New Zealand undone by Ponting ton
December 15, 2007 00:00:00
ADELAIDE, Dec 14 (BBC): Australia captain Ricky Ponting fired a brilliant unbeaten century to ease his side to a seven-wicket victory over New Zealand in the first ODI in Adelaide.
Wicket-keeper Brendon McCullum turned on the style with the bat for the Black Caps as he struck 96 off 103 balls to help the visitors total 254-7.
However, Adam Gilchrist got the Aussies off to a flier with 51 off 29 balls.
And Ponting (107no) and Michael Clarke (48) shared a stand of 135 to help ease the hosts home with 45 balls to spare.
The century was Ponting's first at the Adelaide Oval, but his 24th in one-day internationals.
And it capped a fine all-round performance from his side, after his bowlers had restricted New Zealand to a below-par total.
Having won the toss, the Kiwis lost Lou Vincent early to a superb catch by James Hopes running from third man, before McCullum and Jamie How built a fine partnership of 99 to leave the Kiwis 115-1 in the 23rd over.
However, a fine return spell from Shaun Tait broke the tourists' momentum and even though McCullum found decent support from Ross Taylor (50) and Jacob Oram (32no), 254-7 rarely looked enough.
And so it proved after Gilchrist's blistering start, which included six fours and two sixes, with Ponting and Clarke happy to play their shots on a flat wicket.
Clarke eventually fell to Kyle Mills, whose figures of 2-68 did not represent some decent swing bowling, but Andrew Symonds (28no) stuck around as Ponting completed his century and saw Australia home.
Australia 3 for 255 (Ponting 107*, Gilchrist 51, Clarke 48) beat New Zealand 7 for 254 (McCullum 96, Taylor 50) by seven wickets.