Australia raced to a seven-wicket victory over New Zealand in a ICC World Cup 2011 Group A league game here on Friday. Chasing a target of 206, the world champion notched up 207 for three to clinch the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy.
After Mitchell Johnson and Shaun Tait had teamed up to throttle the Kiwis build-up, it eased the way for openers Shane Watson and Brad Haddin to finish the job in style.
Given the sombre mood back home, in the aftermath of an earthquake, New Zealand trooped out for action by linking arms and shed tears during the National Anthem. Wearing black armbands to express solidarity with its neighbour, Australia was at full blast on the field though and a collective Kiwi effort was not enough to stretch the champion.
Blistering innings
Watson gave his shoulders a workout, smashing six fours and one six for 62 (61 balls) in a 133-run opening stand with Haddin (55 off 50, eight fours). Haddin was in an aggressive mood, driving and pulling with disdain against pace and spin to rake up 50 in 39 balls.
Watson, who won a successful review against a leg-before verdict off Southee, celebrated with a pulled six off Nathan McCullum as 74 runs came off 10 overs. The two flung their bats at anything in range.
Vettori had come in the second over to contain the Aussie chase after having done his share with the bat (44, 43b, 5 x 4). Watson cracked three fours off the Kiwi captain enroute to a 52-ball 50.
Ponting's double-spin gambit at 35 overs, with Jason Krejzta and Smith testing Vettori, was an interesting phase in the morning.
The Kiwi captain, and one of leading spinners in world cricket, curbed his instincts to play a controlled knock.
Nathan McCullum flexed his arms to reach 50 (73 balls) as an eighth wicket stand chipped in with 54 off 74 balls before Johnson gained a leg-before verdict against McCullum.
The ball, pitched on leg, struck the pads in line with off-stump and replays supported umpire Billy Doctrove's judgement, in response to the second Kiwi challenge under UDRS.
Earlier, Ponting, having won the toss, unleashed his fast bowlers and seamers in overcast conditions. The Kiwis crawled to 100 in 23.4 overs.
Losing an appeal
James Low lost an appeal against umpire Kumar Dharmasena's decision to rule him out leg-before against Steven Smith.
The batsman played forward to a ball pitched on off and middle stump and straightening to hit the pad on the front foot. Low's instinctive reaction was to indicate bat contact and then he opted for UDRS.
Australia tightened the grip on the game in the bowling power play taken after 10 overs. Johnson and Tait preyed on the batsmen's minds with short-pitched stuff and set up dismissals when frustrated batsmen tried to force the pace.
Ryder, Franklin and Styris fell in this phase, edging to Haddin's gloves. Ryder shaped to push against a Johnson delivery pitched around the off stump, Franklin drove without moving his feet and Styris flashed at Tait. Tait's war cry, after yorking Ross Taylor, may have echoed in the Kiwi dressing room.
The Kiwi batsmen had to watch out for uneven bounce off the pitch. Opener Guptill played a firm on-drive to the mid-wicket fence off Watson, then was startled when the ball kept low enough to go under his defensive blade. Brendon McCullum exploded into action for three fours before top-edging to Krejzta at third man.
Scoreboard:
New Zealand: B. McCullum c Krejzta b Tait 16 (12b, 3x4), M. Guptill b Watson 10 (25b, 2x4), J. Ryder c Haddin b Johnson 25 (31b, 6x4), R. Taylor b Tait 7 (22b, 1x4), J. Franklin c Haddin b Johnson 0 (3b), S. Styris c Haddin b Tait 0 (4b), J. Low lbw b Smith 22 (47b, 1x4), N. McCullum lbw b Johnson 52 (76b, 3x4), D. Vettori c Haddin b Lee 44 (43b, 5x4), T. Southee c Ponting b Johnson 6 (10b), H. Bennett (not out) 0; Extras (b-1, lb-8, nb-2, w-13) 24; Total (in 45.1 overs) 206.
Fall of wickets: 1-20, 2-40, 3-66, 4-66, 5-67, 6-73, 7-121, 8-175, 9-206.
Australia bowling: Lee 8-2-29-1, Tait 7-0-35-3, Johnson 9.1-3-33-4, Watson 3-1-9-1, Krejzta 9-0-47-0, Smith 9-0-44-1.
Australia: S. Watson b Bennett 62 (61b, 6x4, 1x6), B. Haddin c Franklin b Bennett 55 (50b, 8x4), R. Ponting st. B. McCullum b Southee 12 (28b, 1x4), M. Clarke (not out) 24 (37b, 4x4), C. White (not out) 22 (28b, 3x4); Extras (lb-3, w-29) 32; Total (for three wkts. in 34 overs) 207.
Fall of wickets: 1-133, 2-136, 3-167.
New Zealand bowling: Southee 10-2-45-1, Vettori 7-0-39-0, Bennett 7-0-63-2, N. McCullum 3-0-22-0, Ryder 5-0-24-0, Franklin 2-0-11-0.
