Stand-in New Zealand cricket captain Brendon McCullum says the loss of regular skipper Dan Vettori before the match was a major blow to their Champions Trophy hopes.
Batting first in the final against Australia in South Africa, the Black Caps made 200 for nine, which Australia comfortably achieved for the loss of just four wickets, with Shane Watson making an unbeaten century.
Vettori was ruled out of the match with a hamstring injury, making him the fourth frontline player the side lost during the tournament.
McCullum feels they were 50 or so runs short of a good total but says they still believed they could win.
The Black Caps' overall success at the tournament though has seen them move up to fourth on the one day world rankings.
