Bond grabs hat-trick

Shane Bond grabbed a final-over hat-trick on his return to Australia as the hosts were limited to 289 for eight at Hobart.

Bond became only the second BLACKCAP to take an ODI hat-trick - after Danny Morrison against India at Napier in 1994 - with the wickets of Cameron White, Andrew Symonds and Nathan Bracken.

Big-hitters Symonds and Adam Gilchrist hit half-centuries earlier in the innings at Hobart’s Bellerive Oval, having been sent into bat by captain Ricky Ponting.

The veteran wicketkeeper put on 61 from 58 balls in an opening stand of 83 with Matthew Hayden (27), while Symonds showed his ability as a middle-order force with 69.

The dreadlocked Queenslander put on 90 for the sixth wicket with White (45), who helped lift the run rate on his arrival at the crease.

Bond ended the innings with figures of four for 61, while Mark Gillespie picked up two wickets in his first tour appearance for the BLACKCAPS, and Craig McMillan and Jeetan Patel also struck.

In the New Zealanders’ first game in the 2007 Tri-Series, Patel came into the BLACKCAPS side for Michael Mason.

Nathan Astle and Daniel Vettori returned having missed the side’s last full game, the defeat to Sri Lanka at Eden Park.

Tasmanian Ben Hilfenhaus covered for Glenn McGrath for the world champions.

Australia made a great start, and quickly accelerated to 83 in 13 overs.

Hayden, the junior partner in the opening stand, was removed two balls into the 14th, his attempted cut clipped to Brendon McCullum off Gillespie.

Patel trapped Gilchrist three overs later, with the score on 104, and Gillespie took the key wicket of Ponting (21) with Stephen Fleming’s catch of his counterpart.

Symonds and Michael Clarke (33) made progress, but tight bowling and solid fielding slowed the run rate, until Cameron White joined the English-born all-rounder at the crease.

The two stroke-makers flourished in a 54-ball stand, but Bond’s grand finale kept the score under 300 and the BLACKCAPS in the running.