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PERTH, Dec 11: A fast bowling blitz saw Australia thrash New Zealand by 54 runs in a Twenty20 international at the WACA Ground here on Tuesday.
The home side made 186 for six from their 20 overs, led by an unbeaten 85 from powerful all-rounder Andrew Symonds, and the Black Caps managed just 132 in reply in front of 17,344 spectators.
On a lively wicket, Brett Lee (2-17) claimed the wicket of dangerous opener Lou Vincent from the first ball of the innings, the Kiwi batsman getting a top edge to a rising ball and skying it to wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist. Lee then dismissed Brendon McCullum, caught behind from a leading edge for 13.
Fellow tearaway Shaun Tait (22-2) was brought into the attack and claimed a wicket with his first ball, Jamie How (4) gloving a bouncer through to Gilchrist, who pulled in a stunning catch.
Gilchrist leapt high to get a hand to the ball, and then wheeled around and dived full length to snare the ball in one hand.
The first three New Zealand wickets had all fallen to express, rising deliveries. Three deliveries later, Tait removed Ross Taylor for a duck off an inside edge.
When Gilchrist took his fourth catch to remove Mathew Sinclair for a duck, the third of the innings, and give Mitchell Johnson (2-19) his first wicket, the Black Caps were 31 for five and the game was as good as over as a contest.
Another quick, Ashley Noffke, celebrated his promotion with 18-3. Kiwi all-rounder Jacob Oram restored some respectability and gave another reminder of his hitting ability with an unbeaten 66 from 31 balls, hitting five sixes in eight balls from the spin of Symonds.
Australia’s imposing total was built around a typically brutal knock from Andrew Symonds, who faced just 46 balls, hitting seven fours and three sixes.
Australia were not in great shape at 73 for three after 10 overs, but Symonds teamed with rookie Adam Voges (26) for an 80-run stand that accelerated the innings.
Australian skipper Michael Clarke opened the batting with Adam Gilchrist and made 33 off 26 balls.
Scoreboard
AUSTRALIA innings
A.Gilchrist c Patel b Gillespie 1
M. Clarke c Taylor b Vettori 33
M. Hussey st McCullum b Patel 22
A. Symonds not out 85
A. Voges c Taylor b Patel 26
L. Pomersbach c Taylor b Gillespie 15
A. Noffke run out (Patel) 0
B. Lee not out 0
EXTRAS (LB-2, W-1, NB-1) 4
TOTAL (for 6 wkts, 20 overs) 186
FALL OF WKTS: 1-5, 2-51, 3-71, 4-151, 5-183, 6-184.
BOWLING: Mills 4-0-35-0 (1w), Gillespie 4-1-39-2 (1nb), Oram 3-0-32-0, Patel 4-0-40-2, Vettori 4-0-24-1, Styris 1-0-14-0.
NEW ZEALAND innings
L. Vincent c Gilchrist b Lee 0
B. McCullum c Gilchrist b Lee 13
J. How c Gilchrist b Tait 4
S. Styris c Bracken b Johnson 18
R. Taylor b Tait 0
M. Sinclair c Gilchrist b Johnson 0
J. Oram not out 66
D. Vettori b Noffke 3
K. Mills c Johnson b Noffke 4
M. Gillespie run out (Symonds) 4
J. Patel b Noffke 4
EXTRAS (B-4, LB-5, W-6, NB-1) 16
TOTAL (all out, 18.3 overs) 132
FALL OF WKTS: 1-0, 2-21, 3-29, 4-30, 5-31, 6-49, 7-59, 8-69, 9-104.
BOWLING: Lee 4-0-17-2 (1w, 1nb), Bracken 2-0-8-0 (2w), Johnson 3-0-19-2 (1w), Tait 4-0-22-2 (1w), Noffke 3.3-1-18-3 (1w), Symonds 2-0-39-0.
RESULT: Australia win by 54 runs.
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Andrew Symonds (AUS).
UMPIRES: SJ Davis (AUS) and PD Parker (AUS).
TV UMPIRE: BNJ Oxenford
MATCH REFEREE: RS Mahanama (SRI).—Agencies
