At Wellington, February 10. Australia won by 66 runs. Toss: Australia.

On a true Basin Reserve pitch, Australia came close to 300, a total that was always beyond New Zealand's reach. All the Australian top order, bar Gilchrist, the hero of Christchurch, contributed, Mark Waugh leading the way with 85. Chasing 298, Fleming experimented by promoting the big-hitting Cairns to No. 3. The ploy itself worked – Cairns hit 67 – but the other recognised batsmen gave little support. Harris, playing his 100th limited-overs international, batted well without much hope of success. With the home team heading for defeat again, some of the 12,000 capacity crowd expressed their frustration by hurling missiles, including fruit and golf balls, on to the pitch. Law was struck by a full sauce bottle, an incident likened by Steve Waugh to the stabbing of the tennis player Monica Seles; he demanded greater security for his players.

Man of the Match: M. E. Waugh.

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