Australia brush New Zealand aside

Cameron White's strong form in one-day internationals continued with a match-sealing unbeaten 50 at Eden Park

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Australia wrapped up the Chappell-Hadlee series against New Zealand with a game to play thanks to a comfortable six-wicket win under the Duckworth-Lewis method in Auckland.

After being put in to bat by Australia captain Ricky Ponting, a rejigged New Zealand line-up struggled to a below-par total of 238 as they were bowled out in just 44.1 overs.

With rain delaying the start of the run-chase, Australia were set a revised target of 200 in 34 overs. When play finally resumed the tourists reached it with 17 balls to spare to take an unassailable 3-1 series lead.

Not even the loss of Hamilton century-maker Brad Haddin first-ball could knock the visitors off their stride as Ponting and Shane Watson added 82 for the second wicket.

Ponting was lucky not to go in Daryl Tuffey’s first over when the medium-pacer appeared to have him lbw, but umpire Asad Rauf turned down the appeal.

The pair launched a blistering attack on Tim Southee and Tuffey in the overs immediately following, taking 39 runs off just 18 deliveries.

That prompted Daniel Vettori to bring himself into the attack and it proved to be a masterstroke as the New Zealand skipper got Watson for 32 and Ponting, 50, lbw in successive overs to leave the visitors at 85 for three.

Cameron White and Adam Voges then put on a stand of 65 to get Australia to within 50 of victory before White, whose excellent form in the series shows no sign of fading with an even 50, and Mike Hussey combined to get their side across the line. Hussey ended 28 not out.

Daryl Tuffey revealed a talent for big hitting late in the hosts' innings, striking three maximums in a row off Nathan Hauritz

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Aside from 61 from Brendon McCullum, 30 by Martin Guptill, who moved up the order to open, and a quickfire 34 off 17 balls from Tuffey at the death, the Kiwis barely fired a shot as they slumped from 120 for one to 238 all out.

Ross Taylor, Stewart, the promoted Scott Styris and Vettori all fell cheaply.

Nathan Hauritz picked up three wickets, including McCullum’s, while there were two apiece to Watson, James Hopes and Mitchell Johnson as the visitors put the brakes on the New Zealand innings – denying them a boundary for 22 overs.

When Hauritz bowled James Franklin for 10 the Black Caps were 177 for seven and a total under 200 looked on the cards.

But up stepped Tuffey, who in 87 previous one-dayers had only hit one six. He launched three in a row off Hauritz and sent another one off Watson beyond the rope to finish with his highest one-day international score.

With Tuffey in such aggressive form the batting powerplay was taken but Watson struck immediately getting Gareth Hopkins to edge one to wicketkeeper Haddin.

That marked the beginning of the end and Tuffey followed shortly afterwards when Ryan Harris took a good return catch before Johnson got Shane Bond to hit one to Hauritz at midwicket to wrap up the innings with 35 balls unused.