Black Caps end on a high

Southee (r): Career best figures

Fifth One Day International
Wellington
New Zealand 241-9 Innings Complete (S B Styris 55) v Australia 190 (S R Watson 53, T G Southee 4-36, S E Bond 4-26)
New Zealand beat Australia by 51 runs

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New Zealand ended their unsuccessful Chappell-Hadlee series on a high with a fine 51-run victory over Australia in Wellington cutting the victory margin to 3-2 in favour of the tourists.

Although the series was already lost, the Black Caps were determined to end on a high, especially with the two-Test series beginning next week.

Daniel Vettori's men did just that, as a superb bowling performance ensured they at last grabbed some momentum back after suffering two heavy defeats as the Aussies clinched the series.

Another below-par effort with the bat saw New Zealand post 241-9 off their 50 overs at Wellington's Westpac Stadium, but four wickets apiece for Shane Bond and Tim Southee helped them successfully defend that total.

Bond recorded figures of 4-26 while Southee had career best one-day figures of 4-36 off nine overs as Australia were bowled out for just 190 after 46.1 overs.

Great Scott

Scott Styris was once again left to dig his team-mates out of trouble as they lost early wickets to be 32-3 inside just eight overs, as the all-rounder top-scored with 55, the only New Zealander to make a half-century.

Styris formed vital partnerships of 53 and 68 with Ross Taylor (30) and skipper Vettori (28), respectively, while Daryl Tuffey also chipped in with another cameo of 36 at the end to get his side above 240.

Australia, though, failed to make a strong start in reply, with Bond taking two wickets in two balls as the tourists fell to 27-2.

First he had Brad Haddin (17) caught by Southee, and then was lucky to get Ponting next ball as it flew off the Australia skipper's helmet, not his gloves as umpire Gary Baxter adjudged.

Southee then got danger man Cameron White for six and Voges for five and New Zealand's 241 was beginning to look defendable with Australia struggling on 72-4 in 20 overs.

Watson fifty

Opener Shane Watson (55) got the only score of note, bringing up his 15th one-day fifty - and first in the series - with a single of Nathan McCullum the 23rd over.

But the spinner eventually got his man when Watson hit one straight to Taylor to end his 79-ball stay that produced just four boundaries, and gave McCullum his first one-day wicket in his third match.

Michael Hussey and James Hopes were left to do the rebuilding and it was Australia's 'Mr Cricket' who took charge as the pair put on 50 runs for the sixth wicket.

Having reached the half-ton they opted to take the batting powerplay but Southee was brought back into the fray and struck in successive overs to remove Hussey then Mitchell Johnson.

Bond then had Nathan Hauritz caught by Styris for nine, Vettori got James Hopes (40) before the New Zealand quick combined with Southee to dismiss Clint McKay (two) and wrap up the win.