in the over when Warner stuns the ball and it rolls back, very nearly played on.

OVER 11: AUS 58/1 (Warner 40* Smith 14*) Tidy over, two off it, from Henry.

OVER 10: AUS 56/1 (Warner 39* Smith 13*) What a shot this is from Warner. Full ball, he just flicks his wrists through it, wonderful late timing and the ball absolutely screams away through the covers for four runs. Brief hope for the Kiwis next ball when Boult hits Warner on the back pad, good shot but sliding down. The powerplay comes to an end and Warner is well on his way to winning this match.

OVER 9: AUS 49/1 (Warner 33* Smith 12*) Matt Henry comes in, and dishes up a juicy long hop first ball. Warner savages it to the leg-side boundary. Would have had four the next ball as well, had he not picked out the man in the covers. No sign of a wicket in that over, Warner is in touch. Australia v New Zealand, World Cup final: live scoreboard

OVER 8: AUS 45/1 (Warner 29* Smith 12*) Quiet over from Boult, four off it. 139 runs required from 42 overs, that's a RRR of 3.3

OVER 7: AUS 41/1 (Warner 28* Smith 9*) Dan Vettori comes on. Wonder how that ankle is? If I were Brendon, I think I'd just bowl as many of Vettori as I could in this spell, if he's not going to be fit to last the whole innings. A tidy, but not especially threatening, over from Vettori, who is not moving too well. "Brendon blinked first, for the first time in this World Cup," says Nasser of McCullum and the slip-moveing decision in over five.

OVER 6: AUS 38/1 (Warner 28* Smith 6*) Too short from Boult, pulled for four by Smith. The rest of the over, Steve is watchful and cautious. No rush.

OVER 5: AUS 33/1 (Warner 28* Smith 1*) For once, for ONCE, Brendon McCullum doesn't go for the ultra-aggressive option and he is ruing his decision. He takes out second slip (Vettori) and moves him to short cover, and then the very next ball, Warner edges the ball through second slip! Sickener. The resultant boundary is the third four in as many balls. First ball of the over, smashed through covers. Second ball, slogged away uppishly for four. That prompted McCullum into his uncharacteristic backward step.

OVER 4: AUS 18/1 (Warner 15* Smith 0*) Warner shovels the ball away for two, and now creams a handsome shot through the covers. McCullum, with the air of a man double-or-quittsing in an unwise series of bets, puts four men in the slips. Three leg byes off the last ball of the over and Warner's 17-ball 15 is keeping the scoreboard rattling. He could win this in an hour.

OVER 3: AUS 9/1 (Warner 9* Smith 0*) Ooh but this is a worry. Vettori goes to field a regulation delivery down at fine leg, and comes up grimacing. Left Achilles. That shot was the second of three twos that Warner helped himself to in this over. Confident, firm shots - to fine leg, a cut for a couple, a push past the bowler. Pinches the strike off the last ball.

OVER 2: AUS 2/1 (Warner 2* Smith 0*) Couple of slips and a forward short leg as the boy Smith comes in. This is an excellent start from the Kiwis, bowling it full and straight and taking advantage of slight but sufficient swing.

WICKET! Finch c&b Boult 0 Trent Boult to bowl the second over. There's a big gap between gully and point, Brendon asking Warner if he wants to have a go. Of course he does! Swing and a miss. Four slips. After a single, Boult can have a look at Finch. Straight ball, Finch plays across it, gets the leading edge and pops up a doozy of a return catch. That's the start everyone wanted to see.FOW 2/1

OVER 1: AUS 1/0 (Warner 1* Finch 0*) Southee starts with two slips and a gully, first ball is right on the button. Second one drifts down leg and Warner helps it on the way for a single. Fifth ball of the over is a snorter, just short of a length and it moves away, beating Finch. Sixth ball is a nut as well! Slithering past the outside edge and that's a superb start from Southee, hopefully that can inspire the New Zealanders.

08.38 Aaron Finch and David Warner stride out at the MCG. Tim Southee to bowl.

08.35 Well, you know the drill - early wickets, don't think about the scoreboard, and just try to bowl Australia out. Been a brilliant and, importantly, neverless display from the Aussies so far.

