KEY POINTS:
Adam Gilchrist's suggestion that the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy series was a waste of time and harmful to Australia's World Cup preparations was hooked for six by Cricket Australia's chief executive yesterday.
Gilchrist's view that the transtasman series, which New Zealand sealed with their second win in Auckland on Sunday, was that it was harmful to Australia's World Cup prospects.
"I'm going to be brutally honest here and say I don't think too many people wanted it on at all," Gilchrist told Fox Sports' Inside Cricket television programme.
"We've had a very hectic summer ... we didn't need this series at the moment, and it would have been nice to have that little bit of time for everyone to be at home freshening up and getting ready for the World Cup."
However CA boss James Sutherland mounted a vigorous defence of the concept.
Sutherland took issue with his star wicketkeeper-batsman, saying his organisation remained committed to the series, which started in 2004.
"We want to play these matches because we want New Zealand to play these matches against us in Australia when it's our turn to host them [next season]," he said.
"That's what makes the world go around.
"While this series hasn't been a success from a Cricket Australia point of view and we haven't played as well as we might, the match in Auckland looked like a great game and the newspapers in New Zealand are talking about it.
"We don't only live for the game of cricket in Australia.
"We see ourselves having a role in ensuring the game prospers around the world."
Both Gilchrist and captain Ricky Ponting were allowed to skip the three-game series, in Gilchrist's case to remain with his pregnant wife.
New Zealand Cricket refused to comment on Gilchrist's remarks.
The Auckland defeat - their fourth on the trot - also enabled South Africa to replace them as the world's No 1 ranked side on the International Cricket Council rankings.
Australia were without leading players Brett Lee, Andrew Symonds and Michael Clarke thorugh injury.
* England fast bowler Liam Plunkett was yesterday banned from driving for 20 months after admitting to drink-driving.
The fast bowler was also fined £2000 ($5644) and ordered to pay £50 costs and attend a drink-drive rehabilitation course.
The court was told that the 21-year-old cricketer was arrested for drink-driving after crashing his four-wheel drive into another car on his way back from a nightclub near Stockton on October 19 last year.
Plunkett, of Middlesbrough, gave a reading of 172mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood - more than twice the UK limit. Plunkett was bailed by police until he returned from Ashes duty in Australia.
- NZPA
