Glee and glory on a golden evening

VLive Sports DeskSyndicated Wire Coverage (ESPNcricinfo / Sports Feeds)

Mar 29, 2015, 2:51 PM

Australia's fifth world title was confirmed the instant Steven Smith pulled Matt Henry to the square-leg boundary. Cue celebrationsRobert Cianflone/Getty Images

Match at a Glance & Key Facts

TournamentICC Cricket World CupSeason 2014/15

Venue

Melbourne Cricket Ground

Melbourne

Format & Details

ODI • SINGLE

Australia won by 7 wickets (with 101 balls remaining)

KEY TAKEAWAYSQuick highlights & editorial summary

VLive Sports Desk

Editorial Angle:Comprehensive match review of Glee and glory on a golden evening covering key player performances, strategy, and statistics.
Score Snapshot:NZ 183 vs AUS 186/3 — Australia won by 7 wickets (with 101 balls remaining)
Tournament Context:Part of ICC Cricket World Cup 2014/15. Follow real-time tournament standings, fixture progression, and live scorecards on VLive.

Michael Clarke guaranteed they would "celebrate hard tonight," and suitably enough liquid was sprayed around with gusto, the preferred targets being coach Darren Lehmann and the captainCameron Spencer/Getty Images

That it was Clarke's farewell ODI game wasn't forgotten amid the frenzy, and Australia's leader was given an emotional guard of honourRyan Pierse/Getty Images

There was some unintended mirth as well, as a cameraman, engrossed in capturing Australia's lap of honour, tripped and fellQuinn Rooney/Getty Images

Not sure if they were singing 'Under the Southern Cross', but the mateship that Australia's cricketers swear by was on ample displayICC

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After a gruelling campaign, it was also time to bond with the family; partners and children were part of the celebrationsRyan Pierse/Getty Images

Clarke dedicated the victory to "our little brother" Phillip Hughes, and said "winning in our own backyard" made it a wonderful achievementDarrian Traynor/Getty Images

Syndication & Sourcing Notice: Match coverage, narrative reporting, and statistics are syndicated from ESPNcricinfo and cricket wire data feeds. Curated, formatted, and enriched with real-time match state, scorecard snapshots, and key takeaways by VLive Sports Desk. Read our Editorial Guidelines & Syndication Standards.

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