Cyclist Jo Kiesanowski claims silver in Delhi

Experienced professional Joanne Kiesanowski heads a strong national team at this week’s Tour of New Zealand. Photo / Getty Images

New Zealand have racked up another Commonwealth Games track cycling silver medal after Joanne Kiesanowski powered home for a distant second in the women's 20km scratch race.

Again it was an Australian rider that has denied them a gold, with Dubbo 19-year-old Megan Dunn once again outclassing the women in black. England's Anna Blyth was third.

Dunn, who relegated Lauren Ellis to silver in yesterday's points race, burst into the lead with two laps remaining in the 40-lap race to win by the length of the straight.

Her powerful surge hauled in New Zealand's Rushlee Buchanan who made a bold bid for victory when breaking clear of the 18-woman pack six laps from the end.

Christchurch veteran Kiesanowski, 31, is rewarded for some sterling national service - mostly on the road - dating back to the 2004 Athens Olympics, where she was 17th in the road race.

A United States-based professional for eight years, she was sixth in the Commonwealth Games road race at Melbourne four years ago, while her career is littered with competitive performances at world championship and World Cup level.

Kiesanowski helped Buchanan break clear and, when that challenge fizzled, powered clear of the pack that had been left in Dunn's dust by that stage.

Earlier, New Zealanders Eddie Dawkins and Sam Webster were untroubled in advancing through the quarterfinals of the men's sprint, setting up yet more trans-Tasman showdowns.

Dawkins accounted for Phillip Njisane of Trinidad and Tobago 2-0 after a couple of tight tussles in their best-of-three clash.

The same score was registered by Webster when shutting out Canada's Travis Smith in more clinical style.

Australians Shane Perkins and Scott Sunderland were also comfortable 2-0 quarterfinal winners and will be formidable rivals in the semifinals.

Dawkins, who won a bronze medal in the 1km time trial on Tuesday, will face the winner of that event in Sunderland.

Webster must overcome fastest qualifier Perkins, who hit headlines yesterday for twice flipping a two-fingered salute at officials after being relegated in his keirin semifinal.

New Zealand is guaranteed at least a silver medal in the men's team pursuit final, where Sam Bewley, Westley Gough, Marc Ryan and Jesse Sergent must overcome a crack Australian outfit.

- NZPA