Australia beat New Zealand by 44 runs

Ricky Ponting [ Images ] finished stranded on 98 not out off 55 balls after helping Australia recover from 54 for four to pile on 214-5 from their 20 overs.

New Zealand were bowled out for 170 on the last ball of the match despite 66 from Scott Styris [ Images ] and 36 from Brendon McCullum [ Images ]. Australian paceman Michael Kasprowicz was the best of the bowlers, capturing 4-29 from his four overs.

Thursday's match was the world's first 20-over international amid speculation that the abbreviated form of the game could become a regular part of the international calendar.

Scorecard:

Australia
A.Gilchrist c McMillan b Mills 1
M.Clarke c McMillan b Tuffey 7
A.Symonds c McCullum b Mills 32
R.Ponting not out 98
D.Martyn b Mills 3
S.Katich b Cairns 30
M.Hussey not out 31
Extras (lb-9 w-3) 12
Total (for five wickets, 20 overs) 214

Did not bat: J.Hopes, B.Lee, M.Kasprowicz, G.McGrath

Fall of wickets: 1-10 2-21 3-46 4-54 5-137

Bowling: Tuffey 4-0-50-1 (w-1), Mills 4-0-44-3 (w-2), Cairns 4-0-28-1, Wilson 4-0-43-0, Adams 4-0-40-0

New Zealand innings
B.McCullum c Ponting b Kasprowicz 36
S.Fleming b Kasprowicz 18
M.Sinclair c Katich b Kasprowicz 0
S.Styris b Lee 66
C.McMillan c Hussey b Hopes 9
C.Cairns c McGrath b Kasprowicz 1
H.Marshall b Symonds 8
A.Adams run out 7
J.Wilson b McGrath 18
K.Mills c Kasprowicz b McGrath 0
D.Tuffey not out 5
Extras (w-2) 2
Total (all out, 20 overs) 170

Fall of wickets: 1-49 2-49 3-67 4-93 5-95 6-105 7-121 8-161 9-165 10-170

Bowling: Lee 4-0-26-1 (w-1), McGrath 4-0-48-2, Kasprowicz 4-0-29-4 (w-1), Hopes 3-0-23-1, Symonds 3-0-33-1, Clarke 2-0-11-0

Result: Australia won by 44 runs