Close New Zealand 199 for 8 in 50 overs (Harris 63*) beat Australia 176 all out by 23 runs
scorecard

New Zealand upset the odds and silenced a beered-up MCG with a stunning victory over Australia to get this triangular tournament off to a pulsating start. After stumbling to 94 for 7, they rallied to 199 for 8, and then chipped away at the Australians, who set off like millionaires but eventually collapsed in a heap themselves. It was Australia's first defeat in 20 matches in their annual home triangular, and New Zealand were beside themselves. With good reason, because few sides have caused Steve Waugh's Aussies to choke on their own hubris as badly as this.

Waugh, though, had more throttle than choke on his mind when Damien Martyn failed to respond to his call for a third run to long-on, and Waugh was run out by the length of the pitch to trigger an un-Australian collapse of 6 for 41. At that stage Australia had overcame a few nervy moments to reach 135 for 4; at that stage, a bonus point, which would have been Australia's had they knocked off the runs inside 40 overs, looked a strong possibility.

But after Waugh had departed for 15, cursing, panic set in. Chris Cairns bowled Ian Harvey with a jaffa that swung in between bat and pad for 5 (142 for 6); Shane Warne played all round a slower one from Chris Harris that he had hoped to send over midwicket and was bowled for 3 (150 for 7); and six balls later Brett Lee dragged another slower one, this time from Cairns, onto his stumps for 0 (151 for 8).

Martyn was still there, and when Brad Williams, batting with more panache than could be reasonably expected from a debutant No. 10, lofted Shane Bond over extra cover twice in three balls, Australia started to hope again.

But Daniel Vettori trapped Martyn lbw for 24 as he tried to sweep (168 for 9), and in his next over had Glenn McGrath caught behind for 7 as he tried to add a cut to a nine-iron chip for four to long-on. McGrath chuntered his way back to the pavilion, but the replays suggested he had no right to complain. Vettori was swamped by his team-mates and New Zealand had confirmed that their strong showing in the recent Test series in Australia was no fluke.

For a while, it had been business as usual. Although Mark Waugh fell to the fifth ball of the day, caught behind off Bond for 1 (5 for 1), the innings was revived by a sequence of heavenly boundaries from Ricky Ponting, who pulled Bond high over midwicket for six with utter disdain. Adam Gilchrist had been starved of the strike, but still managed 23 in 18 balls before offering Cairns a return catch off a slower ball as he tried to turn a full-toss on the leg side (63 for 2).

Vettori forced Ponting into his shell, and there was a hint of reckless liberation about the shot that brought his downfall. Bond strayed onto his pads, and Ponting's relieved flick picked out James Franklin at long leg. Ponting was out for 45 - yet another cameo - and it was 98 for 3.

Bond was at it again in his next over when some extra bounce lured Michael Bevan, on 27, into a rash cut that flew off the top edge to that man Franklin at third man (104 for 4). It was the moment New Zealand began to wonder whether they might just have a chance.

Earlier, they appeared not to have one at all when they slumped to 94 for 7 against some inspired fast bowling from Brett Lee, who removed Lou Vincent (caught at cover for 17) with his first ball, Craig McMillan (caught behind for 17, trying to cut one that bounced), and Cairns (fending a short one to gully for 10) in the space of 25 deliveries.

In between McGrath had Mark Richardson, playing in black for the first time, caught behind for 8 and Stephen Fleming caught at second slip by the juggling Mark Waugh for 1 as New Zealand staggered to 67 for 5. And the writing loomed even larger on the wall when Harvey pulled off a brilliant, athletic return catch to dispose of Scott Styris for a grafting 23 (89 for 6) and Adam Parore was run out for 3 in a mix-up over a single with Harris (94 for 7).

But Harris turned things around with a mixture of dabs and slashes, adding 72 for the seventh wicket with Vettori and finishing with the 52nd not-out of his 160-innings one-day career. At the time, it still didn't look enough. In the end, together with his miserly spell of 7-0-17-1, it helped win him the match award. And as the pre-match talk of dropping Harris evaporated into the warm Melbourne evening, Australia were left to reflect on their biggest enemy: complacency. The series had been set up superbly. Lawrence Booth is assistant editor of Wisden.com.

The VB Series continues at 3.30am GMT on Sunday when Australia play South Africa at the MCG. Follow their progress here with our up-to-the-minute scorecard, frequent Wisden Bulletins and Ian Healy's Verdict soon after the close.

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