Grant Elliott made his highest one-day score to guide New Zealand past Australia at the MCG and give them a 2-0 lead in the five-match series, here on Friday. Stand-in captain Michael Clarke hit 98 and Michael Hussey hit 75 as the hosts, who were put in to bat, posted 225-5. Brendon McCullum (43) got the reply off to a fine start before Ross Taylor (47) put the Kiwis on course for victory.
Elliot then made an unbeaten 61 as he and Neil Broom led New Zealand to a six-wicket win with seven balls left. The tourists are now firm favourites to reclaim the Chappell-Hadlee Series with the third one-dayer in Sydney on Sunday. Australia, who have now suffered five consecutive defeats in all competitions, must triumph there if they are to keep alive their hopes of winning the series.
But they must raise their performance level significantly for that to happen. Clarke, deputising for the rested Ricky Ponting, had never led a losing team in his seven previous matches in charge of Australia in one-day and Twenty20 cricket. But that record has now gone and, were it not for the 27-year-old's contribution with the bat, it would have been a far heavier defeat for the hosts.
Fielding one of their most inexperienced line-ups in recent times, Australia could not afford another poor start with the bat. But, despite Clarke's promotion to open the batting, David Warner, Brad Haddin and David Hussey were all back in the pavilion by the 18th over. Australia appeared most settled when the most senior batsmen - Clarke and Hussey - were at the crease and the pair took few risks in their 133-run stand.
But New Zealand bowled with impressive discipline, Kyle Mills claiming 1-12 from his six overs with the new ball, and Iain O'Brien denying Australia a final flurry at the death. O'Brien was particularly effective, taking the key wickets of Clarke and Michael Hussey. Despite an early wicket from Nathan Bracken, Australia's attack again lacked penetration.
New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori added: "It was a great win, once again set up by the way we bowled and fielded. Kyle Mills in these last two games has just been outstanding and I think everyone's followed his lead. "We've had good plans for a long time but this is the first time we've stood up and executed them. We've had two wickets that have suited our style of bowling and because of that we've bowled exceptionally well."
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SCOREBOARD
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Australia innings
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DA Warner c Vettori b Mills 2
MJ Clarke b O'Brien 98
BJ Haddin c McCullum b Southee 12
DJ Hussey run out (Vettori) 10
MEK Hussey c Vettori b O'Brien 75
CL White not out 17
CJ Ferguson not out 6
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Extras: (lb 2, w 3) 5
Total: (5 wickets; 50 overs) 225
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Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-35, 3-63, 4-196, 5-206
Bowling: KD Mills 10-1-37-1 (1w), TG Southee 10-0-57-1, IE O'Brien 10-0-48-2 (1w), DL Vettori 10-0-35-0, JS Patel 8-0-38-0, GD Elliott 2-0-8-0
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New Zealand innings
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BB McCullum c MEK Hussey b Hopes 43
MJ Guptill c White b Bracken 8
PG Fulton c Haddin b Hopes 21
LRPL Taylor c Haddin b Johnson 47
GD Elliott not out 61
NT Broom not out 26
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Extras: (lb 8, w 12) 20
Total: (4 wickets; 48.5 overs) 226
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