KEY POINTS:
HOBART - New Zealand opened their tri-series campaign with a 105-run loss to Australia this evening.
New Zealand were dismissed for 184 in 38.3 overs chasing 290 for victory at Bellerive Oval.
Ross Taylor topscored for the tourists with 84 off 82 balls.
Earlier, fast bowler Shane Bond took a last-over hat-trick before finishing with figures of four for 61 as Australia posted 289 for eight.
The home team's imposing total was built around three major contributions, with Andrew Symonds making 69 off 70 balls, Adam Gilchrist 61 off 58 and Cameron White 45 off 32.
Bond took just the second hat-trick by a New Zealander in one-day international cricket.
Bond halted a late batting onslaught in the final over of the innings to dismiss Cameron White caught by Craig McMillan on the square leg boundary, Andrew Symonds caught behind, then completed the hat-trick by bowling Nathan Bracken as Australia posted 289 for eight off their 50 overs.
He was just the second New Zealand bowler after Danny Morrison against India in Napier in 1994 to snare a one-day hat-trick, just the 23rd occurrence in one-day history.
The home side plundered 94 off the final 10 overs, with Symonds flaying 69 off 70 balls and White 45 off 32, including two fours and three sixes, as the pair added 90 for the sixth wicket.
None of the bowlers escaped punishment, with spinner Daniel Vettori going for 18 off his 10th over, including consecutive sixes from White, to end with none for 48.
Rookie paceman Mark Gillespie claimed the prized wickets of Matthew Hayden for 27 and Ricky Ponting for 10 in an impressive second spell before ending with two for 50 off 10.
It looked as if Gillespie had stemmed the flow when he broke a rollicking Australian opening stand of 83 off 13.2 overs between Hayden and Adam Gilchrist.
He had Hayden caught behind down the leg side by wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum then claimed the key scalp of captain Ponting when he drive uppishly to Stephen Fleming at short cover.
Gilchrist was severe on James Franklin, in particular, while cracking 61 off 58 balls, including eight fours and two sixes.
Left-armer Franklin conceded 31 off four overs before leaving the field with a migraine.
Offspinner Jeetan Patel removed Gilchrist leg before wicket, and ended with figures of one for 64 off 10 overs.
New Zealand decided to play two spinners, omitting pacemen Michael Mason and Andre Adams and batsman Hamish Marshall, while Australia rested veteran fast bowler Glenn McGrath, who was said to be still sore after last Friday's eight-wicket win over England.
It meant a one-day international debut for Tasmanian paceman Ben Hilfenhaus.
- NZPA
