Adam Gilchrist hopes Australia's historic achievement is not overshadowed by the farcical scenes at the end of the rain-hit World Cup final in Barbados last night.

Australia's wicketkeeper-batsman walked away with the man-of-the-match award after yesterday's ninth World Cup final for his stunning 149 off 104 balls, which included 13 fours and eight sixes.

His brilliant innings, regarded by captain Ricky Ponting as one of the best ever, was the highest individual score in a final and helped Australia clinch a 53-run triumph under the Duckworth-Lewis method.

But Gilchrist fears Australia's record third successive World Cup win could be tainted after a chaotic finish in which the players were forced to bowl the final three overs in near darkness.

The teams had left the field for bad light and umpires wrongly ruled that if they did not return they would have to play out the remainder the following morning.

"We're not letting the events at the end there tarnish anything this team has achieved in this whole tournament," stressed Gilchrist.

"We've had 29 undefeated World Cup games, we've had 23 wins in a row and the way we've played our cricket here and what we've achieved has been phenomenal.

"We have to try to highlight how an amazing group of people have come out and performed so well - it's been an amazing summer and an amazing World Cup campaign".

Gilchrist's views were echoed by proud skipper Ponting, whose own 140 to win the 2003 final in Johannesburg against India was eclipsed by the wicketkeeper's whirlwind knock.

It enabled the Aussies to run up a formidable 281 for four in a game shortened to 38 overs a side, although Sri Lanka's target was later reduced to 269 off 36 overs after further showers.

"As far as I'm concerned he hasn't played a better one," enthused Ponting. "To go out and do it in a World Cup final and hardly miss the middle of the bat for most of the day was unbelievable.

"It was an unbelievable innings and I hope it's not missed with everything else that went on. It's one of the best innings you'll ever see, one of the best innings I've ever seen.

"Matty Hayden has probably been the batsman of the tournament and he was at the other end looking pretty scratchy and shaky and ordinary when Gilly was up and going.

"There was one difference between the two sides and the outcome of the game and that was his innings and that's as simple and as much praise as I can give someone after a game.

"To be able to take a game away from an opposition team like he did was pretty special stuff and for it to happen in a final says a lot about the bloke".

Gilchrist, 35, also confirmed that he would not be following team-mate Glenn McGrath into retirement and plans to continue playing one-day international cricket for Australia.

He said: "My plan is to carry on playing. I'm getting closer to Glenn's situation than being at the start of my career, but I've said all along that I would never make a decision on my career when I'm really down and flat or really high on emotion.

"I will walk away and let things settle down a little bit before making a decision like that and my plan at the moment is to carry on playing".