Healy fires Australia to thumping World Cup win

:Opener Alyssa Healy smashed a record 170 as Australia routed England by 71 runs to claim their seventh Women's World Cup win in Christchurch on Sunday.

Healy's belligerent 138-ball innings, the highest total in a World Cup final, helped Australia set a mammoth victory target of 357 at Hagley Oval which proved well beyond England despite a fighting century by Nat Sciver.

Sciver's unbeaten 148 entertained the crowd but she lacked support from her top order colleagues, and England were bowled out for 285 with six overs to spare.

"That was pretty special from our group," said Healy, who was carrying a back injury.

"It was something we've been working on for a very long time.

"Full credit to the bowlers, they held their nerve ... It was just a good game of cricket."

Legspinner Alana King took 3-64 after pace bowler Megan Schutt (2-42) did the early damage by removing both England's openers.

Favourites Australia finished the tournament unbeaten in nine matches, erasing their 2017 World Cup disappointment when they were stunned in the semi-finals by India in England.

The peerless Australians have now won three of the last five 50-over World Cups and own both the major global trophies, having claimed the T20 World Cup on home soil in 2020.

Four days after smashing 129 in the semi-final against West Indies, wicketkeeper-batter Healy blasted 26 fours as Australia posted 356 for five, sent in to bat after England won the toss.

Healy anchored 100-run partnerships with fellow opener Rachael Haynes (68) and number three Beth Mooney (62).

She cut seamer Anya Shrubsole for a single to bring up her fifth ODI century, yelping in delight as beaming husband Mitchell Starc, the Australian men's fast bowler, clapped in the crowd.

She was finally stumped