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ADELAIDE - Jacob Oram and Daniel Vettori got the plaudits while England's cricketers were predictably slammed by an increasingly uninterested Australian media today.
New Zealand got their tri-series campaign finally under way with a 90-run win over England here yesterday and head to Perth today with some momentum, while their opponents lick their wounds.
"On last night's showing, even if England was to finish a distant third the notion that it will receive prizemoney for its efforts should surely arouse concerns within the Serious Fraud Squad," wrote Andrew Ramsey in The Australian newspaper.
"New Zealand embarrassed its rival in every aspect of the low-standard game at Adelaide Oval, and the fact that its most dominant player (Oram) had not seen the inside of an international arena for more than a month told its own tale."
Man of the match Oram saved the batting effort with his highest score of 86 while Vettori's four for 24 helped dismiss England for 120 in the 38th over.
But with Australia runaway leaders and New Zealand and England battling to avoid last place, it's hardly capturing the locals' imagination.
"In the uninspiring battle to play Australia in the finals of the one-day series, we have a new leader," wrote the Melbourne Age's Chloe Saltau.
"Daniel Vettori last night spun New Zealand to the first victory of their otherwise wretched tour, while England's tour simply reached new levels of wretchedness."
A relieved New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming also took a chance to take a dig at the English who they meet again in Perth next Tuesday, after playing Australia at the WACA ground on Sunday.
"It's not going to help morale," Fleming said, as his opposite number Andrew Flintoff still searches for his first victory as captain in Australia this summer.
"When you've been through a tough test summer if you can scrap for some close results, it's going to help build that momentum that you need to keep the tour alive. Being away for so long I'm sure it's going to have its effect."
- NZPA
