Cricket: Jade-d, dazed and confused

It's all frustration for Chris Cairns (right) and the New Zealanders as the Australians thunder to over 300 at Jade Stadium last night. Picture / Simon Baker

New Zealand's attempts at ignoring Australia have not quite paid off in the manner intended.

The side who made a point of not talking about the Australians in the lead-up to the second one-day international were forced to face some harsh realities last night when they were crushed by 106 runs.

The result not only allowed the Australians to leap out to a commanding 2-nil lead in the five-match series, it also raised some serious questions about New Zealand's ability at the highest level, particularly against the Australians.

Whereas the doubt last week revolved around New Zealand's batting frailties, the Australians last night opened up a completely new front, putting the host's bowling to the sword as they mustered 314 for six - courtesy of a Mathew Hayden century.

In reply, New Zealand's batting remained unconvincing, the chase petering out at 208 in the 41st over following another top-order collapse, and a brave but unsuccessful rear-guard from Daniel Vettori.

Vettori, who crashed consecutive centuries for Northern Districts this month, whittled away at the total with deft placements and good composure, bringing up his half century off 49 balls before falling in the 41st over for 83 - his highest ODI score.

Australia's batsmen always seemed likely to relish the flatter Jade Stadium pitch, but they were assisted in no small manner by a toothless New Zealand attack and wasted no time in exacting a disturbing toll.

Hayden followed up his 71 in Wellington with an impressive 114 off 124 balls, underpinning the Australian innings and allowing Ricky Ponting and Damien Martyn - who both struck half-centuries - to prosper.

It was Hayden's fifth ODI century, and this time the only chance he gave was a return catch to Jeff Wilson, a drive so fierce it was difficult to decide whether the bowler was genuinely trying to make the catch, or trying to defend himself.

Wilson will not remember his re-introduction to the one-day scene with any fondness. Instead of the tight, short-of-a-length attack required at international level, he almost exclusively bowled a fuller domestic length, and was flayed in front of the wicket.

Hayden and Martyn were the chief benefactors as 57 runs were bled from his six overs, the most common factor being Wilson's machine-like capacity for putting the ball in the perfect spot for the straight drive.

However, whatever he lacked at the bowling crease, he partly compensated for in the field, taking two good catches, including a fine running effort off Andrew Symonds which he gathered just inside the third-man boundary - possibly with images of George Gregan in the back of his mind.

The only slight consolation for Wilson was that his fellow pace bowlers were just as generous, if not more so.

Daryl Tuffey was the main concern, giving up 72 runs off just eight overs; Kyle Mills and Chris Cairns both went for more than 60, and had it not been for some outstanding fielding, the total might have blown out to 350.

The exception, as usual, was the peerless Vettori, who maintained his standards as runs gushed from the other end and managed to concede just 31 off his allotment.

Ponting believed the result would land a heavy blow to New Zealand's confidence.

"It's a pretty heavy loss when you think Dan made 83 out of a score of just over 200; it's a pretty comprehensive win in anybody's book but we know that they're a good side and they'll bounce back."

Fleming scotched any suggestion that his team were down and out.

"We've played four games recently against Australia and have been thumped once, which is going to happen when you play such a talented side."


* Scoreboard from the second one-day cricket international between New Zealand and Australia at Jade Stadium.

Australia

A Gilchrist c McCullum b Tuffey 0
M Hayden c Wilson b Mills 114
R Ponting run out 53
D Martyn run out 58
A Symonds c Wilson b Mills 13
M Clarke c McCullum b Cairns 23
M Hussey not out 32
B Hogg not out 9
Extras (1lb, 5nb, 6w) 12
Total (for 6 wkts, 50 overs) 314
Fall: 0 (Gilchrist), 99 (Ponting), 232 (Martyn), 237 (Hayden), 254 (Symonds), 283 (Clarke).

Bowling: D Tuffey 8-1-72-1 (3nb, 3w), K Mills 10-0-62-2 (2nb, 2w), C Cairns 10-0-63-1, D Vettori 10-0-31-0, J Wilson 6-0-57-0 (1w), N Astle 6-0-28-0.

New Zealand

S Fleming c Gilchrist b Lee 1
N Astle c Gilchrist b McGrath 3
M Sinclair c Gilchrist b Lee 15
H Marshall c Gilchrist b McGrath 16
C McMillan c Gilchrist b Symonds 12
C Cairns c Hayden b Symonds 22
B McCullum c and b Symonds 20
D Vettori c sub (Katich) b Gillespie 83
J Wilson c Ponting b Gillespie 22
K Mills run out 4
D Tuffey not out 0
Extras (4lb, 2nb, 4w) 10
Total (40.4 overs) 208
Fall: 4 (Fleming), 12 (Astle), 28 (Sinclair), 49 (Marshall), 72 (McMillan), 73 (Cairns), 135 (McCullum), 197 (Wilson), 208 (Vettori), 208 (Mills).

Bowling: B Lee 8-2-28-2 (2nb, 2w), G McGrath 7-0-42-2, J Gillespie 9.4-1-45-2 (1w) , A Symonds 6-0-41-3, B Hogg 10-0-48-0 (1w).

Result: Australia won by 106 runs, lead five-match series 2-0.