Black Caps captain Brendon McCullum has been gracious in defeat, saying it "doesn't rankle" him that Australia beat New Zealand to lift the Cricket World Cup trophy last night.
Australia beat New Zealand by seven wickets in the World Cup final last night. Here is how the world's media reacted:
"The World Cup final was over almost the instant it began.
"A lavish stage had been set. After a long, but slick and spectacular tournament, all roads led to the MCG, which was glittering autumnally and packed as no ground in Australia ever had been for cricket previously. Australia was the favourite of crowd and punters, New Zealand represented themselves and the rest of the world.
"The dying notes of the national anthems would still have been in the ears of Brendon McCullum, New Zealand's captain and talisman, as he faced Mitchell Starc, Australia's gangling left-armer, soon to be crowned the player of the tournament. Runs in a rush was McCullum's speciality, wickets by the fistful Starc's. This finale could start only with one of two bangs, but never a whimper." Read the full column here
The Daily telegraphs front page today. Photo / File.
"But few thought steel-boned captain Brendon McCullum would be the man most culpable.
"In the biggest cricket match his country has ever known, it was almost cruel that the superstar who has reinvigorated the game in New Zealand lost his head.
"There's aggression and then there's lunacy, and for the first time, McCullum was found guilty of crossing that fine line.
"Pre-match, McCullum was asked if he would consider toning down his aggression for a World Cup final.
"The 33-year-old scoffed at the suggestion and justifiably so.
"Why would the most dominant figure in the tournament's only unbeaten team try and fix something that wasn't broke?". Read the full column here.
The Daily Telegraph rate Brendon McCullum a 1/10
"Oh no bro! Had a shocker. Kiwis were choking on their fush and chups when he had a feeble end to a terrific tournament. Lasted only three balls and had airswings at all of them."
Corey Anderson and Luke Ronchi also scraped a 1, describing Anderson as a "big talent who didn't produce when it mattered most".
Martin Guptill a 3 and Kane Williamson a 2.5 describing them as "inexplicably befuddled" and "muddled in the mind".
However, it rated Grant Elliott an 8.5 saying: "Wow! Was in a different stratosphere to the rest of the Kiwi batsmen and stood up to the Aussie bowling onslaught, scoring at more than a run a ball. There was nothing he couldn't do, even introducing a new shot into world cricket with a reverse sweep off the back of his bat." See the full ratings here.
New Zealand's national bird is a Kiwi, but maybe it should be a duck.
Four Black Caps batsmen made ducks in Sunday's World Cup final as the Kiwis were rolled for just 183 in 45 overs by a rampant Australian bowling attack.
Here are some amazing facts to come out of the first innings at the MCG.
In matches not against Australia, no New Zealand batsmen made a duck at this World Cup.... Read all the gory stats here.
How Twitter reacted: The final made big waves in Australasia on Twitter and was responsible for all ten of New Zealand's trending topics last night. And It took nine of Australia's top ten trending spots, only losing one place to former One Direction member Zayn Malik. Internationally however, it failed to register.
It seems strange to say this in the face of a loss but I've never been prouder to be a New Zealander and a New Zealand cricketer.
"Sometimes Goliath wins, even if this is seldom the most popular outcome. But most of those at the MCG, which was at its most majestic, a waspish conglomeration of yellow interspersed by a bit of black here and there, were very happy. Australia were winning; the old order was intact and that was reassuring.
"They prevailed with super efficiency, without doubt the best side on the day and the best in the tournament.
"Beyond Australia, New Zealand had become everyone's second favourite team. However, here on the crowded side of Tasman, they suddenly seemed a long, long way from home. The advantage of playing in their own country, which the Kiwis had enjoyed for eight matches now seemed something of a hindrance." Read the full column here
