Australia cricketers still eager to win - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Australia cricketers still eager to win

By Philip Henderson 14/01/2007 07:22:48 PM Comments (0)

Andrew Symonds delivered a chilling warning to both England and New Zealand by declaring the Australians were still "not satisfied" despite back-to-back thrashings to start the tri-series.

Australia beat New Zealand by 105 runs in its one-day international at Bellerive Oval on Sunday to continue the home team's unbeaten run this summer.

Man-of-the-match Symonds smashed 69 from 70 balls as he and Cameron White (45 off 32) hammered 90 runs from just 54 balls to rocket Australia to 8-289 from its 50 overs.

Shane Bond (4-61) took a hat-trick in the final over the innings, but it was not enough to inspire New Zealand with the bat as the tourists lost their last seven wickets for just 23 to be dismissed for 184 in the 39th over - despite a superb 84 from 82 balls from 22-year-old Ross Taylor.

It leaves Australia well out in front of both England and New Zealand after just two games of the 12-match series - a worrying sign for the future of the 27-year-old tournament which is currently under review by Cricket Australia.

England and New Zealand though may be furthered concerned by Symonds' comments after the match, after the all-rounder - with an eye to the World Cup starting in March - declaring Australia still had some improving to do.

"I suppose you'd have to say that we're having a fairly good run, but we're not satisfied by any means," Symonds said.

"We still see this as a very important process because we've still got the World Cup coming up ... we're building our whole summer around to hopefully being in a World Cup final.

"We've still got a bit of improving to do. I think we've still played pretty good in the first two games, but there are things there we can still pay some attention too."

Australia was without leading strike bowlers Glenn McGrath (soreness) and Brett Lee (chest infection), yet were still able to dismiss New Zealand inside 40 overs.

Mitchell Johnson (2-27), Stuart Clark (2-40) and Symonds (2-41) each took two wickets with Tasmanian swing bowler Ben Hilfenhaus (1-26) also taking a wicket on debut with his 12th ball, much to the delight of the 16,590-strong crowd.

The result maintained Australia's perfect run this summer having previously tormented England with a 5-0 Ashes whitewash and emphatic wins in both the one-off Twenty20 game and opening tri-series clash.

Despite the final margin, captain Ricky Ponting said he thought New Zealand had posed more of a challenge than England on Friday.

The two touring teams face off for the first time in Hobart on Tuesday with Australia next playing England in Brisbane on Friday.

Adam Gilchrist belted 61 from 57 balls in an 82-run opening stand with Matthew Hayden (27) as Australia got off to the perfect start in what will be the first of at least seven trans-Tasman meetings in the lead-up to the World Cup in March.

Bond, who dismissed White, Symonds and Nathan Bracken for his hat-trick, has now taken 28 wickets in eight games against Australia at an average of 12.36.

He was the 23rd player to take a hat-trick in ODI cricket and second behind Danny Morrison for New Zealand.

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