Watch the highlights of Australia vs New Zealand Benson & Hedges World Series Cup 4th Final 1980/81 - Benson & Hedges World Series Cup one-day international tournament of the fourth final played between New Zealand and Australia at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne in 03rd February 1981.
Dennis Lillee's three-wicket haul before Captain Greg Chappell's superb 87 and Kim Hughes' brilliant 47 steers to Australia convincing seven-wicket victory over New Zealand and won the best-of-5-finals 3-1 to clinch the title in the fourth final of a Benson and Hedges World Series Cup.
NEW ZEALAND scored 215/8 (50 Overs) with top scorer by John Wright 57 (88) and Geoff Howarth 46 (55)
Australia best bowler by Dennis Lillee 3/27 (10) and Greg Chappell 1/36 (10)
AUSTRALIA chased 218/4 (47.4 Overs) with top scorer by Greg Chappell 87 (102) and Kim Hughes 47 (57) and Martin Snedden 3/27 (9)
This match reported by Brian Mossop (Third Party Reference from SMH)
Greg Chappell displayed the qualities of a true champion when he shook off a nervous start to steer Australia to a six-wicket win over New Zealand to wrap up the Benson and Hedges World Series Cup at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
The win gave Australia the series 3-1 and the winning purse of $35,000. New Zealand received $17,500. But if there was sympathy for New Zealand, who were thwarted in their bid to tie the series in Melbourne by Chappell's under-arm delivery instruction on the last ball of that match, Australia's performance was a triumph over opinion.
And the gutsiest display of all came from Greg Chappell, the Australian captain, who was in disgrace when he walked out in front of a vocal crowd of 29,171.
Chappell, the centre of a howl of protest that stretched across the Tasman, and drew a sharp rebuke from the Australian Cricket Board, was a bundle of nerves when he went in to bat with Australia 37-1 chasing a New Zealand total of 215-8.
By the time he was out, bowled by Martin Snedden in the 47th over, he had made 87 polished runs off 101 deliveries in 140 minutes and Australia were 209-4. Chappell, who had arrived to a chorus of jeers that turned to applause just before he reached the crease, left to a thunderous ovation that was matched when he was announced as the player-of-the-final series.
There was some irony in the award that gave Chappell a cheque for $2,500 but, whatever his transgressions in Melbourne, it could not have gone to a more worthy player.
New Zealand, beaten 2-0 in the three-Test series, had no answer to Australian determination, They seemed set for a mammoth score after being given a grand start by the openers John Wright (57) and Bruce Edgar (38) but they ran out of steam late in their innings after scoring 164 runs with 10 of their 50 overs remaining.
But, as in the Test series, they were tied up by Dennis Lillee, who bowled superbly to finish with 3-27 from his 10 overs. Not even Wright or Edgar were able to play shots against the accurate fast bowler on a good batting wicket.
Geoff Howarth and Mark Burgess, captain and vice captain, each made 46 after sharing a partnership of 52 for the third wicket, but the early impetus slackened as Lillee broke through the middle order. The Australians were left with a relatively easy target and made a sound start when Allan Border (19) and Graeme Wood (34) put on 37 for the first wicket.
But while Chappell and Wood added another 53 runs before Wood was run out, it was a 98-run partnership between Chappell and the vice-captain Kim Hughes (47) that set Australia on the winning path.
Chappell was lucky to survive the first few deliveries and could not escape another controversial incident — this time involving the New Zealand fast bowler Richard Hadlee.
Hadlee dumped a youth over the fence after he had intercepted a ball struck by Chappell. But the incident appeared to have the effect of settling Chappell down.
Greg Chappell earned player of the series for his sensational all-round performance to contributed 686-runs and took 22-wickets.
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