Ponting ton sets up series victory

HOBART, Australia -- Australia regained the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy after thrashing New Zealand by 114 runs in the third and final one-day international at the Bellerive Oval on Thursday to win the series 2-0.

Captain Ricky Ponting hit his second century of the series, making an unbeaten 134 off 133 balls as his side compiled 282-6 off their 50 overs.

It was his 25th one-day ton, and his first on his home ground, as he followed up his 107 off 108 balls in Australia's opening win in Adelaide. The second match in Sydney was washed out after only six overs.

The Kiwis were bowled out for only 168 from 34 overs, with paceman Brett Lee and spinner Brad Hogg both taking three wickets.

Ponting came to the crease with Australia struggling a little at 16-1 after the early loss of Michael Clarke, and Jacob Oram then dismissed Matthew Hayden (29) and Mike Hussey (9) for the addition of a further 71 runs to the hosts' total.

But Ponting and Andrew Symonds then set about the Black Caps' attack, putting on 114 in 19.3 overs.

Symonds smashed 52 off 63 balls before being trapped leg before wicket by Kyle Mills, then Brad Haddin -- standing in for rested wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist -- made 26 off 25 and James Hopes an even quicker 20 from 17 before both were run out.

Ponting was left unbowed at the end, having hit 10 boundaries and two sixes.

New Zealand then made the worst possible start with the bat as Lee had openers Jamie How and Brendon McCullum caught behind by Haddin in the first five overs.

The tourists crumbled to 88-7 as Hopes and Shaun Tait also chimed in with two wickets each before Scott Styris gave some respectability to the scoreboard with some lusty hitting.

The burly all-rounder reached 75 off 79 balls, including nine boundaries and two sixes, before Lee came back to bowl him as ninth man down and end with figures of 3-47.

Hogg (3-49) then wrapped up the innings as Mark Gillespie was caught by Symonds to end a defiant, run-a-ball knock of 24.

The result was sweet revenge for Australia, who were whitewashed in the series in New Zealand before this year's World Cup in the West Indies.

Meanwhile, India reached 110-3 on a rain-hit opening day of the warm-up match against Victoria in Melbourne. The tourists, who begin the Test series against Australia on Boxing Day, recovered from 38-3 after rain prevented any play in the first session at the Junction Oval.

Left-arm medium pacer Allan Wise made the early inroads with 3-22 as he opener Wasim Jaffer out for a duck in the second over, VVS Laxman for one in the fourth and then bowled Sachin Tendulkar for a brisk 19.

But Rahul Dravid, opening the innings, finished the curtailed day on 33 off 112 deliveries and Sourav Ganguly raced past him to be unbeaten on 51 from 86 balls at the close. E-mail to a friend

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