Expectations were high for a third West Indies title when England hosted for the third successive time - and especially after the Windies won the toss in the final and bowled India out for 183.

But for once, the great Caribbean batting line-up came unstuck against an Indian bowling attack packed with innocuous-looking medium-paced seamers. The defining moment came when Viv Richards pulled Madan Lal over mid-wicket and was superbly caught by captain Kapil Dev running back.

Man of the match Mohinder Amarnath, who had held West Indies up with a gritty 26, took 3-12 in seven overs with his unheralded medium pace and India had won. Kapil lifted the Cup on the day India's love affair with limited-overs cricket began.

Final (Lord's): India beat West Indies by 43 runs

Image source, Getty Images

Jonathan Agnew
BBC Test Match Special

"Looking around the MCG, there's more canary yellow, or gold shirts if you prefer, but there's been something of a New Zealand invasion in Melbourne and the ground should be jam packed."

Listen to TMS commentary via the audio tab.

Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

On Twitter:, external Feels like a huge toss to have won for the @BLACKCAPS... Now make the most of it...

Stephan Shemilt
BBC Sport in Melbourne

"I heard the toss on the radio as my taxi screeched to a halt outside the MCG, the boos from inside the ground were audible. By that time, my laptop lead had been retrieved from the floor of my hotel room, where it lay like a naughty snake. Now, we await for the arrival of the teams. With the flick of the coin, have New Zealand become favourites?"

There is a sad, poignant undertone to today's cricket. New Zealand legend Martin Crowe has revealed he could be watching his final game as he continues to battle cancer, while Australia will be trying to win for Phillip Hughes, who died after being hit by a cricket ball in November.

Crowe, writing for Cricinfo,, external said: "My precarious life ahead may not afford me the luxury of many more games to watch and enjoy.

"This is likely to be it. I can happily live with that."

Image source, AP

BBC Radio Test Match Special

No match can be labelled big until Test Match Special hits the airwaves. You can tune in shortly on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra, BBC Radio 4 LW or listen online with your smartphone or tablet via this page. Just click on the audio icon or the live coverage tab.

Jonathan Agnew
BBC Test Match Special

"In a tournament dominated by the batsmen, Australia have greater depth - Brad Haddin is all the way down at number eight. They will also have home advantage.

"New Zealand are fuelled by some brilliant performances and the excitement of their entire country. They may not have Australia's resources, but they have some big players.

"Australia start as the favourites, but that is no bad position for New Zealand, either."

Read more in Jonathan's pre-final column

Vic Marks
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

"I have spent a lot of time in New Zealand for this tournament and in places like Dunedin and Christchurch, the whole talk is of cricket. The tournament has been well run in both countries, but it's consumed the nation in New Zealand in particular."

England women's captain Charlotte Edwards:, external It's been five weeks, now the best two teams and hoping for a brilliant World Cup final... I'd love to see McCullum lift the trophy. #BacktheBlackCaps

Parthiban: The final will be the 400th World Cup match. If New Zealand win it will be their 300th ODI victory.

Jay: B Mac all the way & not just for his batting. He has epitomised the way NZ have played and how ODI cricket should be played.

It seems no big one-day match between these countries can go by without reference to the notorious "underarm incident" in a one-dayer at the MCG in 1981.

With New Zealand needing six from the final ball to tie the match, Australia captain Greg Chappell instructed the bowler - who happened to be his brother Trevor - to bowl the last ball underarm, rolling it along the ground to prevent batsman Brian McKechnie from clearing the ropes.

At the time, this was within the laws of cricket, but widely condemned as unsportsmanlike. Commentator Richie Benaud described it as "disgraceful" and "one of the worst things I have ever seen on a cricket field", while then-New Zealand Prime Minister Robert Muldoon spoke of "cowardice" and said it was "appropriate" that the Australian team were wearing yellow.

Of course, these two have already met in the group stages of this World Cup. And it was a cracker - at the time, we ran a piece asking if we'd just seen a dress rehearsal of the World Cup final. We were right.

New Zealand won by one wicket, courtesy of a Kane Williamson six, but the match had everything. Australia collapsed from 80-1 to 151 all out, thanks in main to Trent Boult who took 5-27 with his spearing left-arm pace.

The Black Caps wobbled with the bat too as Mitchell Starc (6-28), like Boult, splattered stumps left, right and centre. It was only the cool head of Kane which saw their side over the line.

If the game's half as good today, we'll be in for a treat.

Image source, Getty Images

Australia: Aaron Finch, David Warner, Steve Smith, Michael Clarke (capt), Shane Watson, Glenn Maxwell, James Faulkner, Brad Haddin (wk), Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood.

New Zealand: Brendon McCullum (capt), Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Grant Elliott, Corey Anderson, Luke Ronchi (wk), Daniel Vettori, Matt Henry, Tim Southee, Trent Boult.

Umpires are England's Richard Kettleborough and Sri Lanka's Kumar Dharmasena, with South Africa's Marais Erasmus on TV replays and England's Ian Gould as fourth ump. Match referee is Sri Lanka's Ranjan Madugalle.

This is an interesting one. It appears Brendon McCullum has asked India supporters to cheer on his side against Australia on Sunday...

Image source, Ibnlive.in

Believe it or not, England are actually represented in the World Cup final... but that's got nothing to do with a batsman or bowler. Nope, Sheffield's very own Richard Kettleborough will be on umpiring duty at the MCG alongside Sri Lanka's Kumar Dharmasena, who will become the first man to both play and officiate in a World Cup final. Remember that last stat, it'll be in a pub quiz one day.

Image source, Getty Images

Australia captain Michael Clarke: "I would have batted first but the wicket looks outstanding so I don't think it matters. We've not done much over the last couple of goes - physically we've been able to get ourselves right and we're ready to go. Hopefully we can play some entertaining cricket."

New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum: "Wicket looks outstanding, we can give ourselves a great opportunity to put runs on the board. We're going with the same team and we know we'll be tough to beat. The guys are excited, certainly not fearful. We can't wait to get amongst it."

Both sides are unchanged. I'll bring you the full line-ups shortly.