Intro:

Michael Clarke's Australian team ended India's reign as World Cup champion with a 95-run victory at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday that set up a showdown in the final with tournament co-hosts New Zealand.

Steve Smith scored 105 and shared a 182-run partnership with Aaron Finch to help Australia post 328-7, a record for a World Cup semi-final.

Script:

SOUNDBITE (English): Michael Clarke, Australia captain(Did you think the 328 was enough?)

"I did think 320 was enough, but I thought our bowlers had to execute very well. India's batting line-up has been extremely successful throughout this tournament. They've got a lot of class, they've got a lot of experience in big games, in World Cups, as well. My opinion was we had to try and bowl India out. No matter how many runs we scored, we were going to try and bowl India out. Yeah, but I think the boys did really well to make 320 odd. I think that was still a fantastic performance."

SOUNDBITE (English): Steve Smith, Australia(Do you think the Indian bowlers played to your strengths for the most part of the innings?)

"I don't think so. For me it was just about giving myself an opportunity to get in, and I got a few 'freebees' early on, a couple of short ones that probably weren't quite short enough, and I got a few boundaries away, and that really got my innings started. From there I just tried to play each ball on its merits, and I was lucky enough to go at just over run a ball. It was nice to have a partnership there with Aaron Finch, as well, to set a foundation for us to go quite hard at the end."

SOUNDBITE (English): Michael Clarke, Australia captain

"I couldn't be prouder of our bowling unit in general. I think every single one of them, once again, under pressure, stood up. I think James Faulkner is a really good example of didn't bowl as well as he would have liked in his first three overs but the way he come back and turned it around shows his attitude, shows his discipline. Pressure situations you have to be able to execute, and at the moment our attack is doing that."

SOUNDBITE (English): Michael Clarke, Australia captain(Despite not winning that game in New Zealand, do you think you guys actually were the team that take the most confidence from that, the fact that you were almost able to defend 150?)

"I think New Zealand will take confidence that they've beaten us in the tournament. But I believe that was the turning point in this tournament for the Australian team. I think that gave us a bit of a kick up the backside. We knew we got a good look at a very good team playing at the top of their game, certainly with the ball, and I think our attitude from that day has been exceptional."