Cricket: NZ beat World XI by four wickets

Black Caps bowler Chris Cairns celebrates the wicket of Nick Knight during the one day cricket match at Westpac Park, Hamilton today. Picture / Fotopress

New Zealand wrapped up the one-day cricket series 2-1 as they staggered to a four-wicket win over the World XI in Hamilton today.

On a variable, sub-standard Westpac Park pitch, the World XI were shot out for 81 in 20.5 overs, the hosts reached the target in the 16th over before a short-changed full house of 11,500.

Former Australian allrounder Ian Harvey did the damage with four for 17 on a pitch still playing tricks, with Nathan Astle topscoring with 23.

Earlier, New Zealand allrounder Chris Cairns ripped through the World XI lineup to take six for 12 off 5.5 overs as the tourists were dismissed in just 1-3/4 hours.

Fellow allrounder Jeff Wilson backed him up with three for six off four overs, and he was denied a hat-trick by Andy Bichel after dismissing Graeme Hick and Kumar Sangakkara off consecutive balls.

Former England opener Nick Knight topscored with 43 off 45 balls, including six fours, before being sixth out when he chopped a low Cairns delivery on to his stumps.

The match finished in just three hours of playing time, and to appease the crowd it was decided to play an extra 10 overs-a-side match.

World XI

N Knight b Cairns 43
M Elliott c McCullum b Mills 10
S Jayasuriya c Wilson b Cairns 13
I Harvey c McCullum b Cairns 0
G Blewett c McCullum b Wilson 0
G Hick c McCullum b Wilson 0
K Sangakkara c McCullum b Wilson 0
J Rhodes lbw b Cairns 3
A Bichel c Astle b Cairns 5
H Streak not out 2
S Warne b Cairns 0
Extras (2lb, 2nb, 1w) 5
Total (20.5 overs) 81
Fall: 37 (Elliott), 59 (Jayasuriya), 67 (Harvey), 69 (Blewett), 69 (Hick), 71 (Knight), 71 (Sangakkara), 78 (Bichel), 81 (Rhodes), 81 (Warne).

Bowling: D Tuffey 5-0-36-0 (1nb), K Mills 6-0-25-1 (1nb), C Cairns 5.5-1-12-6, J Wilson 4-0-6-3 (1w).

New Zealand

S Fleming c Sangakkara b Bichel 16
N Astle b Harvey 23
M Sinclair b Harvey 4
S Styris lbw b Harvey 16
H Marshall not out 16
C McMillan b Harvey 0
C Cairns c Jayasuriya b Blewett 1
B McCullum not out 2
Extras (1b, 1lb, 1nb, 2w) 5
Total (for 6 wkts, 15.2 overs) 83
Fall: 29 (Fleming), 44 (Sinclair), 55 (Astle), 64 (Styris), 64 (McMillan), 65 (Cairns).

Bowling: A Bichel 5-0-34-1 (1w), H Streak 4-0-23-0 (1nb), I Harvey 4.2-1-17-4 (1w), G Blewett 2-0-7-1.

Result: New Zealand won by four wickets, won three-match series 2-1.

Teams:

New Zealand: Stephen Fleming (captain), Nathan Astle, Mathew Sinclair, Scott Styris, Hamish Marshall, Craig McMillan, Chris Cairns, Brendon McCullum, Jeff Wilson, Kyle Mills, Daryl Tuffey.

World XI: Shane Warne (captain), Nick Knight, Matthew Elliott, Greg Blewett, Sanath Jayasuriya, Graeme Hick, Kumar Sangakkara, Jonty Rhodes, Ian Harvey, Andy Bichel, Heath Streak.

Umpires: Doug Cowie, Tony Hill.

- NZPA