Ponting Century Guides Australia To Simple Victory
Ricky Ponting hit a brilliant 107 to guide his side to victory.
©REUTERS/Will Burgess (AUSTRALIA) Picture Supplied by Action Images
254-7 (McCullum 96, Taylor 50, Tait 3-59)
Australia 255-3 (Ponting 107no, Gilchrist 51) in Adelaide
Scorecard
Australia won by seven wickets and lead the three-match series 1-0
Ricky Ponting scored a masterful century as Australia cruised to a seven-wicket win in the opening one-day international of the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy over New Zealand in Adelaide.
Chasing a modest target of 255, Australia exploded out of the blocks as Adam Gilchrist hit 51 in 26 balls and Matthew Hayden 17 from 17 balls.
Thereafter, New Zealand, despite taking the wickets of both men and Michael Clarke (48), were out of the game.
Ponting completed his century, hitting 14 boundaries and never looking troubled at the crease with Andrew Symonds unbeaten on 28 at the close.
Earlier, New Zealand won the toss and scored 254 for seven from their 50 overs, Brendon McCullum falling four runs short of a century and Ross Taylor for 50. Shaun Tait took three for 59 and Brett Lee two for 48.
McCullum's innings was full of enterprising strokes, including a six over point and two brutal cover drives off of Brett Lee but he failed to make his century when he holed out to Nathan Bracken.
© Cricket World 2007
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