An unbeaten 100 partnership by Andrew Symonds and Damien Martyn guided Australia to an impressive seven-wicket victory over New Zealand on Thursday as the world champion became the first team to reach the semifinal of the Champions Trophy.
"It was a great win for us today," Australia captain Ricky Ponting said. "We were very tough with the ball, we fielded really well, then what we did with the bat was first class. Andrew, again, was sensational today."
Several members of a big crowd ran onto the pitch after the Australian victory, and were escorted off by security.
Australia next faces Sri Lanka or England, who play today at Edgbaston. The Champions Trophy, which started in 1998, is is the only title Australia hasn't won.
"I'd have to concede that Australia are the favorites," New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming said.
Australia had won the toss and sent in New Zealand to bat -- the Kiwis hitting back from 89-7 to score a respectable 198-9. Daniel Vettori and Brendon McCullum added 68 runs in 79 balls in a ninth wicket stand to frustrate the Australian bowlers.
"Unfortunately the first 20 [overs] were our worst," Fleming said. "And in a game against such a good side, you can't afford to fall behind. We didn't put a partnership together until the end and by then it was too late. But this doesn't make us a bad side."
Glenn McGrath took three wickets for three runs during one spell, ending with 3-39. And Michael Kasprowicz took 3-32 as well as running out Craig McMillan and taking a great catch just inside the boundary.
Although it was Australia's seventh consecutive one-day win over New Zealand, its innings started with a wobble.
Jacob Oram clipped Adam Gilchrist's off stump in the first over to leave Australia at 4-1.
Ryan Mills then had three unsuccessful appeals for lbw against Matthew Hayden in the next over and Australia steadied to reach 49 runs before Ponting was clean bowled by Scott Styris for 14.
Hayden fell three balls short of his 50 when he hit high to Chris Cairns at mid-off off the bowling of Chris Harris leaving Australia 99-3.
Symonds started his innings in style with a six off the second ball he faced to push Australia into three figures. Martyn hit eight fours to reach his 50 off 63 balls.
New Zealand's bowlers couldn't stop Symonds -- he hit 17 runs off Harris in the 34th over and 16 runs off McMillan two overs later. He reached his 50 off 40 balls, including five fours and three sixes.
In total, the right-hander belted seven fours and four sixes.
"He gives you almost everything in a team," Ponting said of Symonds. "As far as I'm concerned, he's the best fielder in the world, he can give you handy off-spin or medium pace throughout an innings. When he gets on a roll like he did today, there's not too many grounds in the world that are big enough for him."
New Zealand had started brightly, taking 24 runs off McGrath's first four overs before the Australian struck with two dismissals in three deliveries.
Opener Nathan Astle was trapped lbw in the seventh over for 18 runs. His replacement, Hamish Marshall, survived only two balls before being dismissed the same way for nought, leaving the Kiwis on 36-2. McGrath took his third wicket in the 13th over, with Michael Clarke diving to catch a Styris outside edge in the gully for nought. His dismissal gave McGrath figures of 3-3 in 19 balls.
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