CHRISTCHURCH, February 8: A blazing century from Adam Gilchrist steered Australia to an easy seven-wicket win over New Zealand in the limited-overs cricket match at Lancaster Park today.Chasing New Zealand's 212-7 from 50 overs, Australia won the day-night fixture by seven wickets off just 38.2 overs with Gilchrist making 118 from 117 deliveries, including 10 fours and five sixes.
The wicketkeeper-batsman reached his second One-day international century from just 97 balls.
With Mark Waugh, Gilchrist figured in a first-wicket stand of 146 in 26 overs.
Earlier, off-spinner Gavin Robertson grabbed three for 32 from 10 overs and Steve Waugh bowled a miserly 10-over spell of 1-24.
After making an encouraging start, New Zealand lost five wickets for 32 runs in the space of 13 overs.
Nash finished unbeaten on 39, at run-a-ball rate, while Harris hit a breezy 38 in 43 balls.
Scoreboard
New Zealand: L Howell b Robertson 50, N Astle b Moody 23, A Parore c Bevan b Robertson 29, S Fleming c & bRobertson 2, C McMilan run out 4, C Cairns c Dale b S Waugh 16, C Harris c Law b Moody 38, D Nash not out 39, S Doull not out 0; Extras (lb7, w3, nb1) 11.
Total (for 7 wickets in 50 overs) 212
Fall of wickets: 1-40 2-104 3-109 4-109 5-119 6-136 7-202
Bowling: Wislon 7-1-39-0, Dale 8-0-34-0, Moody 8-2-36-2, Robertson 10-0-32-3, S Waugh 10-1-24-1, M Waugh 3-0-19-0, Law 4-0-21-0.
Australia: A Gilchrist c Cairns b McMillan 118, M Waugh c Nash b Vettori 65, T Moody b McMillan 17, R Ponting not out 10, D Lehmann not out 0; Extras (nb1, w1, b2, lb1) 5
Total (three wickets in 38.3 overs) 215
Fall of wickets: 1-146, 2-173, 3-208
Bowling: O'Connor 4-0-31-0, Doull 4-0-25-0, Cairns 4-0-16-0, Harris 8-0-43-0, Vettori 10-0-44-1, Astle 2-0-15-0, McMillan 6.2-0-38-2.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
