Cricket: Haddin leads Aussies to comfortable win

Gareth Hopkins made his highest international score for the Black Caps in Hamilton today. Photo / Getty Images

A decisive momentum swing left Australia red-hot favourites to retain cricket's Chappell-Hadlee Trophy after New Zealand's batting frailties were exposed tonight.

The tourists, without vice-captain Michael Clarke who returned home today for personal reasons, cantered to a six-wicket win at a packed Seddon Park chasing New Zealand's substandard 245.

Led by 110 by opener Brad Haddin, who added 151 with captain Ricky Ponting, Australia got home with 16 balls to spare to seize a 2-1 series lead and the chance to close out the five-match series in Auckland on Thursday.

It was the gloveman's second one-day century, both of them coming against New Zealand at crucial times.

Last summer at the Sydney Cricket Ground his century led Australia to victory as they fought back from a 0-2 deficit to eventually level the series.

After thrilling finishes in Napier and Auckland this was a return to the bad old days for a full house of 10,550 as New Zealand welcomed back key batsman Ross Taylor (hamstring) but were without James Franklin (hamstring) and Daryl Tuffey (calf) who might be considered for Auckland.

A banner on the embankment read "Clarkey, where the hell are ya?" in reference to his fiancee Lara Bingle, but it was the New Zealand batsmen who largely went missing after Ponting changed tack and sent the hosts in on a placid pitch.

Home skipper Daniel Vettori had labelled 300 a par total at Seddon Park but, again, wickets fell too regularly amid some average strokeplay.

Pacemen Mitchell Johnson (3-41) and Ryan Harris (3-48) led the way as only Taylor (62), Gareth Hopkins (45) and Scott Styris (41) fronted up.

The top three again failed to fire as a unit; Peter Ingram was nicked out by Harris in the first over then Brendon McCullum raced to 23 before chopping on tamely off Doug Bollinger. Martin Guptill needed a big score after nine and 18 in Napier and Auckland and he cruised to 21 before hitting a soft catch to cover off Johnson.

Taylor, cleared after a late fitness test on his strained hamstring, showed no ill-effects but just as he looked set to punish the tourists he perished to a loose hook shot after a bright 66-ball knock.

Styris and Hopkins both looked to launch as New Zealand took the power play at 206 for five after 41, but they could only manage 39 for four with the field up.

Vettori, the hero of Auckland, faced just two balls before taking on Ponting's radar arm from cover and losing before Harris and Johnson mopped up the tail.

Defending a modest total with just four frontline bowlers and allrounder Styris, New Zealand needed some early magic.

There were sharp opening spells from Shane Bond and Tim Southee but all they got was a brilliant direct hit runout from gloveman Hopkins of Shane Watson for 15.

Two difficult chances were grassed; Bond dropping a painful return thunderbolt from Haddin on eight and Taylor diving full length and tipping a Ponting edge on one.

Bond left the field for treatment but returned to bowl with his left thumb heavily strapped.

Haddin and Ponting rattled up 151 off 153 balls for the second wicket as the recalled Michael Mason made an unhappy return to the one-day side after an absence of nearly two years.

He went for 20 off his first over at the hands of Haddin but later returned to break the partnership in the 33rd over when Ponting was caught by Taylor, for 69 off 71 balls.

Haddin was shelled in the deep by Southee on 83 before reaching his century off 113 balls. He hit seven fours and five sixes before he was stumped by Hopkins off Vettori with 16 runs required.

- NZPA