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Aussie confidence battered in Wellington

Australia Cricket RSS / / 16 February 2007 /

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Stand-in skipper Mike Hussey has admitted the ten-wicket drubbing at the hands of New Zealand in the opening clash of the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy series has left the Australia side demoralised.

The reigning world champions suffered their third consecutive defeat in the one-day game, and a fourth in their last five matches, but this latest reverse was the Aussies' first ever ten-wicket loss.

Shane Bond was again the chief tormentor as he grabbed his fourth one-day international five-wicket haul, and third against Australia, finishing with figures five for 23.

Bond now has 33 wickets against his arch rivals in ten games at an average of 13.12.

Australia's meagre total of 148 off 49.3 overs may have been a lot worse if it had not been for Hussey's battling 42 off 96 balls.

The Green and Golds are missing the likes of Ricky Ponting and Adam Gilchrist, who are both rested, and Andrew Symonds, with a bicep injury, but the injury problems are mounting up as Michael Clark (hip) and Brett Lee (ankle) have now also been sent home.
The Aussies were unable to make any early breakthroughs that were needed to make this game a contest and openers Lou Vincent (73) and Stephen Fleming (70) reached the target off just 27 overs.

Australia's fielding was also a cause for concern with their World Cup preparations stuttering badly, and this result has hit the confidence of the side hard.

Hussey said: "It's not a nice feeling. It's a demoralising loss and probably as low as we've been.

"Everything seemed to go the wrong way and it can only go up from here."

Punters have reacted to the current slump and Australia have drifted again in the World Cup winner market and they are available at 3.15, having previously been matched at 2.5.

Having failed to make the Commonwealth Bank Series final, New Zealand now find themselves as favourites at 1.42 to lift the Chappell Hadlee Trophy following this rout, with Australia out to 2.82, having previously been as low as 1.45, while a drawn series is on offer at 8.4

With just two games left in the series, there is little to choose between the two sides in an emerging market for the second ODI at Auckland, taking place on Saturday.

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