Australia lifted the World Cup trophy of Cricket for a record third successive time after claiming a 53-run victory over Sri Lanka in farcial ending to a rain-shortened final at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on Saturday.
Brief scores:
Australia: 281 for 4 in 38 overs (A Gilchrist 149, M Hayden 38, R Ponting 37; L Malinga 2-49).
Sri Lanka: 215 for 8 in 36 overs (S Jayasuriya 63, K Sangakkara 54).
Adam Gilchrist set the tone for an imposing Australian total as he hammered a 104-ball 149, the highest score in a summit clash as well as his maiden century in the quadrennial event.
The Lankans made a spirited chase of the intimidating score of 281 for 4 but rain, that had delayed the start by three hours earlier, made a brief interruption to spoil their momentum.
The end came in a farcical manner when umpires offered light to batsmen with Sri Lanka needing 62 runs from three overs, after the target was revised to 269 from 36 overs.
The champions began to celebrate, only to be told by the umpires - Steve Bucknor and Aleem Dar - that the match was not officially over yet and might have to be continued on the reserve day.
Thankfully, Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene intervened and the remaining overs were played out in utter darkness.
It was Australia's fourth title overall, following their triumphs in 1987, 1999 and 2003.
Earlier, playing in his 268th one-dayer, Gilchrist smashed the reputation of Sri Lankan bowlers to pieces as he blasted eight huge sixes and 13 boundaries on way to his 15th century and, along with Matthew Hayden, put up 174-run opening wicket partnership to lay a solid foundation for his team's bid to claim the title for the third time in a row.
The strapping Australian keeper in fact reached his 100 in just 72 balls, which included eight fours and six sixes. When Gilchrist departed in the 31st over of the match which was reduced to 38 overs a side due to rain, the defending champions were in a commanding position at 224 for 2.
The other opener Hayden, the highest scorer in this World Cup, was not in his elements best but gave Gilchrist solid support and never allowed the bowlers to dominate.
Gilchrist, who survived a sharp chance when on 31 being dropped by Dilhara Fernando off his own bowling, dominated the proceedings as he punished the Sri Lankan bowling without any mercy.
Though his highest score was 174, this was no doubt his best innings for his side. In 1999 final against Pakistan at the Lord's, he had a knock of 54 from 36 balls; in 2003 against India at Johnannesburg, he made 57 from 48.
But he destroyed the opposition bowling with a ferocity not seen in this tournament so far.
The Australian opening pair took time to read the Lankan bowling especially that of Lasith Malinga, whom they have not faced so far. But once Gilchrist gauged the pace and bounce of the pitch, there was no stopping him.
Gilchrist made his intention clear when he blasted Chaminda Vaas for a big six over long on and then hit him to mid on fence in the third over to seize the initative from the bowlers.
After Fernando dropped him, Gilchrist punished him with two fours and a six and suddenly all the Sri Lankan plans to contain rampaging Australians went haywire.
The first 50 of the innings came off 64 balls and after that runs came in torrent with Gilchrist sending bowlers to leather hunt. He hit Fernando, Tillakaratne Dilsan and Jaysuriya for two sixes each and took a six each off Muttiah Muralitharan and Vaas.
Malinga was given some respect by the Australan openers as he finished his first spell of four overs conceding only six runs but when he came back Hayden greeted him with a six over the long off.
He gave away 43 runs in his next four overs though in this spell he took two wickets also.
Star spinner Muralitharan also flattered to deceive, and ended wicketless giving away 44 runs off seven overs.
Hayden was the first to go when the team total was 172. He miscued a shot and Mahela Jayawardene took an easy catch to give Malinga his first wicket. The broad-shouldered opener faced 55 balls to score 38 which included one six and three fours.
A 52-run second wicket partnership followed between Gilchrist and skipper Ricky Ponting before Gilchrist virtually threw away his wicket as he went for a big shot but could not properly control it and was caught at midwicket by Chamara Silva and Fernando made amends of his early costly lapse.
Gilchrist went when the team score was 224 from 30.3 overs and in the remaining 7.3 overs Australians added 57 runs losing two more wickets.
Ponting scored 37 before being run out.He hit a six off Malinga and a four in his 42-ball knock. DDNews India
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#1 worldcup 2007 - final
It was a great disappointment to see a crucial final being reduced to a 38 over match with inclement weather being a primary factor. The ICC should have planned for adverse weather and had the final on another day, because it was obvisous that one team would not get fair playing conditions to show their true potential.
This is supposed to be the major event in the one day version of the game and fair play should prevail to the all the contestants participating in the game for a world cup comes once in only four years.
I wondeor whether there's a separate rule for the so called "superior teams" and another for the inferior ones. If by any chance New Zealand went through to the final may be it would have been a totally different ball game, where justification would have been given from the highest rankinge official of the ICC, Organising Committe and the commentators stating that both teams should get equal opportunities and that the match should have been played on another day. However since it was an Asian team Sri Lanka (referred to by the Aussies as "black monkies") the rule of fair play did not come into effect.
Despite all big talk this has been one of the worst organised world cups with better teams like India, Pakistan,West Indies being knocked out before the game got going purely based on the team grouping into which they fell into.
There is no dispute about the technical prowress of the Australians but it is also obvious to the moderate fan of cricket that the rules governing the conduct of playsers is not applicable to them and a few other selected players from other teams but the ICC would impose all the rules on other teams and justify the actions of players of certain superior teams regardless of whatever they do. It has become a mafia where the powerful manipulate the rules of the game to suit their needs.
Sri Lanka was unfortunate to have got the worse of playing conditions, but to their credit they played the game the only way they know how that is by fair play. All credit to a team that had to overcome many obstacles by way of an insidious malicious campaing initiated by Amnesty with full support from one of the if not the worst terrorist organisations in the world, so called specialist commentator speculation of match fixing for resting their players,lapses in security, they have shown the world that win or lose thier temperament, diplomacy and skill and above all their equanimity in accepting decisions show the world how the game of cricket should be played.
May be the worst loser of this world cup is the game of cricket itself for one country lost their coach who did everything to uplife the game of cricket in Pakistan, and another country was deprived of fair playing conditions.The irony is that both teams came from the subcontinent.
The record may state that Australia won the final thanks to a wonderful batting performance from Adam Gilchrist but if it had been the other way around, Sri Lanka would have had to justify their victory as it was in 1996 to the superiors of the game.
Where's fair play in a sport known as the gentlemen's game?