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In a farcical finish in near darkness, Australia have overpowered Sri Lanka by 53 runs under the Duckworth-Lewis system to win a record third successive World Cup title, led by opener Adam Gilchrist's sensational 149.
Australia hit 4-281 from their 38 overs in the rain-reduced match before Sri
Lanka made 8-215.
After another rain interruption presented Sri Lanka with a revised target of 269 from 36 overs, the Sri Lankans took the bad light offer from the umpires and went off the field at 7-206 from 33 overs, sparking wild celebrations from Ricky Ponting's side.
An ICC spokesman told the media that Australia had won by 38 runs under the Duckworth-Lewis method.
But as officials rushed to prepare the presentation area, umpires Aleem Dar and Steve Bucknor insisted the game wasn't over and 10 minutes later play resumed, after 6pm local time, dragging out the farce for three more overs.
With Sri Lanka chasing 282 from 38 overs, Australia returned to the field after their lunch break full of confidence.
But Sri Lanka overcame the early loss of Upul Tharanga, bowled by Nathan Bracken for six, to put themselves back into the contest with a 116-run stand between Sanath Jayasuriya and Kumar Sangakkara.
Spinner Brad Hogg broke through at 2-123 in the 20th over, removing Sangakkara for 54, and three overs later the veteran Jayasuriya fell for 63, bowled by part-time spinner Michael Clarke.
Rain forced a short delay with Sri Lanka 3-149 from 24.5 overs.
Their target was revised but Shane Watson made things tougher in the next over, trapping semi-final century-maker Mahela Jayawardene lbw for 19.
Clarke sparked another celebration when he threw to the bowler's end to have Tillakaratne Dilshan run out for 14 to end the 30th over. Next ball Clarke grabbed his second scalp as the left-armer bowled Chamara Silva (21) at 6-190.
McGrath had wanted a five-wicket haul for his farewell but settled with one victim in his seventh over when Russell Arnold top-edged a full toss to a diving wicketkeeper Gilchrist.
Australia's innings began slowly but soon turned into an exhibition of big hitting as Gilchrist dominated an opening stand of 172 with Matthew Hayden (38).
This was despite morning rain which caused a delay of two-and-three-quarter hours to the start of play.
The 35-year-old Gilchrist's maiden World Cup hundred fell nine runs short of Matthew Hayden's Australian World Cup record score of 158, set earlier in the tournament.
Gilchrist equalled Ponting's record of most sixes (eight) in a World Cup innings and beat Ponting's 140 not out in 2003 against India in Johannesburg for the highest score in a World Cup final.
Man of the match Gilchrist was delighted to have been a member of a World Cup winning side for the third time.
"We are thrilled, it is just an unbelievable feeling, it is just so terrific the guys have worked so hard," he said.
He said his match-winning knock in such a big game was particularly satisfying.
"It has been a while between drinks for my hundred so it was really pleasing to get it on an important day," he said.
Ponting looked in good touch before he was run out for 37 from 42 deliveries.
Shane Watson (3) fell in the penultimate over as Andrew Symonds (23 not out) and Michael Clarke (8 not out) completed the innings.
Today's effort was Australia's eighth half-century opening stand in 11 matches in the World Cup, seven of which came from the Gilchrist-Hayden pairing.
Australia contained Sri Lanka's two main bowling threats. Lasith Malinga (2-49) claimed the wickets of Hayden and Watson but didn't change the course of the game and champion off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan took 0-44.
Malinga's first four overs cost only six runs and Australia were 0-46 off 10 overs, with 235 runs coming from the final 28 overs at more than eight per over.
Paceman Dilhara Fernando (1-74 off eight overs) and spinner Tillakaratne Dilshan (0-23 off two overs) were heavily punished.
Gilchrist reached his century off 72 balls with eight fours and six sixes, his first hundred in one-day internationals since the third final of the home tri-series in Brisbane against Sri Lanka in 2005-06.
Dropped on 31 by the bowler Fernando in a return catch attempt, the left-hander gave another chance on 100 when wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara spilled a low diving chance.
Hayden's departure in the 23rd over, caught at cover off Malinga, ended his remarkable tournament in which the 35-year-old Queenslander hit 659 runs at 73.22 including three hundreds.
Retiring seamer Glenn McGrath was named player of the tournament.
After picking up the award, McGrath said: "I am really happy with the way things have turned out, I have really enjoyed this tournament. The fact that my retirement was just around the corner made me enjoy it a lot more."
"I just went out there and had some fun."
However, he admitted he would miss the game.
"It has been quite a long career, I have loved every minute of it," he added.
"I think the things I will miss is playing on the field and after the match the celebrations, which we are going to enjoy over the next few days."
Departing coach John Buchanan felt there was a gulf between his men and the rest of the world.
"It's like day and night between us and the rest," said Buchanan.
"It's a fairytale to win three World Cups in a row.
"It really is an unbelievable achievement and it's due to the team and the support team.
"We have great players and when you have great players this is what happens."
The West Indies, champions in 1975 and 1979, are the only side to have gone close to winning three Cups in a row but lost the final to India in the 1983 tournament in England.
Australian captain Ricky Ponting was "unbelievably proud" of his side's achievement.
"We did not have a close game throughout the tournament and full credit to the guys," he said.
"We have never been satisfied with where we are and by what we have done.
"Individuals have challenged themselves and the results have just been getting better and better."
"There was one difference between the teams today and that was Adam Gilchrist's unbelievable innings, it was a sight to behold."
The Australian players joined Ponting on the podium in lifting the World Cup and posed for photographers.
Australia have lifted the Cup on four occasions from the tournament's nine editions.
SCOREBOARD
Australia
Adam Gilchrist c Silva b Fernando 149
Matthew Hayden c Jayawardene b Malinga 38
Ricky Ponting run out 37
Andrew Symonds not out 23
Shane Watson b Malinga 3
Michael Clarke not out 8
Extras: (4lb, 3nb, 16w) 23
TOTAL: (for 4 wickets) 281.
Overs: 38.
Fall of wickets: 1-172, 2-224, 3-261, 4-266.
Bowling: Chaminda Vaas 8-0-54-0 (2nb, 5w), Lasith Malinga 8-1-49-2, Dilhara Fernando 8-0-74-1 (1nb, 4w), Muttiah Muralitharan 7-0-44-0 (2w), Tillekeratne Dilshan 2-0-23-0 (5w), Sanath Jayasuriya 5-0-33-0.
Sri Lanka
Upul Tharanga c Gilchrist b Bracken 6
Sanath Jayasuriya b Clarke 63
Kumar Sangakkara c Ponting b Hogg 54
Mahela Jayawardene lbw b Watson 19
Chamara Silva b Clarke 21
Tillekeratne Dilshan run out 14
Russel Arnold c Gilchrist b McGrath 1
Chaminda Vaas not out 11
Lasith Malinga st Gilchrist b Symonds 10
Dilhara Fernando not out 1
Extras: (1lb, 14w) 15
TOTAL: (for 8 wickets) 215.
Overs: 36.
Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-123, 3-145, 4-156, 5-188, 6-190, 7-194, 8-211.
Bowling: Nathan Bracken 6-1-34-1 (2w), Shaun Tait 6-0-42-0 (2w), Glenn McGrath 7-0-31-1 (1w), Shane Watson 7-0-49-1 (4w), Brad Hogg 3-0-19-1, Michael Clarke 5-0-33-2 (5w), Andrew Symonds 2-0-6-1.
Result: Australia won by 53 runs.
- AAP
