Watch the highlights of Australia vs New Zealand Benson & Hedges World Series Cup 1st Final 1980/81 - Benson & Hedges World Series Cup one-day international tournament of the first final played between New Zealand and Australia at Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney in 29th January 1981.
A devastating bowling spell from Richard Hadlee's five-wicket haul, Brian McKechnie and Ewen Chatfield's combined 5-wickets after opener John Wright's brilliant 81 and captain Geoff Howarth's superb 47 helped to New Zealand's record 78-run victory over Australia and take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-5-finals in the first final of a Benson and Hedges World Series Cup.
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NEW ZEALAND scored 233/6 (50 Overs) with top scorer by John Wright 81 (111) and Geoff Howarth 47 (68)
Australia best bowler by Dennis Lillee 2/47 (10) and Len Pascoe 2/48 (10)
AUSTRALIA scored 155 for all-out (39.3 Overs) with top scorer by Allan Border 55 (74) and Greg Chappell
31 (50)
New Zealand best bowler by Richard Hadlee claimed a career-best 5-wicket haul for 26-runs in 8.3-overs including four maidens and Brian McKechnie picked up 3-wickets for 23-runs in 9-overs included a maiden and Ewen Chatfield took 2-wickets.
This match reported by Peter McFarline (Third Party Reference from The Age)
Richard Hadlee gave the Australians a devastating exhibition of his championship qualities and led New Zealand to a shock win in the first of the finals of the Benson and Hedges World Series Cup.
Hadlee was in doubt for the game with a strained right shoulder, and the decision to play him was regarded sceptically even by his teammates. After contributing 23 not out with the bat in New Zealand's total of 233, Hadlee shattered Australia's early batting. In nine deliveries he took the wickets of Graeme Wood. Martin Kent and Kim Hughes without conceding a run as Australia slumped to 28-4
From that point the home side. hot favorite to win the $35,000 winner's prize in the best-of-five matches, was never in the game. And Hadlee was able to come back to take the final two wic-kets — those of Rod Hogg and Max Walker — to wipe out the Australian batting at 155.
This gave New Zeeland victory by 78 runs and Hadlee the wonderful figures of 5/26 from 8.3 overs and top points In the $2500 Player of the Series award which is judged on cumulative votes.
Hadite appeared to suffer no inconvenience from the shoulder injury he suffered at practice last Sunday and which the New Zealanders had gone to extraordinary lengths to cover up. He bowled with the venom that has made him much respected by Australian batsmen this summer and was backed by some superb fielding by the New Zealand underdog.
With rain threatening to Interrupt the match and decide its fate on run rate, Australia's batsmen Wood and Kent went after quick runs when the innings began after dinner.
Hadlee had his first success in the sixth over of the innings when Wood hooked a short delivery and Mark Burgess took a difficult catch running away from the bat at backward square leg. In the next over Ewen Chatfield had Rod Marsh — promoted in the order in the search for fast runs — caught low down at second slip.
Hadlee them struck again, his second victim being Kent. Playing for the first time in the official Australian colors, Kent flicked a ball low but hard to Geoff Howarth forward of square leg. In the 10th over of the innings vice-captain Kim Hughes was given out lbw to a ball which may have missed the leg stump, and the Australian cause was in pieces.
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