Andrew Alderson: Black Caps' timing right on retirement

Extraordinarily, Michael Clarke announced his departure from one-day internationals on the day before the final. Photo / Getty Images

One of the World Cup final's intriguing sub-plots, which highlighted a gulf in mindset between the Australian and New Zealand cricket teams, was the retirement question.

Extraordinarily, Michael Clarke announced his departure from one-day internationals on the day before the final because he "really didn't want to take anything away from the team".

He must be taken at his word, but quite how making that call on the eve of the game, rather than holding off until the days after his team achieved World Cup glory, presents bewildering logic.

Clarke pitched this justification: "Because I think tomorrow's press is going to be about the team, and if I'd announced it tonight, then tomorrow's press wouldn't have been about the team.

"I've probably taken one day of media rather than a week of it. I'm hoping the next week is full of positive things about every single player in that change room and what they've achieved in this tournament. But you guys will dictate that."

Clarke admitted his vision and hearing may not have been what it was when it came to the verbal send-offs delivered to dismissed batsmen like Grant Elliott, Daniel Vettori and Martin Guptill.

"I can't remember a player getting a send-off. Maybe I was too far from the action," Clarke said, in what surely must be a case of dead-panning.

"I don't think there was anything below the belt."

In contrast the Kiwis kept their retirement plans concealed.

Vettori announced his retirement yesterday, Kyle Mills seems almost certain to step away from international cricket, and captain Brendon McCullum is likely to scale back his limited overs commitments.

McCullum was mum on those plans. "There may be guys within our group who will retire. We'll let the dust settle on this one and we certainly won't look to grab any headlines in the next couple of days.

"They belong to Australia and they've earned the right to do so. We'll be gracious in defeat and work a plan over the next couple of days with the guys who may look to retire, but it's the right thing to allow Australia to bask in the glory of their success.

"Michael Clarke's been an outstanding cricketer for Australia. His captaincy has been brilliant throughout his tenure. He deserves to bow out a World Cup winner. Sometimes there's a bit of romance in this game and that was one of those occasions.

"We'll move on to the next stage of our cricket careers and lives, but this is something we'll never forget. It's been a proud time to be a New Zealander, even though we ran second."