Shane Bond’s five-wicket bag gave the BLACKCAPS a winning start to their Chappell-Hadlee Series campaign against Australia.
Bond led a clinical bowling performance with five for 23 – his best ODI performance in New Zealand - as Australia were restricted to 148 at Wellington’s Westpac Stadium.
Stephen Fleming, who saw his decision to insert the tourists vindicated, then put on an unbroken opening partnership with Lou Vincent to ease to a 10-wicket victory in 27 overs.
Fleming and Vincent backed up their bowlers’ efforts with 70 and 73 not out respectively en route to the team’s highest-ever opening partnership in an ODI against Australia.
Vincent finished the match with a huge six over square leg.
The lone down note was an injury to Jacob Oram, who received a fractured ring finger when taking a catch to dismiss Mitchell Johnson.
Australia were dismissed with three balls to spare, skipper Michael Hussey carrying the fight with 42 from 96 balls.
But the captain was involved in the only stand of any substance, a fifth-wicket pairing of 31 with Brad Hodge (22).
The duo were the only visiting batsman to accrue more than 20 with the BLACKCAPS attack producing a miserly display of economical bowling, allied to fine fielding.
Bond’s fine return came on top of excellent efforts from Mark Gillespie (two for 27) and Daniel Vettori (two for 26) from their 10.
At the toss, Daryl Tuffey’s return was confirmed, with Jeetan Patel 12th man.
For Australia, Hussey led a side lacking several senior players, plus Michael Clarke – who failed a fitness test – and Brett Lee, whose training-ground ankle injury ruled him out of the series.
Bond produced quick wickets, removing a pair of newly-recalled players. He bowled Brad Haddin (six) after Daniel Vettori caught Phil Jaques (one).
Recalled in the 38th over, he produced an excellent one-handed catch to removed Cameron White off his own bowling.
The Australians’ new-look opening partnership lasted only 10 balls, Tuffey opening before Bond struck.
Wickets fell regularly, with Hussey and Hodge’s stand of 41 far above any of their colleagues.
With the top order failing to stick in the middle, the Kiwis picked off the tail clinically.
The BLACKCAPS openers then moved their side into a commanding position with an unbroken partnership to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series, Vincent ending the game with a fitting strike.
Match two of the Chappell-Hadlee Series is at Eden Park, Auckland on Sunday, beginning at 11am.
