KEY POINTS:
A bludgeoning century from stand-in skipper Michael Hussey and another tantalising near-miss by Brad Hodge combined to set New Zealand a record runchase of 337 to wrap up the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy one-day cricket series at Eden Park today.
Stung by their first 10-wicket one-day cricket loss in Wellington on Friday, Australia set about dismantling all but Shane Bond on a ground notoriously difficult to defend runs on.
Australia's 336 for four eclipsed New Zealand's 304 for five against Sri Lanka in 1982-83 as the highest score posted on the ground.
Ominously for the home side, the highest successful run chase is the 274 for nine made by Zimbabwe six years ago.
Hussey plundered 105 from just 84 balls, his progression through the 90s illustrating the disdain with which he mauled a bowling attack missing a viable fifth option.
Captain Stephen Fleming's bowling resources were plundered so mercilessly he turned to resurgent batting hero Lou Vincent to stem the tide of run in the 39th over.
Bowling for the first time in one-day internationals since delivering two balls against Pakistan in Rawalpindi in 2001-02, Vincent made an encouraging start conceding just a solitary single in his opening over.
It proved just a sighting exercise for Hussey and Hodge as his next over of military medium pace had the crowd ducking for cover as Hussey rocketed from 85 to 103 with three searing sixes into the southern stand.
Ross Taylor eventually removed Hussey with a stunning, sliding catch at deep mid off but the breakthrough proved scant relief as Hodge and Cameron White smashed 84 off the last 47 balls of the innings.
White clubbed a trio of sixes and boundaries in a 19-ball cameo that realised 42 while Hodge was stranded on 97, the second time he has come close to a maiden one-day century after making an unbeaten 99 against New Zealand in Sydney last month.
Facing the final over on 93, he could only manage a two and single before White took over the strike.
Hodge, who struck 10 boundaries and four sixes, and Hussey effortlessly added 130 for the fourth wicket in 99 balls as Australia gathered momentum after Matthew Hayden, who made 24, and Brad Haddin, 49, compensated for the early loss of Phil Jaques.
Jaques was out for three when sparring Bond to Fleming at first slip during a superb opening assault by the pace bowler.
Bond seemed unplayable during a six-over spell that conceded just seven runs, the first of which -- a wide -- was registered after 14 dot balls.
Bond's economy rate was nowhere matched at the other end where Daryl Tuffey's opened over conceded nine runs, including five wides.
Tuffey ultimately recorded none for 80 off 10 overs, casting more doubt on his World Cup callup.
Meanwhile, the decision to replace the injured Jacob Oram with batsman Peter Fulton left Fleming's bowling resources paper thin, exemplified by Vincent's appearance at the crease.
By omitting allrounder James Franklin from the playing 11, Fleming had to cobble together a fifth bowler between Scott Styris, Craig McMillan and Vincent.
The trio leaked 100 runs off 11 overs as Australia took great delight in peppering the short boundaries.
Scoreboard
Australia
M Hayden c Vettori b Gillespie 24
P Jaques c Fleming b Bond 3
B Haddin c and b Vettori 49
M Hussey c Taylor b McMillan 105
B Hodge not out 97
C White not out 42
Extras (1b, 5lb, 2nb, 8w) 16
Total (for 4 wkts, 50 overs) 336
Fall: 26 (Jaques), 52 (Hayden), 122 (Haddin), 252 (Hussey).
Bowling: D Tuffey 10-0-80-0 (7w), S Bond 9-4-39-1 (1nb, 1w), M Gillespie 10-2-57-1, D Vettori 10-0-54-1, S Styris 4-0-34-0, C McMillan 5-0-44-1 (1nb), L Vincent 2-0-22-0.
- NZPA
