Bengaluru, May 13: For Australia, there was not much to gain by winning yet another World Cup for it was the fifth time in 28 years that they won the trophy.

But the Kangaroos' conduct during the final of the 2015 edition when they won the title for the first time at home saw them losing much respect.

Even the Australian media was critical of Michael Clarke's men's behaviour at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on March 29, 2015.

Australia came into the final in good form, having beaten Pakistan in the quarterfinals and dethroning champions India in the semifinal.

Even as New Zealand were without a single loss till the final, they were far from satisfactory in their maiden final against the Trans-Tasman rivals. But while Australia's performance with the bat and the ball were impeccable, it was their poor behaviour that left the cricketing world disappointed.

Brendon McCullum won the toss and elected to bat first, perhaps thinking to kill the pressure that comes in the final of the World Cup.

But the top three - Martin Guptill (15), McCullum (0) and Kane Williamson (12) -- were back into the hut with just 39 runs on the board. It was left for Ross Taylor (40) and Grant Elliott (83) to rebuild the innings and they added 111 runs for the fourth wicket.

Perhaps that partnership frustrated the Aussies and it was quite obvious in the way James Faulkner and Brad Haddin indulged in some unsportsman-like sledging.

Keeper Haddin was particularly unimpressive for the way he had treated the New Zealand batsmen after their dismissals and especially his gesture at Elliott, the hero of the semifinal against South Africa, was atrocious.

A send-off that drew flak

A slower one from the left-arm pacer fooled Elliott as he nicked it to Haddin in the 42nd over and the Australian duo's animated celebration as the batsman walked back brought into relevance a vital comparison.

It was the same Elliott who had extended helping hand to a distraught Dale Steyn after the Kiwis beat South Africa in the semifinals. But the Australians did just the opposite and drew flak for that.

McCullum though was not too concerned about the send-off his batsmen got as he was rueing over the fact that Australia were the better side on the day.

But from the gentleman's point of view, Australia certainly weren't the better side on the ground even as they overhauled the modest target of 184 with seven wickets to spare with Faulkner ending up as the man of the match for his three-wicket burst.