Sport

Australia quells a late Kiwi surge

SYDNEY, DEC. 8. Australia held on for a 17-run win over New Zealand in the second one-day international on Wednesday, despite Kyle Mills' four successive sixes that highlighted a determined but too-late Kiwi comeback attempt.

Australia made 261-7 and bowled out New Zealand for 244 in the 48th over to deny the Kiwis an improbable late-innings win and send the three-match series to a deciding game Friday in Brisbane.

Rollicking stand

The home side was cruising to victory when New Zealand fell to 166-8. But Daniel Vettori and Mills blasted their way towards a New Zealand record partnership of 70 for the ninth wicket.

Mills' two successive sixes off Darren Lehmann and two more off Brad Hogg to bring New Zealand close to victory.

When Vettori was run out for 33, Chris Harris, who suffered a torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder while fielding earlier in the match, came out with New Zealand at 236-9 and needing a run a ball off the last five overs.

But Harris, playing in his 250th one-dayer and who had taken painkillers to enable him to come to the crease, was bowled for four by a Glenn McGrath yorker to end the match. Harris will return to New Zealand on Thursday for treatment and possible surgery.

Mills was left 44 not out off 26 balls.

Hogg was the man of the match for Australia after making 41 not out and taking 3-45 off eight overs as New Zealand slumped to 6-86 at one stage before they were revived by a 40-ball half-century from Chris Cairns.

Brett Lee, bowling at high pace, took 2-48 while Jason Gillespie picked up 2-41.

Dashing start

Earlier, after captain Ricky Ponting won the toss and elected to bat, Adam Gilchrist blazed 60 runs from 48 balls and Australia dashed to 82-0 off 10 overs. But the home side repeated its middle order problems from Melbourne, where the team lost 4-10 in the first game of the series on its way to a four-wicket loss. On Wednesday, Australia lost 4-8.

Mills took two wickets — Ponting and Damien Martyn — in as many overs, Mathew Sinclair ran out Matt Hayden (43) and Vettori claimed Andrew Symonds.

It was left to Lehmann to restore order and he combined in a stand of 74 for the seventh wicket with Hogg.

Ponting said he admired Harris for coming to the crease with such a serious injury.

``As soon as he came out I ran straight to the middle of the wicket to say to him that I thought it was a very gutsy and very good effort for him to come out and bat, and do the best that he possibly could for his team,'' Ponting said.

``You could see he was very restricted and was hurting a fair bit, but he showed a lot of guts.''

New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming was also impressed by Harris' effort.

``He saw perhaps the opportunity to win the game so he did what he felt was best,''

Fleming said. ``He was in pain but still felt he could do a job and as it got closer it became a pretty real option.'' — AP

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