Smashing Symonds steals the show

Damien Martyn scored his 23rd one-day half century while Andrew Symonds smashed his way to his 11th as Australia beat New Zealand by seven w...

Damien Martyn scored his 23rd one-day half century while Andrew Symonds smashed his way to his 11th as Australia beat New Zealand by seven wickets in their Champions Trophy Pool A game at The Oval on Thursday. Martyn scored 60 not out, while Symonds cracked 71 off 47 balls as Australia reached 199-3 in 37.2 overs in response to New Zealand’s 198-9.

Glenn McGrath and Michael Kasprowicz took three wickets each in New Zealand’s innings. McGrath knocked off the top of the order before finishing with 3-39, while Kasprowicz tore through the middle and ended with 3-32. Australia will now meet the winner

of Friday’s game between England and Sri Lanka in the first semi-final at Edgbaston on September 21. New Zealand looked threatening early on when Adam Gilchrist was bowled for four by Jacob Oram in the first over and Kyle Mills had three leg before appeals turned down against Matthew Hayden the next over.

Australia captain Ricky Ponting went cheaply, bowled for 14 by Scott Styris but Hayden and Martyn just continued to methodically tick off the runs.

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After Hayden was dismissed for 47 trying to smash medium-slow bowler Chris Harris down the ground only to be caught at mid-off by Chris Cairns, Symonds and Martyn continued to work the slower bowlers around and dispatch the occasional ball to, and in Symonds case over, the boundary. It was Australia’s seventh successive victory against New Zealand in one-day internationals and the fifth time in the last six they had restricted them to under 200 runs.

Only some lower-order resistance from wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum and Daniel Vettori spared New Zealand the embarrassment of a lower score after they had slumped to 89-7.

Brief scores:

New Zealand: 198-9 in 50 overs (S.Fleming 29, C.Harris 26, B.McCullum 47, D.Vettori 29 n.o, McGrath 3-39, Kasprowicz 3-32). Australia: 199-3 in 37.2 overs (M.Hayden 47, D.Martyn 60 n.o, A.Symonds 71 n.o).