Kiwis sitting ducks for sharp-shooting Aussies

Kiwis sitting ducks for sharp-shooting Aussies
Associated Press

AUCKLAND, FEBRUARY 19: Matthew Hayden hit a half-century to guide Australia to an easy five-wicket win over New Zealand in a limited-overs cricket international at Eden Park on Saturday.

Australia polished off New Zealand's usually strong batting line-up for a dismal 122. The tourists then reached their winning target at a good clip, off 24.4 overs with five wickets down.

Aside from the no-result in the first One-dayer in Wellington abandoned due to rain on Thursday, Australia has now won 10 consecutive One-day matches.

Their world-class bowling attack caused New Zealand problems in front of a crowd of 33,050, but it was also poor shot selection by the home batsmen which contributed to several wickets.

Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee opened their tours with fiery spells, McGrath ending with three for 33 of 8.1 overs as well as having two confident caught behind appeals against Stephen Fleming turned down early on.

Man-of-the-match Brett Lee took three for 21 off seven accurate overs, while Shane Warne took two for 35 off 10 overs and Shane Lee chipped in with two for 27 off five.

Australia fielded brilliantly, with Brett Lee taking a memorable one-handed catch on the fine-leg boundary to dismiss Chris Cairns for one.

Right from the fourth ball of the match when Craig Spearman edged an attempted off-drive off McGrath to Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist, New Zealand was in trouble.

It didn't help when their in-form batsman Nathan Astle was deceived by a speedy outswinger from Brett Lee -- his first delivery of the tour -- making it none for two after 1.1 overs.

Only Roger Twose and Craig McMillan showed any form, with Fleming, Cairns, Chris Harris and Adam Parore all falling cheaply to leave New Zealand 81 for seven after 21 overs.

Daniel Vettori added 35 for the ninth wicket with all falling cheaply to leave New Zealand 81 for seven after 21 overs.

Daniel Vettori added 35 for the ninth wicket with McMillan -- the highest partnership of the innings.

Cairns and Vettori both claimed early wickets, Cairns having Mark Waugh caught behind for two and Vettori having Gilchrist caught on the mid-wicket boundary by Roger Twose for 10.

It could have been 36 for three when Andrew Symonds edged Cairns between wicketkeeper Parore and first slip Fleming in the seventh over.

But some big hits from Symonds in his 33 from 26 balls, and another brief exhibition of the class of Hayden saw the chase through with ease.

SCOREBOARD
New Zealand: New Zealand c Spearman c Gilchrist b McGrath 0, N Astle c M Waugh b B Lee 0, S Fleming c S Lee b B Lee 14, R Twose b Warne 25, C Cairns c B Lee b McGrath 1, C McMillan c Gilchrist b B Lee 35, C Harris c Gilchrist b S Lee 9, A Parore b S Lee 0, S Styris c M Waugh b Warne 1, D Vettori c Symonds b McGrath 22, P Wiseman not out 1; Extras (lb6, w6, nb2) 14
Total (all out in 30.1 overs) 122
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-0, 3-30, 4-31, 5-52, 6-81, 7-81, 8-84, 9-119.
Bowling: McGrath 8.1-2-33-3, B Lee 7-1-21-3, Warne 1-0-35-2, S Lee 5-1-27-2.

Australia: M Waugh c Parore b Cairns 2, A Gilchrist c Twose b Vettori 10, A Symonds c Styris b Vettori 33, M Hayden c Vettori b Wiseman 50, M Bevan c Cairns b Wiseman 8, S Waugh not out 4, D Martyn not out 8; Extras (lb1, nb4, w3) 8
Total (for 5 wickets, 24.4 overs) 123
Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-17, 3-62, 4-98, 5-112
Bowling: Cairns 5-0-39-1, Vettori 10-1-37-2, Styris 4-0-21-0, Wiseman 5-0-21-2, McMillan 0.4-0-4-0.