Australian captain Belinda Clark peaked at the right time during the latter stages of the CricInfo Women's World Cup but when she needed them most, her team-mates were not able to help her during the final against New Zealand.

New Zealand won the world championship for the first time, at the BIL Oval at Lincoln University, breaking the stranglehold enjoyed by Australia and England at the previous World Cups.

While always ranked as one of the key performers in her side, Clark had taken a back seat while Lisa Keightley, who was named the CricInfo Player of the Tournament, and Karen Rolton dominated the side's scoring.

But they were back in the pavilion with Australia having only two runs on the board as they sought 185 runs to win the game.

"I knew if I could get a partnership together with someone we could push the score along. But the wickets kept falling as players were feeling the individual pressure of a Cup final," Clark said.

"But the New Zealand bowlers bowled a tight line and we got out.

"We did our best to try and get our middle order a hit during the tournament. I don't think their lack of chances was a factor. I have seen them where you haven't, practicing, and they had been hitting the ball well in training."

Clark, who was named the CricInfo Player of the Final, got out for 91, bowled by off-spinner Clare Nicholson, when Australia was 150/7. She had spent long periods without the strike as incoming batsmen attempted to play themselves in.

At one stage, after the departure of Cherie Bambury from their 83-run third-wicket partnership, until she got out, Clark faced only 34 of the 111 balls bowled in the innings.

"I chose a bad time to get out. Hopefully, I'll learn from it. I played the wrong shot, I missed it.

"We got out-played. We had won 16 on the trot and we lost the 17th match which was the most important one to us," she said.

© CricInfo