08.25 If you're just joining us, Australia had everything working for them - including plenty of chirp and send-offs - as they produced a superb display with the ball. Brendon McCullum fell to Mitchell Starc in the first over, and the Kiwis found themselves in trouble at 39/3. Grant Elliott and Ross Taylor put on 111 in 22.5 overs but the wicket of Taylor opened the door. 150/3 was soon 151/6, and once Elliott departed for 83, New Zealand were just overpowered. James Faulkner took five. 183 does not look remotely enough on a decent pitch but these Kiwis are not going to give up without a fight as they try to defend 184.

08.20 Here is Michael Vaughan's preview as he rates the two teams

08.14 It could hardly have gone better for Pup today. Here is a story on him. Clarke to retire from ODIs after World Cup final

08.12 Not nice reading for the Kiwis but... Australia v New Zealand, World Cup final: live scoreboard

08.10 That nice Brad Haddin had plenty to say for himself

08.00 What a performance by Australia. Hard to imagine how it could have been any better. They'll chase 184 shortly and it will take something really special to deny them the World Cup.

VVS Laxman says: "If Australia bat for 30 overs they will win this." Nick Knight agrees: "The Kiwis have to go flat out with their best bowlers for 30 overs." And hope for the best.

True. 183 in the old money was a different proposition to this, though.

NEW ZEALAND ALL OUT FOR 183 in 45 overs.

WICKET! Henry c Starc b Johnson 0 Everything's coming up Milhouse for the Aussies. Seeing that Henry is backing away from Johnson, Clarke switches his bowler to around the wicket, and brings another man up into the circle on the offside. The change of angle means that henry cannot back away. Johnson delivers a ball outside off, it's actually a full toss, and hey presto the Kiwi number ten has clothed it straight to the man Clarke had just brought up. FOW 182/9

That came off the fifth ball of the over. The next ball is a bouncer that's called wide. Not sure Trent Boult especially wants to face another ball...

WICKET! Southee run out 11 But it will be his last! It will be New Zealand's last as well. Boult donks it to short midwicket and Maxwell gathers. He shows wonderful awareness to see that Southee has backed up a yard or two down the track. He is slow to get back. Maxwell hurls the ball at the non-striker's stumps, scores with the direct hit and that has put the capper on a brilliant bowling and fielding performance. FOW 183/10

OVER 44: NZ 181/8 (Southee 10* Henry 0*) I suppose the best the Kiwis could hope for now is just to somehow bat out the overs and eke out another 30 or so. Three off it.

OVER 43: NZ 178/8 (Southee 7* Henry 0*) Hello! Tim Southee launches his first ball, a slower one from Johnson, down the ground for six. "Shouldn't think he'll be getting many more slower balls from Johnson," notes Nasser Hussain. Picks up a single and exposes Matt Henry to the tender mercies of a couple of Johnson bouncers.

OVER 42: NZ 171/8 (Southee 0* Henry 0*) Earlier in the over, Elliott had swung the ball over the midwicket area for four.

WICKET! Elliott c Haddin b Faulkner 83 Oh, well that feels like it will be game ball. Faulkner, sustained excellence, slower ball. Elliott aims a mighty heave at it, but he's through the shot too early, and that's the end of him.FOW 171/8

OVER 41: NZ 167/7 (Elliott 78*) That came off the last ball of the over. Kiwis are on the brink here.

WICKET! Vettori b Johnson 9 Oh, shame. Well, that's just excellent bowling, full and quick, looks like a bit of reverse swing to me. 90 mph reverse swinging yorker, Dan is late on it and playing across the line, and that's the end of that. FOW 167/7

OVER 40pp: NZ 165/6 (Elliott 78* Vettori 8*) That was very nearly curtains! Faulkner brings the ball back into Elliott, hits him on the pad. Looks a very good shout indeed. GIven not out. Review shows that it would have hit the top of the stumps, but it's an umpire's call, and Elliott stays. He celerbates by running it down to third man for a boundary. The good news for for New Zealand is that the batting powerplay is over. 15 runs for three wickets.

OVER 39pp: NZ 159/6 (Elliott 73* Vettori 7*) Vettori is getting no change at all out of Starc. Incredibly tough for a lower-order batsman to come in and try to score off this sort of bowling, knowing that one more wicket makes it odds-on that they will not bat out their allocation. Even still, he's annoyed with himself for missing out on a full toss. Dan did get a two in the over, but with Starc varying his lengths so expertly, those are the only runs off it.

