Australia has claimed its final gold medal of the Commonwealth Games with a dominant 7-0 win over India in the final of the men's hockey.
A potentially testing examination between the Tokyo Olympic silver and bronze medallists quickly became a celebration of Australia's hockey entertainers on the Games' final day.
They exploded out of their semi-final slumber — a controversial 3-2 defeat of England on Saturday being a rare vulnerable moment — to score five first-half goals and all-but order team staff to place the champagne on ice.
The quality on show was best summed up by Australia's second goal.
Daniel Beale showed dexterity to pluck possession from an Indian stick on the edge of Australia's defensive circle.
Seconds later he'd received the ball back 70 metres downfield from an outrageous, no-look Josh Belz pass weighted to bypass three Indian sticks.
Beale ripped the ball to Flynn Ogilvie with Nathan Ephraums finishing the brilliant passage with a simple tap in.
It was hockey at its best and India, despite the incredible hand-eye coordination of goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, were simply no match.
Even straight-faced coach Colin Batch did a little dance in celebration when Anderson slid a fifth goal home with two minutes to play in the first half.
In a sign of their ruthless mindset, Matt Dawson showed no regard for his own safety to smother an Indian shot early in the third quarter.
It was an emphatic reminder of Australia's Commonwealth Games dominance — they're now 41-1 since the sport entered in 1998 and have won all seven gold medals on offer in that time.
The victory brings a fourth title for Birmingham flag bearer Eddie Ockenden, drawing the modest champion level with Kookaburras legend Mark Knowles in terms of gold medals won.
ABC/AAP
