Symonds powers Australia to victory

Andrew Symonds powered Australia to a comprehensive seven-wicket win, and a place in the semi-finals, with a stunning unbeaten 71 from only 47 balls at The Oval. Symonds smashed seven fours and four sixes in his innings to guide Australia to victory with more than 12 overs to spare. Earlier, Glenn McGrath and Michael Kasprowicz picked up three wickets apiece as New Zealand set a disappointing 198 for 9 after losing the toss.

After Matthew Hayden had been dismissed three runs short of his half-century, Symonds and Damien Martyn put together exactly 100 at over seven an over to take the game away from New Zealand. Symonds hit his second ball into the stands at midwicket, and continued in much the same vein.

As Martyn went to his fifty, Symonds spared no-one punishment. Daniel Vettori was mowed over square leg for six, and Chris Harris was carted for 17 runs in one over, which turned out to be his last. Symonds clipped Craig McMillan to fine leg to reach a half-century from only 40 balls, and then passed Martyn with a pull and a cut for two more fours in the same over. Another six, off Kyle Mills, levelled the scores, and a single to mid-off took Australia to victory.

When Australia began their reply, it looked as if New Zealand were going to make a game of it, as Jacob Oram struck in his first over to give New Zealand some hope of defending their small total. After playing one glorious straight drive, Adam Gilchrist shouldered arms to a ball that moved back in and clipped off stump (4 for 1). But Hayden survived a testing opening spell from Mills, and was soon rattling along at close to a run a ball.

After giving Vettori a one-over spell, Stephen Fleming brought Scott Styris on, and the decision soon paid off. After sending down a series of deliveries that moved away, Styris nipped one back in to Ponting, who was bowled playing across the line (49 for 2). The wicket did nothing to temper Hayden, though, and he slapped two more fours off Styris in his next over.

Harris came into the attack, and with Vettori he successfully slowed the run-rate. Hayden became bogged down, and attempting to hit Harris over long off, he skewed a catch to Cairns (99 for 3). But that was as good as it got for New Zealand, as Martyn and Symonds took control with imperious ease.

Earlier, Brendon McCullum and Vettori salvaged some pride for New Zealand with a record-breaking 68-run partnership for the ninth wicket. Coming together with New Zealand in deep trouble at 124 for 8, their partnership lifted the score to 198 for 9.

McGrath pegged New Zealand back with three quick wickets after Nathan Astle and Fleming had made a positive start on a sunny September morning. McGrath nipped out Astle and Hamish Marshall in the space of three balls to start a batting slide which New Zealand never fully recovered from.

Astle's dismissal was a particularly harsh blow, as he had rushed to 18 in as many balls before he played across one that moved in to be trapped lbw (30 for 1). Marshall perished in much the same fashion, although replays suggested that he was a little unlucky to be given out as the ball would have gone just over the stumps (36 for 2).

McGrath was instantly transformed by his success, and after taking the wickets his next three overs went for only three runs. The pressure certainly told on Styris, and after playing out 10 balls without managing a single run, he presented Michael Clarke with a simple catch in the gully (49 for 3). Things then went from bad to worse for New Zealand, as Fleming, who had been scoring freely, mistimed an attempted pull in Kasprowicz's first over, with Gillespie taking an excellent diving catch at mid on (49 for 4).

Oram mixed solid defence with some powerful attacking shots as he and McMillan attempted to resurrect New Zealand's innings, but a resurgent Kasprowicz was on the rampage. First, Oram chipped back a simple return catch, and Chris Cairns was then completely undone by Kasprowicz's pace and movement, although again replays showed that the ball would have missed the top of the stumps (79 for 6). Facing the hat-trick ball, Harris edged a sharp away-swinger just short and wide of a diving second slip.

Panic set in, and two overs later McMillan was run out after Harris first called for a run, but then changed his mind as Symonds swooped in from the covers. With McMillan stranded mid-pitch, Symonds passed the ball to Kasprowicz, who calmly removed the bails (89 for 7).

With no scope to take risks, Harris and McCullum had to be content to wait for the bad ball, and there weren't many on offer. Darren Lehmann and Symonds were particularly frugal, and after 12 overs together, the batsmen had put on only 35. Just as New Zealand were starting to claw their way towards a respectable total, Lehmann struck to remove Harris, with the third umpire confirming his appeal for a caught-and-bowled, and the innings was floundering on 124 for 8.

Then came McCullum and Vettori's face-saving partnership, which was New Zealand's highest for the ninth wicket against any opposition, beating Richard Hadlee and Gary Troup's 63 against England at Brisbane in 1983. As it turned out, the eventual total was not nearly enough to test the strong Australian batting line-up, backed up by the furious batting of Symonds.