Cricket: Aussies dominate shaky Black Caps

Mitchell Johnson of Australia celebrates bowling Peter Ingram of New Zealand during the Twenty20 match in Wellington. Photo / Getty Images

Australia flew out of the blocks as a sluggish New Zealand cricket side spluttered into gear in a one-sided trans-Tasman series opener tonight.

Before a Westpac Stadium crowd of 21,364 who flooded in late on a balmy Wellington night, the tourists cruised to a six-wicket victory with four overs to spare in the opening Twenty20 match.

New Zealand's total of 118 was never a challenge after they opted to bat first but were dismissed off the final ball of the innings.

With the Shaun Tait-marshalled pace attack on song and openers David Warner and Shane Watson flaying away, it left New Zealand needing a big turnaround on the short AMI Stadium boundaries in game two on Sunday, before the five-match Chappell-Hadlee Trophy series opens in Napier.

The victory made it four Australian wins from as many Twenty20 internationals against New Zealand, and also four in a row this summer after they swept aside Pakistan and West Indies.

David Hussey led the way home in the run chase with 46 off 36 balls before his skipper Michael Clarke (18 not out) finished the job.

Warner (19) and Watson (19) blasted 38 off the first three overs before a rare high point for the hosts as the tourists lost three for one in nine balls.

Shane Bond (2-32) steamed in with the crowd roaring, reaching 150km/h in removing Warner and the promoted Mitchell Johnson.

Captain Daniel Vettori (1-13) slammed on the brakes but Hussey and Clarke added a calm 67-run stand on a surface which prompted New Zealand to rest Tim Southee and use spinner Nathan McCullum alongside his captain.

It was Australia's pace battery that did the damage with Mitchell Johnson taking three for 21 and Tait, left-armer Dirk Nannes and Watson all snaring two wickets apiece.

It was ominous early on for New Zealand as Tait charged in, reaching 155km/h in his opening two-over spell and removing dangerman Brendon McCullum, fourth ball to a brilliant Brad Haddin catch.

A shaky New Zealand middle order never really recovered, reaching 49 for three after 10 overs.

Peter Ingram (2) swung without moving his feet and New Zealand's big hope Ross Taylor (9), after being nearly run out by Michael Clarke, was given a poor lbw decision by umpire Billy Bowden as Johnson's delivery looked to be clearly missing off stump.

Martin Guptill, who with Taylor had several anxious moments between the wickets, cracked 30 off 29 but when he became Johnson's third victim, a sub-100 total looked on.

Franklin, with a topscore of 20 from 11 previous T20 internationals, sent two deliveries into the stands in a breezy 43 off 42 balls, before Tait returned to chop him down short of a half-century.

Franklin and Gareth Hopkins (21) added the only decent partnership of the innings, 50 off 5.1 overs for the fifth wicket.

Watson and Franklin exchanged heated words, but the Aussie allrounder had the last laugh as he removed Hopkins.

Just as something close to 150 looked on, no one else stepped up as the final six wickets fell for 14 runs in the space of four overs.

- NZPA