New Zealand and Australia Fans at MCG.
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Melbourne: One of the world's greatest sporting cities was gripped by cricket fever on Sunday as co-hosts Australia and New Zealand faced off in the World Cup final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. (Blog | Scorecard)
All roads led to the iconic stadium where fans dressed in the respective team colours of yellow and black lined up to be part of the sell-out crowd of more than 90,000.
New Zealand's Prime Minister John Key will lead thousands of his countrymen to cheer their team in the nation's first ever appearance in the final of cricket's showpiece event.
Politics will, however, take a backseat as the packed stands witness the blockbuster final between the trans-Tasman rivals who have a history of tense sporting encounters across all codes.
"It will be interesting if six runs are needed off the last ball, that's the scenario we all hope will happen," former Australian fast bowler Rodney Hogg was quoted as saying in the local media.
Hogg was referring to the infamous incident at the MCG in 1981 when the then Australian captain Greg Chappell ordered his younger brother Trevor to bowl 'underarm' to prevent New Zealand's number 11 Brian McKechnie from hitting a winning six off the last ball.
It created a diplomatic row between the two neighbours with the then New Zealand Prime Minister Robert Muldoon commenting that it was fitting that Australia wore yellow.
Australians will outnumber the Kiwis on Sunday, but the support for Brendon McCullum's Black Caps will be no less vociferous, creating an electric atmosphere at the vast ground.
"Mate, we will shout the Aussies down," said Glen Walker, who along with good friend Matt Reid, has flown in from Wellington hoping to watch New Zealand create cricketing history.
"It cost us a few bucks to get here, but we were not going to miss a lifetime opportunity," said Walker, who works at a civil construction company.
"The whole country is behind the team. Hope they win, but even if they don't, McCullum and the rest should be proud of themselves."
Mathew Dunn from Queenstown said he did not expect the 'underarm' incident to be repeated, but even if it was he will not fear the consequences.
"We have won two games in this tournament with sixes (against Australia in the pool stages and South Africa in the semi-final), so I am sure even a rolled ball will go out of the MCG," he said.
"And if Australia need a six off the last ball, (Trent) Boult will rattle the stumps with a yorker."
Left-armer Boult is the tournament's leading wicket-taker with 21 wickets, one more than Australia's Mitchell Starc.
Samantha Taylor, a tour operator from Melbourne, did not anticipate a New Zealand win.
"Hey, we are the big brothers and deserve to win," she said. "They can never beat Australia."
New Zealand will benefit from India's semi-final defeat to Australia on Thursday since many of the cricket-mad nation's supporters will back McCullum's men.
"We wanted to sell our tickets, but then decided to watch the match," said London-based Praveen Patel, who had flown down on a tour package for the Sydney semi-final and the final.
"And of course we want New Zealand to win. Don't you see so many Indians wearing black clothes in support of the Black Caps ?"
The merchandising outlet outside the MCG did brisk business selling Black Caps' shirts, flags and caps. The usually in-demand Indian colours were passe.
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