White Secure Chappell-Hadlee Trophy for Australia

Auckland: Australia wrapped up the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy for another year with a game up its sleeve after beating New Zealand in the fourth match of the series by six wickets at Eden Park in Auckland.

In a rain-reduced rain chase, Australia scored 4-202 in reply to New Zealand's inadequate 238 in 44.1 overs with Cameron White unbeaten on 50 from 57 balls and Michael Hussey 28 not out from 17.

Australia's performance was a true team effort in which it refused to be put under pressure by the New Zealanders as it maintained its convincing superiority with both ball and bat.

After its chase was delayed by mid-match rain, the pent-up crowd of 11,265 which had missed 90 minutes of play as the match was first reduced to 34 overs, bayed for blood as Shane Bond set the innings in motion.

And it wasn't long before he produced the required effect having Brad Haddin caught at second slip by Scott Styris for a duck.

But instead of providing some incentive for New Zealand, it merely let Ricky Ponting loose and he was quickly into the action, pulling and driving with potent effect. Tim Southee and Daryl Tuffey came in for some heavy treatment going for 29 and 31 runs respectively in their first three overs.

Tuffey was unlucky not to have Ponting trapped in front when he had scored just 16 but that was a rare slip on Ponting's part as he saw the team's 50 come up in the ninth over and then raced on to his own half-century off 34 balls with eight fours and a six.

However, Daniel Vettori's arrival at the bowling crease had an immediate effect as he started with a maiden over and then in his second, he trapped Shane Watson lbw for 32 off 41 balls.

With with the first ball of his next over he trapped Ponting lbw for 50 leaving Australia 3-85.

With overs up their sleeve and a rare chance for time in the middle, Cameron White and Adam Voges worked their way out of any possibly hiccups, adding 65 runs in workmanlike style as they took away any hope New Zealand had of an upset.

That was until Voges on 34 attempted to turn a ball from James Franklin which saw Vettori diving forward at mid-on to take the catch with Australia 4-150.

But Hussey and White saw the visitors home comfortably.

Bond with 1-28 from six overs and Vettori 2-29 from seven overs were again the pick of the New Zealand attack.

Australia's bowling, though, was put to the test during an initial assault but came back strongly as New Zealand again failed to bat its 50 overs.

New Zealand, asked to bat first, but was dismissed for 238 in 44.1 overs.

It was the slower bowlers who had most effect with medium-pacer James Hopes taking 2-38 from 10 overs while Nathan Hauritz, ended with 3-46 from eight overs, although his figures were inflated by a late Daryl Tuffey assault.

Mitchell Johnson again backed their efforts to end with 2-40 from 8.1 overs.

No indication of what lay in store from the New Zealand batting was obvious as Brendon McCullum (61 from 75 balls) and Martin Guptill (30 from 22) put on 63 runs in 7.4 overs before Guptill fell.

The pair, opening together again after Peter Ingram was dropped, hammered Doug Bollinger for 30 runs in his first three overs and Ryan Harris for 20 from his first three.

Harris came back superbly to concede only eight runs from his next three overs to help apply the pressure which saw Ross Taylor, batting at No.3, caught in the deep by Hussey from Hopes' bowling for 15 off 37 balls.


Newcomer Shanan Stewart was tempted to try and loft Hauritz back over his head only to be caught at deep mid-on for four from nine balls. Scott Styris succumbed to Hopes with eight from 19 balls while Vettori hit 12 from 18 before he was trapped leg before wicket by Johnson.

Once McCullum was dismissed in the 25th over, the third of three wickets to fall in the space of 10 runs, New Zealand was forced into survival mode and it wasn't until Tuffey launched into off-spinner Hauritz that New Zealand managed to regain scoring rhythm.

Brief scores
New Zealand: 238 (McCullum 61, Hauritz 3-46)
Australia: 202 for 4 (White 50*, Ponting 50)
Result: Australia won by 6 wickets (D/L method)