Bond hat-trick can't save NZ from 105-run defeat

Australia 8 for 289 (Symonds 69, Gilchrist 61, White 45, Bond 4-61) beat New Zealand 184 (Taylor 84) by 105 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball commentary

New Zealand's batsmen were unable to follow up on Shane Bond's hat-trick and fell 105 runs short of Australia's 289 despite Ross Taylor's fighting 84. The visitors lost their final seven wickets for 23 in a disappointing finish after Bond made a memorable impact to close the first innings.

Andrew Symonds and Cameron White launched a late onslaught of 90 in nine overs before Bond ended the partnership in the 50th over when White was caught in the deep and Symonds edged behind next ball attempting a huge drive. Bond, who became the second New Zealander to take a one-day international hat-trick and collected 4 for 61, finished the job with a ripper that took the top of Nathan Bracken's off stump, but his team-mates failed to carry the momentum into their batting.

Taylor, who came in at 2 for 7 in the fourth over, showed the 128 he made in his third ODI last month was no fluke and he was the only batsman to threaten Australia. His 82-ball innings featured three slog-sweeps that cleared the boundary - two off Symonds and one off White - and he repeatedly worked the ball from outside off stump to behind square leg.

His pulling and square driving was also effective as he took on the Australians with ten fours and pushed New Zealand to 3 for 161 in the 32nd over. However, when Taylor flashed at a Mitchell Johnson delivery angling across him and was caught behind the resistance fell away against a relatively inexperienced bowling attack.

Australia's two newest fast bowlers, Johnson and Ben Hilfenhaus, each contributed but nobody dominated the wicket tally. Hilfenhaus, playing his first one-day international in the comfort of his home-ground conditions, took only 12 balls to make his mark. After a maiden first over, Hilfenhaus had Brendon McCullum lbw playing across the line for 5.

Nathan Bracken also captured an early breakthrough when Nathan Astle edged a very low catch to Adam Gilchrist and was out without scoring. Stephen Fleming and Peter Fulton both partnered Taylor in the chase but Fleming (29) tried to lift his contribution, having struck just one four and a six, and lofted a Johnson delivery to Michael Hussey at mid-off.

Fulton reached 37 before he fell to an athletic two-grab catch by Symonds at cover, but no other batsman reached double figures. The speed at which the innings ended was a concern for the visitors, who crashed to 73 all-out against Sri Lanka a week ago.

Ricky Ponting's decision to bat first looked like a good one when Gilchrist smashed eight fours in his 58-ball 61, but after he fell attempting to replicate a slog-sweep he had put out of the ground from Jeetan Patel, the bowlers but the brakes on. The New Zealanders found a good line and drew Ponting, Michael Clarke and Hussey into picking out fieldsmen while trying to improve the run-rate.

Symonds and White pushed Australia to an impressive total and helped them to take 74 from the last six overs. Symonds started slowly but finished with 69 off 70 balls while White smashed three sixes in his 45 off 32 deliveries, including helping take 22 from Bond's second-last over before the sensational hat-trick.

Until then Bond, who has 28 wickets against Australia in eight games, appeared unable to rein in the late runs and White launched him for a massive six over midwicket that landed on a stadium roof. Symonds' controlled display was reminiscent of his century in the Boxing Day Test and he took until his 46th delivery to strike his second four.

White put two consecutive Daniel Vettori deliveries over the midwicket boundary in the 45th over before Symonds also began finding the rope. However, White could not prove as effective with the ball and gave up 18 in his first two overs, although he returned to earn the wicket of James Franklin. Johnson, Stuart Clark and Symonds collected two victims each as the spoils were spread around. The opponent might have been different but the result was the same as throughout the summer as Australia boosted their competition tally with a bonus point by sealing the win 11.3 overs early.