Kiwis outshine Aussies in world-record run chase

CHRISTCHURCH (New Zealand)—A Scott Styris century and a whirlwind 50 by Brendon McCullum steered New Zealand to a shock two-wicket victory over Australia in a world record one-day cricket performance at Jade Stadium here Saturday. New Zealand’s 332 for eight was the highest winning score by the team batting second in the international history of the limited-over game, and was achieved with an over to spare. A single to captain Daniel Vettori off the last ball of the 49th over, which cost Australian bowler Mick Lewis 20 runs, sealed victory and eclipsed the previous world best run chase of 330 for seven set by Australia against South Africa in 2002. Although Australia still win the Chappell-Hadlee series 2-1, New Zealand ended a record-equalling seven-match home losing streak and exposed deficiencies in Australia’s inexperienced bowling line up. Styris did the groundwork with his 101, departing with the score at eight for 258, and it was left to powerful hitting by McCullum and Vettori to smash the remaining 74 runs in just 36 balls. McCullum took 50 off 25 balls, including three fours and four sixes, while Vettori’s 23 came from 12 deliveries. After Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey had set up Australia’s imposing 331 total, New Zealand made a rocky start in reply.
Usual skipper Stephen Fleming, who was named a super sub after missing a month of international cricket while recovering from surgery, made a disappointing return. After sitting out the New Zealand fielding effort, he faced just nine balls at the head of the batting lineup before edging Nathan Bracken to wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist without scoring. Wickets fell at regular intervals, but the home side’s fortunes began to change with the arrival of Jacob Oram at the crease to join Styris when New Zealand were 194 for six in the 33rd over. The two all-rounders lifted the pace to more than a run-a-ball as Styris posted his third century and one of Oram’s two sixes went out of the ground.
Glenn McGrath did not make the tour and Brett Lee, who tormented the New Zealand batsmen in the first two matches, returned home before the final match of the series. So the world champions fielded a mainly new-look attack which came unstuck under pressure. Lewis (one game) went for 77 off nine overs and debutant Mitchell Johnson conceded 64 runs from nine. Stuart Clark was the most successful bowler with four wickets in his fourth international but conceded 55 runs along the way. In the Australian innings, Ponting was dropped early in the innings by wicketkeeper McCullum while on four. He then opened up to crack 71 runs from the next 47 balls before falling leg before wicket to Vettori for 75.
Brad Hodge posted his first international half-century, reaching 59, and Michael Clarke scored 71 to carry Australia through the middle stages before Hussey slaughtered the New Zealand bowling at the end, facing just 56 balls for his 88. In the final five overs he put on 72 with Bracken in an unbroken eighth-wicket stand, and in the process lifted his one-day average to a phenomenal 151 from 15 innings. He has only been dismissed four times. Vettori was the tightest of the New Zealand bowlers with two for 37 off his 10 overs, while Chris Martin sent down nine overs to return the figures of three for 65 on his recall after five years out of the team. This was the 100th one-day international between New Zealand and Australian, with Australia having won 70.—Agencies