At Napier, March 1 (day/night). Australia won by five wickets. Toss: Australia. International debut: C. J. Nevin.

Winning the toss for the first time, Australia chose to play the chasing game and, had New Zealand found a steady partner for Astle, they might just have had a hard night. Astle batted superbly for 104 from 128 balls, but only Twose and Cairns, whose boundary ratio was confined to two sixes and no fours, gave him a modicum of support. Cairns struck two early blows with the ball – Mark Waugh went in the first over – but Hayden stuck fast and Bevan confirmed his genius for one-day batting. His 107 steered Australia to the brink of victory with overs to spare. The win took Australia's record sequence of wins (interrupted by the Wellington no-result) to 13.

Man of the Match: M. G. Bevan.

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