By RICHARD BOOCK in Melbourne
New Zealand ambushed Australia's tri-series opener early today with a stunning 23-run win.
The New Zealanders fought back from a position of near-hopelessness to snatch the shock triumph at the end of the 42nd over when Daniel Vettori sent back Glenn McGrath in front of 47,000 disbelieving Victorians.
The win was even more remarkable given that New Zealand had managed to scrape together only 199 in the first innings and that Australia had been rampant early in the chase - scorching to 44 for one after five overs and 71 for two after 10.
But the fightback, effectively launched by Chris Harris' rearguard 63 with the bat, gained genuine momentum with the introduction of Vettori at the bowling crease and was driven home by a wonderful second spell from Chris Cairns.
Cairns did his side a huge favour by sending back Adam Gilchrist, and returned to hit the stumps of Ian Harvey and Brett Lee, leaving the world champions staggering at 151 for eight after 34.4 overs.
Australia's main hope at that stage was Damien Martyn, but he was trapped in front by Vettori in the 40th over and the coup de grace was provided only a dozen balls later.
It could not have been a more astonishing turn-up, given that Australia had been coasting at the start of the chase, losing Mark Waugh early, but then piling on the runs courtesy of Adam Gilchrist, Ricky Ponting and Michael Bevan - who all batted as though they had a bonus point in mind.
The slightly reckless plan turned to custard through the middle of the innings, when Shane Bond first had Ponting caught by James Franklin at fine-leg and then enticed Bevan to slash high to the same fieldsman at third man.
Australia's task may not have been helped by an eight-minute delay because of a crowd disturbance in the Great Southern Stand, where police evicted more than 200 spectators who had been hurling rubbish on to the field.
Whatever the impact, Steve Waugh's side were unable to deal with the pressure applied by New Zealand during the second half of the chase, as Bond's good work was built on by Cairns, Vettori and Harris.
Cairns and Bond ended with three wickets apiece and Vettori and Harris were able to probe Australia's dislike for the slow-moving ball, all the time increasing the amount of anxiety among the opposition's lower order.
It was a excellent comeback by Bond, in particular, who went for 19 off one over and 31 off his first three before being taken out of the attack by Fleming.
Having been put in on the fast and bouncy MCG wicket, the New Zealanders struggled with the pace of McGrath and Brett Lee, losing five wickets for 47 in the space of 14 overs and, at one stage, crashing to 94 for seven.
From then on it was a difficult trail for the men in black, who struggled past their lowest total at the MCG (126 in 1980-81) only courtesy of a gritty 23 from Scott Styris and what was probably a match-winning eighth-wicket partnership worth 72 from Harris and Vettori.
Vettori was run out for 30 after another moment of confusion between the wickets, but Harris marched to his 13th ODI half-century (84 balls), striking five boundaries in his unbeaten 63.
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