KEY POINTS:
HOBART - Australian captain Ricky Ponting won the toss and chose to bat first in the tri-series one-day cricket match against New Zealand at Bellerive Oval here today.
New Zealand made one change from the team named for last Tuesday's rained out match against Sri Lanka in Hamilton, bringing in offspinner Jeetan Patel for paceman Michael Mason.
Andre Adams and Hamish Marshall were the other two players omitted.
Australia made one change from the team who beat England by eight wickets in Melbourne on Friday, resting veteran fast bowler Glenn McGrath and giving Tasmanian paceman Ben Hilfenhaus his one-day international debut.
Team management said McGrath was still sore after Friday's match but was expected to be fit for their next match.
The weather was fine and clear with a start due on time at noon (NZT).
Teams:- New Zealand: Stephen Fleming (captain), Nathan Astle, Brendon McCullum, Ross Taylor, Peter Fulton, Craig McMillan, Daniel Vettori, James Franklin, Shane Bond, Mark Gillespie, Jeetan Patel.
Australia: Ricky Ponting (captain), Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden, Michael Clarke, Andrew Symonds, Mike Hussey, Cameron White, Nathan Bracken, Stuart Clark, Mitchell Johnson, Ben Hilfenhaus.
Umpires: Asad Rauf (Pakistan), Daryl Harper (Australia).
- NZPA