Watch the articles highlights of Australia vs New Zealand Benson & Hedges World Series Cup 2nd Final 1983 - Benson & Hedges World Series Cup one-day international tournament of the second final played between New Zealand and Australia at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne in 13th February 1983.
Openers Graeme Wood's blazing 91 and Steve Smith's memorable maiden ODI century before Geoff Lawson and Dennis Lilee's combined 5-wickets sets up to Australia's record 149-run victory over New Zealand, despite an awesome display of power-hitting by Lance Cairns' record-breaking 21-ball fastest fifty with stunning six sixes and unassailable 2-0 lead to Australia clinched the their second WSC title in a one-sided game of the best-of-three of the second final of a Benson and Hedges World Series Cup.
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AUSTRALIA scored 302/8 (50 Overs) with top scorer by Steve Smith 117 off 130-balls - which was his 1st ODI hundred - including 10-fours.
Graeme Wood hammered a 91 off 84-balls - who fell nine-run short of his century - included 9-fours with strike rate of 108.33.
New Zealand best bowler by Richard Webb 2/47 (9) and Ewen Chatfield 2/54 (10)
NEW ZEALAND 44-6 to scored 153 for all-out in (39.5 Overs with top scorer by Lance Cairns hammered a 52 off 25-balls including 6-sixes & a four with strike rate of 208 and Martin Snedden 35 (49).
Australia best bowler by Geoff Lawson 3/11 (8) and Dennis Lillee 2/29 (7)
This match reported by Mike Coward (Third Party Reference from The Age)
Graeme Wood, the unwanted, and Steve Smith, the unrecognised, gave Australia an overwhelming and famous victory over New Zealand in the Benson and Hedges World Series Cup finals at the MCG.
Inspired by Wood and Smith's memorable opening partnership of 140 in 24.1 overs. Australia amassed a record 302 to win by 149 runs and claim its second WSC title in three years and the prized purse of $32,000.
Wood provided the impetus for the slaugnter with 91 from just 84 balls, while Smith, 21, who played with the maturity of an old hand, struck an unforgettable 117 from 130 balls in exactly three hours.
The 2-0 demolition of NZ in the finals — Australia won the first match by six wickets in Sydney last Wednesday — was an appropriate finale to the most successful international cricket season on record.
Since the start of "the hottest cricket in a hundred summers" on 12 November, 1,090,266 people parted with more than $4 million to see Australia regain the Ashes and now to excel in a form of cricket which historically has taxed its resources to the limit.
Australia's effortless achievements in the finals was startling after its indifferent form in the qualifying matches and a triumph for Kim Hughes, Man of the Finals Series on the strength of his 63 in Sydney, who took over the captaincy from Greg Chapped at the start of the competition.
After winning the opening exchange with NZ on 9 January, it then lost the next three matches against Geoff Howarth's disciplined and committed team, and, perhaps, only reached the finals because of the rain that ruined England's cause in Perth eight days ago.
In retrospect, it was events in Perth that also ended NZ's challenge for the championship. Any hopes it had of avenging its 1980-81 defeat by Australia ended abruptly when ace all-rounder Richard Hadlee left the ground with a damaged hamstring muscle. From that point NZ was a losing team and in the end, Australia won four of the seven matches.
Howarth tried valiantly to make light of Hadlee's absence, but his unavailability and the sad saga which surrounded his injury seriously affected the morale of the team., with Hadlee acting as drinks attendant and morale officer — he was encouraged to cancel his ticket home on Saturday — NZ managed only 153 runs from 39.5 overs. It lost its first six wickets for 44 in 19 overs and had lost eight wickets before it managed to pass what Wood and Smith produced in their first-wicket partnership.
But for an awesome display of power-hitting by big Lance Cairns — he hit six 6s and a 4 in 52 taken from just 25 balls —NZ's embarrassment would have been more acute.
Wood, so unfortunate to be out of the Australian team since November, and exciting Smith, went about their task with relish from the outset, as though celebrating the fact that for the first time in 12 matches Australia was batting after winning the toss.
After 10 overs they had added 63 against the very modest NZ attack and the flag-waving throng of 71,393 were baying for more as first poor Richard Webb, flown from chilly Dunedin to Melbourne on Saturday, Cairns, Ewen Chatfield and Martin Snedden were humiliated by Australia's newest opening combination.
Batting together for only the third time, their running between the wickets was sensational, often reviving memories of the palpatations experienced when Wood and his close mate Rick Darling were in concert.
Only once, though, did they have that sinking feeling. With the score at 36 they found themselves within chatting distance at the southern end, but John Morrison, just behind square leg, threw to the wrong end.
Grateful for the reprieve, they then intensified the assault. And when they were not pounding the ball through the gaps, they were working it for ones and twos. There was never a dull moment as the score mounted at a startling rate.
Wood, unafraid to loft the ball, was in such command so quickly, that Smith, as junior partner, was content to sit back and watch the seasoned left-hander give a virtuoso performance.
This was Wood at his irressistible best; pulling, driving straight and square, cutting, deflecting, nudging, working.
Smith, on the other hand, gathered the bulk of his runs on the off-side. He back cut and late cut beautifully — what a joy it is to see a young man late cutting with such elegance and precision — and drove through narrow gaps at extra cover with power and style.
The six NZ bowlers were powerless to halt either of them and when Wood finally fell — trying to take Jeremy Coney from off stump somewhere ahead of square leg — Smith applied himself magnificently to the task of staying put and gathering a big score.
He continued to dictate and did not lose any poise with the prompt departure of both Hughes and Allan Border. But in flamboyant David Hookes he found another willing worker and they added 56 in 8.2 overs before Smith, ambitiously attempting to play Webb to cover point, was bowled.
Lance Cairns 6-sixes Highlights
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