No worries for Australians

THE CRICKET World Cup final was unlikely to live up to the two extraordinary games Australia played against South Africa - and so it proved. Not that the boys in canary yellow were complaining as they overwhelmed Pakistan by eight wickets at Lord's yesterday.

It was never a contest and proved a big disappointment for most of the 30,000 crowd who had paid a total of almost pounds 2.5m for their seats. Despite starting 30 minutes late, the match was all over by half past four when Darren Lehmann smashed the final runs off the first ball of the 21st over. After winning the toss and opting to bat, Pakistan were bowled out for 132, the lowest total in a World Cup final.

They had little answer to the Australian bowling - either the pace of Glenn McGrath or the leg-spin of Shane Warne, who took the man of the match award for his superb spell of four wickets for 33 runs.

With the final being sold out months ago, supporters tried various ploys to gain entry. Genuine tickets were being bought from touts at up to pounds 1,600 a pair but the fans who were probably the most determined to get inside the home of cricket were the two Pakistani supporters discovered in the toilets on Friday night.

Perhaps, given the result, they should have been allowed to stay there.

Derek Pringle, Sport, page 1; Richard Williams, Sport, page 3