Brendon McCullum believes the future of New Zealand cricket has been left in a much healthier state after his team's run to the final of the Champions Trophy.

The Black Caps concluded their campaign with a disappointing six-wicket loss to Australia at Centurion on Monday but did not give in without a fight despite the absence of a number of regulars.

The biggest name among those absentees was captain Daniel Vettori, one of the star players of the tournament - who pulled out of the team only at the last minute because of a hamstring injury.

It was harsh on the New Zealanders - who were already without three other first-choice players in Jacob Oram, Jesse Ryder and Daryl Tuffey, all of whom had succumbed to injury earlier in the tournament.

In those circumstances, stand-in captain McCullum believes there is plenty of room for optimism.

"I think it's certainly a step forward for us," he said.

"We've had some pretty tough times over the last couple of years, not just losing players to injuries but also through retirements and obviously the ICL (Indian Cricket League) when it was running.

"Things have been a little tough from that point of view, but I think it's given our guys opportunities.

"We're proud of what we've achieved in terms of arriving in the final and giving ourselves an opportunity to walk away with a trophy. It wasn't to be this time, but we're proud of the way we've played in this tournament."

McCullum also revealed the pool of quality New Zealand players has been extended, meaning there will be plenty of depth in the years ahead.

He continued: "If you look at the New Zealand team as a squad of 20 or 25 players, you've got guys capable of performing on the international stage and also a number of match-winners.

"While we are disappointed with what happened in the final, we're certainly proud of what we have achieved, through some tough times.

"I think if we can continue to capture that in tournaments and series in the future, this team will certainly move forward."

McCullum also believes the 2009 Champions Trophy has served the 50-over format well as it competes for popularity with Twenty20 cricket.

"I thought this tournament was good - the top eight teams in the world coming together and playing over a short period of time. I thought it worked well," he said.

"While I guess there weren't too many nail-biting games, I still think the quality of cricket was fantastic.

"I think that if 50-over cricket is to remain in the calendar, then it's a great way to push it forward with tournaments like the Champions Trophy."