Australia v England

At Perth, February 1, 2015. Australia won by 112 runs. Toss: England.
The return of Mitchell Johnson after a month's rest lent the final an extra frisson - and he disappointed nobody, ripping out England's top order with three for five in ten balls to condemn this to a rout. It had not looked that way early on, as England's confident bowlers made inroads into a powerful Australian batting line-up still missing Shane Watson and Michael Clarke. The top four could muster only 54 between them, with Bailey, continuing his lean spell, bounced out by Broad. That was Broad's 500th international wicket - making him the third England bowler to reach the mark, after Ian Botham and James Anderson. But England still had the all-rounders to deal with, and they hit a brick wall as Maxwell and Marsh added 141. Maxwell had already taken a destructive hundred off England for the Prime Minister's XI, and he seemed set for another until he swung once too often at Broad and edged behind for 95. Marsh followed for 60, but Faulkner thundered the third fifty of the innings, from just 24 balls, to put up a strong total. Bell was superbly caught by Haddin low to his right off Hazlewood, and Johnson came on to bowl the seventh over. By the end of the 11th, he had all but ended the contest: he had Taylor caught on the drive at backward point, got one to rear at Ali, then castled Morgan, playing no shot, for his second golden duck of the series. It was devastating. Maxwell mopped up four wickets, after Faulkner limped off with a side strain in his third over. Australia's margin of victory was emphatic, and the problems England had encountered with Johnson a year before showed no signs of abating.
Man of the Match: G. J. Maxwell. Attendance: 12,508. Man of the Series: M. A. Starc.