Watson wins it for Australia

Watson hit an unbeaten 105, getting to his landmark and securing victory and a successful title defence with consecutive sixes off Jeetan Patel, following his man-of-the-match performance against England three days ago.

Ricky Ponting's Australians, who have been in imperious one-day form since losing the Ashes, were rocked by the fall of two early wickets in pursuit of a 201-run target. But they got home in the 46th over thanks largely to Watson's 128-run stand with Cameron White.

Watson crashed seven sixes in his 136 not out against Andrew Strauss' team and showed the advantage of being able to clear the rope once again, doing so four times on the same surface used for Friday's semi-final.

Australia crawled along at under three runs per over until Watson pulled Ian Butler into the advertising boards at midwicket and followed up with a slog-sweep onto the grassed bank in the next over, the 23rd of the innings, sent down by Patel.

White, initially outstripped in the third-wicket alliance, was the second of the pair to celebrate 50, doing so in style with a six of his own, straight down the ground off Butler.

That blow in the 30th over also brought up three figures for their partnership.

When White departed five overs later, re-directing a Kyle Mills delivery into his stumps for 61, the destiny of the trophy had all but been confirmed.

Mills' final spell also reaped the wicket of Michael Hussey, taking him past Sir Richard Hadlee's 158 career victims and placing him fourth in New Zealand's most prolific one-day bowlers.

The ease with which Australia eventually broke down their opponents, however, was not apparent during the initial stages of their innings when Tim Paine and Ponting were dismissed inside the first three overs, caught at slip off Shane Bond, and leg before to Mills respectively.