A former Isle of Wight sportsman, who now plays for Australia, has become history's fourth highest scoring batter in a World Cup cricket final.

He sits behind Australia's Ricky Ponting and Adam Gilchrist, and West Indies' Viv Richards. 

Travis Head has spearheaded his side's victory against India, in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup final this afternoon (Sunday, November 19), in front of more than 110,00 home fans and millions of tv viewers.

He made an historic 137 runs, helping Australia win its sixth World Cup at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Just shy of his 30th birthday, left hander Travis, who used to play for Ventnor, earlier caught out India's captain, Rohit Sharma.

The hosts had brushed aside all-comers – including Australia - as they marched to the final with a 100 per cent record.

But India came up short, in front of an enormous but increasingly morose crowd, reported PA, posting a modest 240 all out – before watching Head take the game away from them with 137 from 120 balls.

Australia won by six wickets.

The 29-year-old was not even in the country when the campaign began, joining up late due to a fractured left hand that side-lined him for Australia’s first four matches, said PA.

The selectors’ faith paid off after he followed up his player-of-the-match effort in the semi-final against South Africa with something even better.

In 2013, Travis Head had a season at Steephill, before going on to play for Yorkshire and Sussex.