Australia team members hold the trophy aloft as they celebrate their victory over Sri Lanka in the World Cup cricket final in Bridgetown, yesterday. Australia lifted the World Cup trophy for a record third successive time after claiming a 53-run victory over Sri Lanka in a farcical ending to a rain-shortened final. - Reuters

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (Reuters):

Australia lifted the World Cup trophy for a record third successive time after claiming a 53-run victory over Sri Lanka in a farcical ending to a rain-shortened final yesterday.

Adam Gilchrist smashed 149 - the highest individual score in a World Cup final - but the match ended in confusion as Australia were initially declared winners three overs too early.

Australia started their victory celebrations when the Sri Lankan batsmen left the field due to bad light with the score on 206 for seven. The scoreboard on the ground flashed up with "Congratulations Australia" but the Sri Lankans were then recalled by the umpires to finish the final three overs in darkness at the Kensington Oval.

Australia, who had scored 281-4 from their allotted 38 overs, eventually restricted Sri Lanka to 215 for eight.

Sri Lanka, champions in 1996, were set a revised target of 269 off 36 overs under the Duckworth-Lewis system after rain halted play for 12 minutes during their run chase.