OVER 38pp: NZ 157/6 (Elliott 73* Vettori 5*) The wonderful Vettori plants it back down the ground for a classy, along the ground straight drive four. William Hargreaves writes:

Where are the Black Caps? Can you do nothing? Just lie, man. Give us some sustenance.

OVER 37pp: NZ 151/6 (Elliott 73* Vettori 0*) A powerplay nightmare that wouldn't look out of place in an England innings. The ball before the wicket, Ronchi and Elliott very nearly contrived a run out, Elliott would have been a goner had it hit. Dan Vettori, who was enjoying a nice semi retirement in IPL until recently, fronts up to a fired-up Mitchell Starc in a World Cup final. Cannot score off the first four balls, not that you could balme him. A nasty bouncer and a sharp yorker among them.

WICKET! Ronchi c Clarke b Starc 0 Superb from Australia. Starc back on, quick and hostile, Luke Ronchi has a big go at a ball that's sliding across him, edges it to Clarke at slip and he takes a smart catch. FOW 151/6

Sorry, not the best screengrab but you get the idea I hope. A legit catch

OVER 36pp: NZ 150/3 (Elliott 72* Ronchi 0*) What a key over from a key player. Kiwis were really getting back into this and were daring to dream of 260, 270.

WICKET! Taylor c Haddin b Faulkner 40 Oh, shame. A full wide one, Ross has had a go at it. There's a suggestion of a bump ball, and furthermore some question as to whether Haddin got his glove under the very low catch. TV umpire Marais Erasmus soon decides that it's a good catch on both counts and that's that. FOW 150/4

... that was the first ball of the powerplay...

WICKET! Anderson b Faulkner 0 And this is the third one! Full and straight, he has played all around it. It didn't swing, it didn't seam. Mark Taylor wonders if the shadows across the pitch might be a factor. Well, that's no longer Corey Anderson's problem, he's gone for a second ball duck. FOW 150/5

OVER 35: NZ 150/3 (Taylor 40* Elliott 72*) Ooh. Drama. Nearly tragedy, in fact. Taylor plays it to short midwicket and Elliott sets off. No, no, no! Clarke is onto the ball and underarms it at the stumps. Misses by a whisker. Eight off the over. Four of them to Elliott with a clever, fine dab. The powerplay is next.

OVER 34: NZ 142/3 (Taylor 37* Elliott 68*) Here's Josh Hazlewood. Too short. Clever ramp shot from Grant, four to fine third man. A single next ball brings up the 100-stand. There are three more singles in the over.

OVER 33: NZ 134/3 (Taylor 35* Elliott 62*) Two runs off this from Watson. Both sides readying themselves for the final assault. Drinks. Elliott, who has faced 64 balls, leading the salvage operation after they were reduced to 39/3. Good piece here on How McCullum turned New Zealand into world-beaters

OVER 32: NZ 132/3 (Taylor 34* Elliott 61*) Six from this Maxwell over. I was distracted by another Harsha interview. Giles Clarke and Wally Edwards this time. Eesh.

OVER 31: NZ 126/3 (Taylor 32* Elliott 57*) Mitchell Johnson has a go around the wicket. Nice bit of commentary from Mark Nicholas as he recalls Wasim Akram doing just that in a previous World Cup Final - 1992. But there's no brace of thunderbolts from this left-armer today. No Allan Lamb and Chris Lewis special. Anyhow, it's a good over, and five singles is the most anyone could reasonably have expected from it.

OVER 30: NZ 121/3 (Taylor 30* Elliott 54*) Maxwell with a super delivery, beats Elliott on the outside edge as it spins and dips. Another three-run over.

OVER 29: NZ 118/3 (Taylor 30* Elliott 51*) Here is Mitchell Johnson. Can he curtail this recovery? Taylor faces the lion's share of a quick, accurate over that is hostile and needs to be treated with the utmost respect, although it causes no alarms per se, and there are three runs off it.

OVER 28: NZ 115/3 (Taylor 29* Elliott 50*) A single off every ball of the Maxwell over, and the last one is chipped into the air... lands safe. Phew. That run gives Elliott a 50.

OVER 27: NZ 108/3 (Taylor 26* Elliott 47*) Taylor edges Watto through where slip isn't, for four. Watto bouncer called a wide on height. Elliot thick-edges for two and there's a couple of singles. Over by over, the Kiwis are coming into this. They're not letting the lesser bowlers settle.

