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CANBERRA, Dec 6: Nathan Astle helped New Zealand notch their first tour win in their final match against the Australian Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra on Thursday.
Chasing an easy target of 218 to win off 50 overs, Astle struck 85 from 93 balls to guide the tourists to 222 for six off 48 overs for a four wicket victory.
Astle topped the batting averages for New Zealand in their drawn Test series against Australia, scoring 156 not out in the final Test in Perth.
Mark Richardson, Chris Cairns, and Glen Sulzberger chipped in with knocks of 40, 35 and 23 not out respectively.
Lou Vincent, who scored a century on debut against Australia last week, was out in the first over for a duck.
New Zealand looked in trouble at 74 for four in the 21st over, but Cairns and Astle helped consolidate the New Zealanders position with a 77-run partnership.
Astle and Sulzberger saw New Zealand through to victory, Astle finishing New Zealand’s tour in style with a huge six over mid wicket.
Paceman Chris Drum took five wickets as New Zealand restricted the Australian Prime Minister’s XI to 217 for seven off 50 overs
The Australians got off to a good start with New South Wales wicket-keeper Brad Haddin smashing 35 off 34 balls, including six fours, before he was dismissed by Drum in the 12th over with the score on 60.
The home side could not sustain their momentum, collapsing to 74 for four as Drum tore through the top order, taking all four wickets.
Skipper Greg Blewett and Australian Capital Territory’s Jack Smith helped steady the innings before Drum bowled Blewett for 41. Drum finished with impressive figures of five for 34 off 10 overs.
Blewett was called up to replace his South Australian team mate Darren Lehmann, who withdrew from the match to be at his wife’s side while she gave birth to twins.
Smith top scored for the Prime Minister’s XI with 48 not out.
AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER’S XI:
B.J. Haddin b Drum 35
C. Dann c Vincent b Drum 18
M.L. Love b Drum 1
S.R. Watson lbw b Drum 10
M.J. Clarke lbw b McMillan 20
G.S. Blewett b Drum 41
J.K. Smith not out 48
B.E. Young c Vincent b McMillan 15
C.L. White not out 15
EXTRAS (LB-5, W-8, NB-1) 14
TOTAL (for seven wkts, 50 overs) 217
FALL OF WKTS: 1-60, 2-62, 3-67, 4-74, 5-111, 6-156, 7-179.
DID NOT BAT: D.G. Wright, S.R. Clark.
BOWLING: Bond 7-0-40-0; Tuffey 8-0-39-0 (1nb, 4w); Astle 10-3-30-0; Drum 10-1-34-5 (4w); McMillan 10-1-37-2; Sulzberger 5-0-32-0.
NEW ZEALAND:
L. Vincent lbw b S. Clark 0
M.H. Richardson c M. Clark b Watson 40
M.S. Sinclair b Wright 11
C.D. McMillan c Dann b White 15
C.L. Cairns c Dann b White 35
N.J. Astle not out 85
M.D. Bell c Haddin b S. Clark 0
G.P. Sulzberger not out 23
EXTRAS (LB-8, W-4, NB-1) 13
TOTAL (for six wkts, 48 overs) 222
FALL OF WKTS: 1-0, 2-23, 3-64, 4-74, 5-151, 6-152.
DID NOT BAT: D.R. Tuffey, S.E. Bond, C.J. Drum.
BOWLING: S.R. Clark 10-2-36-2 (1w); Wright 9-0-51-1 (1w); Watson 10-0-31-1 (1nb, 1w); White 10-0-44-2 (1w); Young 9-1-52-0.
RESULT: New Zealand won by four wickets.
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Chris Drum.—Reuters
