ATG World Championship - Australia v New Zealand

 

At 2.10 pm on the 5th day of this Sydney Test, Kane Williamson dispatched a Steve Smith full toss to give New Zealand an 8 wicket victory over Australia. 

Fleming had won an important toss and put the home side into bat on a damp pitch where batting was far from easy. Australia were all out for 271 before lunch on day 2, with Smith having compiled another century. The 2nd day's play was truncated by rain & bad light but Sutcliffe & Glenn Turner blunted the Aussie attack with a 165 run opening stand, New Zealand closing on 195-2. 

By day 3 New Zealand reached 431 all out, a lead of 160. The last 2 wickets added 103, and Cairns prized out Morris and nightwatchman O'Reilly to leave Australia teetering on 19-2 at stumps, still 141 in arrears. Bradman scored his 1st century of the series on day 4 but the pitch was wearing and New Zealand kept taking wickets. Australia were all out for 224 on the 5th morning (Cairns 5-31), the last 6 wickets having fallen for 25 runs, and a New Zealand win was a formality. 

A tremendous team performance by the Kiwis which included 4-50 in Australia's 1st inns and a swashbuckling 70 from Hadlee, as well as 8 wickets in the match from the admirable Cairns. But Bert Sutcliffe deserved to be man of the match for his 92 and taking the key scalps of Hayden, Smith & Bradman with his slow left arm bowling.

Australia 1st Innings 271-10 (109.1 Ov)

SPD Smith 105, RR Lindwall 30, KR Miller 28, RJ Hadlee 4-50, CL Cairns 3-48

New Zealand 1st Innings 431-10 (143.3 Ov)

B Sutcliffe 92, GM Turner 77, RJ Hadlee 70, SK Warne 3-110, SPD Smith 2-27, RR Lindwall 2-56

Australia 2nd Innings 224-10 (92.1 Ov)

DG Bradman 107, ML Hayden 51, SPD Smith 25, CL Cairns 5-31, B Sutcliffe 3-44, SE Bond 2-17

New Zealand 2nd Innings 66-2 (27.5 Ov)

KS Williamson 31*

New Zealand win by 8 wickets

Man of the Match: B Sutcliffe

Bert Sutcliffe gave a truly all-round performance, scoring 92 in the first innings and taking 4 for 71 in the match, including the key wickets of Hayden, Smith and Bradman in Australias 2nd innings