OVER 26: NZ 99/3 (Taylor 21* Elliott 44*) Faulkner overstretches, Elliott drives him for four.

OVER 25: NZ 93/3 (Taylor 20* Elliott 39*) Shane Watson comes on for a bowl. A solid set, four runs off the over. This Kiwi pair coming back slowly and steadily. The fifty stand is up. Two experienced and level-headed cricketers. Elliott in fine form, Taylor wrestling with it but he's a fighter.

OVER 24: NZ 89/3 (Taylor 20* Elliott 35*) This is definitely more encouraging for the Kiwis. Elliott now looking in the groove. He larrups one through extra cover for four. Faulkner pins Taylor on the pad but that was pitching outside leg. 

OVER 23: NZ 83/3 (Taylor 19* Elliott 30*) Elliott top edges a six thin over the keeper. Bats these days, honestly.

OVER 22: NZ 77/3 (Taylor 19* Elliott 24*) Maxwell. Elliott cuts the ball for four. Three singles. This is more like it.After Haddin gave Martin Guptill the big send-off, I think most neutrals probably made up their minds who they wanted to win this.

OVER 21: NZ 70/3 (Taylor 18* Elliott 18*) Mitchell Starc returns as Pup goes for the jug. Uncharacteristic flappy shot from Elliott at a wider one. But he atones with a solid three through mid off.

OVER 20: NZ 66/3 (Taylor 18* Elliott 15*) New Zealand continue their long, slow fightback from the low point of 39/3. Big moment as Dharmasena gives Elliott out LBW to Maxwell, but a Hail Mary review from the Kiwi batsman shows that it was turning enough to miss leg. O oof.

Can New Zealand beat Australia on their home turf on Sunday morning? Email your thoughts 

Brendon McCullum will not be scared to take his usual aggressive approach as he leads New Zealand into the World Cup final against Australia.

McCullum has refused to take a backward step in the tournament either as a batsman - with a strike rate of almost two runs per ball - or as captain, regularly setting four-slip fields for his in-form pace attack.

Australia present the toughest possible test but their neighbours will not be cowed.

"We need to play like that, that's how we're going to beat teams on regular occasions," McCullum said at his press conference ahead of the final.

"We're not afraid of losing. For us we think about what we can achieve.

"There are going to be times when we come out on the wrong side of it but that gives us our greatest chance of success against big teams."

New Zealand's progress has been far from a McCullum solo act, with Martin Guptill hitting a World Cup record 237 not out in the quarter-final against West Indies, Tim Southee taking seven for 33 against England and Trent Boult five for 27 in the Pool A win over Australia.

Daniel Vettori has rolled back the years with 15 wickets while Corey Anderson has taken 14 in addition to some big hitting with the bat as the team have earned the adulation normally reserved for rugby union's All Blacks.

"It's a pretty amazing ride," McCullum said.

"We know when the World Cup is over we'll sort of return a little bit to where things were, but at the moment we'll just try to embrace the fan following and what we've been able to achieve for New Zealand.

"I think it's captivated the country back home. For us to be talked about and followed in the same breath as some of the great All Blacks teams, it's immensely satisfying, but we know we've got to continue to build on that.

"We're thankful for what we've been able to achieve but it would be nice to win and go for another game."

That Kiwi support will be rivalled by a packed house at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, with the emotion ramped up for Australia fans by captain Michael Clarke's announcement that the game will be his last one-day international.

The 33-year-old will retire from limited-overs action after the final to allow his team to prepare for the next World Cup and also prolong his own Test career - and he is determined to go out on a high.

Clarke said: "It's a special game, there's no doubt about it, but it needs to be about the team - and I want it to be about the team.

"It's not emotion, it's skill that helps you win major games and major tournaments, and tomorrow will be no different. It's no more special because it's my last game.

"New Zealand have been the form team of the competition. New Zealand have beaten us once in this tournament. But I'm confident if we play our best, we can beat them tomorrow."

McCullum has confirmed New Zealand will name an unchanged team from their semi-final win over South Africa, with Australia expected to do likewise after beating India.

English umpire Richard Kettleborough will be on duty at the MCG alongside Sri Lanka's Kumar Dharmasena, who will become the first man to both play and officiate in a World Cup final.