Ricky Ponting continued his superb summer with a century to lift Australia to victory over New Zealand in their triangular series one-day international at the MCG yesterday.
Set 291 to win, the Australians looked in deep trouble at 112-3, but man-of-the-match Ponting and Brad Hodge, who finished on 99 not out, came together and led their side in a record run-chase at the ground, winning with 10 balls to spare.
In reply to New Zealand's 290 for seven, Australia finished on 291 for five as the Black Caps' frustrating run of narrow losses to the Australians continued.
Ponting and Hodge put on 154 for the fourth wicket to turn on its head a game that appeared at New Zealand's mercy.
The skipper eventually fell for 104, made from 113 balls with six fours and one six, but Hodge guided the Australians home.
While Ponting, back from a hip injury, continued his imperious form and did not give a genuine chance until he was caught, Hodge was the surprise packet on his home ground.
Given another chance at international level only because of the injury to Andrew Symonds, Hodge was on his last chance and started nervously.
However, he blossomed as his partnership with Ponting developed and played himself into World Cup contention.
Hodge's first 17 runs were all singles, but then he started to find the boundary and faced just 86 balls, hitting seven fours and one six.
The result means the winner of tomorrow's clash between New Zealand and England will face Australia in the tri-series finals.
The run chase came after Black Caps opener Lou Vincent backed up his tough talk with a superb 90 to lay the foundation for New Zealand's total.
Having labelled the Australians arrogant in the media earlier in the week, Vincent was under pressure to deliver and did so despite a searing spell of fast bowling from Australian quick Shaun Tait.
Vincent had looked set for a century until Tait burst through his defenses and bowled him off his pads.
The wicket capped a fine bowling performance from Tait, who copped severe treatment in his first game but may have bowled himself into the Australian World Cup squad.
In just his second one-day international, he claimed 1-26 from his 10 overs and stepped into the rarefied group of the quickest bowlers in the world.
In his second over, Tait sent down a delivery to Vincent that clocked 160kph, just shy of the magical 100 mph (160.9kmh) barrier.
In doing so, he became just the third bowler, behind Pakistan's Shoaib Akhtar and his opening partner Brett Lee, to officially reach 160kph.
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