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Aus vs NZ: 11th March

Tuesday, March 11 2003

Australia enjoyed a comfortable win against New Zealand in their Super Sixes match today in a match NZ should have won at one stage but in the end were lucky not to lose by more. Thanks to superb bowling from Shane Bond. Australia was in early trouble but Michael Bevan and Andy Bichel hit them out of the mire. Glenn McGrath then combined with Brett Lee to wreck the New Zealand innings, despite some early nerves against a settled-looking Stephen Fleming and Chris Cairns.

The day started horribly for Australia and progressively got worse. Shane Bond, extracting life and movement on a dicey wicket, accounted for Hayden (1), Gilchrist (18) and Ponting (6) in his first spell and then Martyn (31), Hogg (0) and Harvey (2) in his second spell. Andre Adams chipped in with the wicket of Darren Lehmann to leave the Australian position at 7/84 and in real danger of a total collapse.

New Zealand didn't reckon on the form of Michael Bevan and the enthusiasm of Andrew Bichel as they built the total slowly out of trouble and with Shane Bond having bowled his full allotment of overs, launched a counter-attack at Jacob Oram and Andre Adams. Bevan finally went for 56 and Bichel was caught slogging in the final over for a brilliant 64 as Brett Lee finished off the innings in grand style by belting the last two balls for six as Australia totalled 9/208.

Best of the New Zealand bowlers was undoubtedly Shane Bond who finished with 6/23. At no time was he played with any comfort by the Australian batsmen as his pace (but more importantly, movement) made the Australians play when they didn't want to. It's unlikely he'll ever bowl better in a one-day match. Jacob Oram (2/48 off 7 overs) picked up a couple of wickets but by then, the damage had well-and-truly been done.

New Zealand also started badly losing Daniel Vettori (10), Nathan Astle (0) and Scott Styris (3) in quick time to Glenn McGrath but with Stephen Fleming looking more than comfortable against McGrath, New Zealand looked like they were in with big chance of an upset. When Chris Cairns came to the wicket, he hit two fours and a huge six to bring home to Australia that he was ready to fight with Fleming.

However, an indiscriminate shot which saw him caught at third-man (and left NZ at 4/66) signalled the start of a collapse which was started by Ian Harvey and then finished as a previously punished Brett Lee metamorphosised into the punisher. Lee picked up Fleming (48), McCallum (1), Oram (0), Adams (0) and Bond (3) for three runs to end any New Zealand hopes for a win and to inflict upon them a hefty defeat in the end by 96 runs.

Glenn McGrath (3/29 off 6 overs) was the best of the bowlers early on as he emulated Bond's effort with the new ball extracting plenty of movement in the air and off the wicket. Lee (5/42) bounced back from an early hammering from Fleming to bowl superbly as Harvey and Bichel bowled tightly, picking up a wicket each.

So in the end, superior Australian bowling coupled with great batting at the end proved too much for New Zealand on an awful wicket for one-day cricket. New Zealand will take heart from their bowling in the match but their problem of having too many all-rounders and not enough specialists was starkly shown in the match when their last five batsmen couldn't finish the job, notwithstanding Brett Lee's sensational bowling.

Australia 9/208 (A Bichel 64, M Bevan 54; S Bond 6/23)

New Zealand 112 (Fleming 48; B Lee 5/42, G McGrath 3/29)

Australia won by 96 runs

Cricket Web Player of the Match: Brett Lee

Posted by Corey