Scorecard

Update:

New Zealand 290/7 (50 ov)
Australia 137/3 (29.0 ov)

Australia require another 154 runs with 7 wickets and 20.4 overs remaining

Key talking point: Tait's bowling...Tait clearly benefitted from being bowled through early on... before the real onslaught... but if we compare the following.... the big difference is just 3 big shots... but where Lee registed more singles than dot balls... Tait managed 5 dot balls for every single.

Although it ended up a fairly comfortable win for Aus, it was still one of the better games you will see. Hodge has thrown the cat among the pigeons, scoring 99*, and has made a serious claim for the WC squad.

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Well done Australia.

Good game New Zealand.

Tait and Hodge stepping up is a good sign.

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" You don't want the truth,you can't handle the truth."

That's a tad unfair. Tait bowled in 3 spells, the first being the new ball (3 overs, 0 for 11). Tait was brought back for a second spell to replace Johnson (who only bowled 1 over, and had 10 runs smacked off it). Tait was brought back on to keep the runs down during the power play, which he did (4 overs, 0 for 10), during this period, one of Lee's overs got smacked for 11 runs. Ponting brought Tait back a third time to break a crucial partnership between Vincent and Fulten, which was about 150, and the game was getting away from Australia. Tait bowled Vincent with a inswinging beauty. Tait's known around Australia as a great bowler at the death when he's on song (he gets wicked reverse swing). He may have taken 1 or 2 more wickets if Punter wasn't forced to bowl him through early on (because none of the other bowlers were doing anything).

When Tait had bowled his last over in the 37th, he was still easily the pick of the bowlers. At that stage, the bowling attack looked like this:

Stuart Clark, 6 overs, 0 for 28 Econ: 4.7
Mitchell Johnson, 4 overs, 0 for 30 Econ: 7.5
Brett Lee, 7 overs, 1 for 39, Econ: 5.57
Cameron White, 4 overs, 0 for 26, Econ: 6.5
Michael Clarke, 6 overs, 1 for 28. Econ: 4.7
Shaun Tait, 10 overs, 1 for 26, Econ 2.6

Also, Tait broke the 160 kph barrier .

Tait bowled very well tonight hitting that 160kp/h mark, and bowled with good accuracy and aggression. Also the Mexican Waves were happening on regular occasions and the crowd humilated the police even though the police said that they were successful they definatly were not. Good innings from Ponting with another century 104 off 117 balls and Hodge was even better with 99* off 86 balls after starting slowly.

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Bill Ponsford - The only one who could play in Bradman’s company and make it a duet.