Martin Guptill scores 90 as New Zealand thrash Australia

Martin Guptill scores 76-ball 90 while Trent Boult, Matt Henry take three wickets each as New Zealand beat Australia by 159 runs

Auckland: New Zealand earned a handsome 159-run victory over Australia in the opening one-day international at Eden Park here yesterday.

New Zealand's Trent Boult (left) and Martin Guptill celebrate their win over Australia in Auckland yesterday. PIC/AFP

The home side racked up 307 for eight in their 50 overs, and then reduced Australia from 33 for one to 41 for six in a savage early-innings dismantling.

Australia recovered some pride by reaching three figures, but the revival stalled and they were all out for 148 to go one down in the three-match Chappell-Hadlee series.

Trent Boult (3-38) and Matt Henry (3-41) whipped out the Australia top six in just nine overs at the start of the tourists' reply, each taking three wickets to seize control of the match.

The foundations of New Zealand's total were laid in the opening 10 overs as Martin Guptill and Brendon McCullum enjoyed themselves.

The opening pair led the Black Caps to 79 before McCullum fell in the 11th over for 44 off 29 balls, bowled by Faulkner.

After Kane Williamson departed for an eight-ball duck, Henry Nicholls (61) joined Guptill at the crease and they put on exactly 100 as a hefty score looked on the cards.

During that stand Guptill (90) went past 50 off 47 balls and was looking set for another century in his superb summer until he was run out. He struck five sixes and eight fours in 76 balls before falling 10 runs short of a 10th ODI ton.

With New Zealand putting 200 on the board with 20 overs left, Australia were up against it, but a steady stream of wickets slowed the run rate, and at 263 for seven in the 45th a score of 300 looked some way off.

Brief scores
New Zealand 307-8 in 50 overs (M Guptill 90, H Nicholls 61, B McCullum 44; M Marsh 2-35) beat Australia 148 in 24.2 overs (M Wade 37, J Faulkner 36; T Boult 3-38, M Henry 3-41) by 159 runs

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