Cricket: Australia beat NZ by seven wickets to lead series 4-0

New Zealand's Jeff Wilson hangs his head as his bowling is plundered by the Australians in the fourth one day international cricket match at the Basin Reserve in Wellington. Picture / Fotopress

WELLINGTON - Australia cruised to their easiest win of the tour against a hapless New Zealand bowling attack as they got within one victory of a one-day cricket series clean-sweep today.

The tourists beat New Zealand by seven wickets as they passed their total of 233 in the 35th over in the fourth one-day international at the Basin Reserve.

It means New Zealand will lose their world No 2 ranking to Sri Lanka if they lose the fifth and final match in Napier on Saturday.

Australia took to New Zealand's new ball attack of Kyle Mills and debutante Lance Hamilton, with stand-in captain Adam Gilchrist and Simon Katich plundering 78 off the first 10 overs.

Gilchrist scored 54 and Katich 43, while Damien Martyn saw it through with 65 not out.

New Zealand's 233 wasn't nearly enough on a top batting pitch, with openers Stephen Fleming and Nathan Astle the equal topscorers with 37 apiece.

Brett Lee, Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie took two wickets apiece, while debutante James Hopes took one for 38 off 10.

* Scoreboard from the fourth one-day cricket international between New Zealand and Australia at the Basin Reserve today.

New Zealand

S Fleming c Lee b Gillespie 37
N Astle c Gilchrist b Kasprowicz 37
C Cumming c Clarke b McGrath 10
H Marshall c and b Clarke 23
C McMillan lbw b Hopes 35
J Marshall c Gilchrist b Gillespie 9
C Cairns c Martyn b Lee 36
B McCullum c Katich b Lee 17
J Wilson lbw b McGrath 1
K Mills run out 4
L Hamilton not out 2
Extras (1b, 12lb, 5w, 4nb) 22
Total (49.5 overs) 233

Fall: 84 (Fleming), 90 (Astle), 104 (Cumming), 145 (H Marshall), 163 (McMillan), 173 (J Marshall), 214 (Cairns), 220 (Wilson), 226 (McCullum), 233 (Mills).

Bowling: B Lee 9-1-41-2 (3nb, 3w), G McGrath 9.5-1-48-2 (1nb, 1w), J Gillespie 10-0-46-2 (1w), M Kasprowicz 8-2-34-1, J Hopes 10-1-38-1, M Clarke 3-0-13-1.

Australia

A Gilchrist c McMillan b Wilson 54
S Katich c McCullum b Cairns 43
D Martyn not out 65
A Symonds c Wilson b McMillan 48
M Clarke not out 10
Extras (3lb, 8w, 5nb) 16
Total (for 3 wkts, 34.2 overs) 236

Fall: 78 (Katich), 113 (Gilchrist), 212 (Symonds).

Bowling: K Mills 7-1-37-0 (6w), L Hamilton 8-0-67-0 (4nb, 1w), J Wilson 9-0-68-1, C Cairns 6-0-30-1 (1nb), C McMillan 4.2-0-31-1 (1w).

Result: Australia won by seven wickets, lead five-match series 4-0.
Man of the match: Adam Gilchrist.

- NZPA