St George's (Grenada), April 21 (IANS-CMC) Matthew Hayden struck his 10th century as Australia handed New Zealand their largest-ever defeat in One-day Internationals with a brutal 215-run defeat in a second-round World Cup match here Friday.

Left-handed Hayden hit a stroke-filled 103 from 100 balls while Ricky Ponting and Shane Watson smashed half-centuries as Australia made 348 for six off their 50 overs, after Ponting called correctly and chose to bat at the National Stadium.

Australia's bowlers then quickly paralysed the top order of the Black Caps batting, reducing them to 89 for five in the 15th over, before crushing them for meagre 133 runs in 25.5 overs. Opener Peter Fulton hit the top score of 62.

It was yet another clinical display from the title-holders and it sent an ominous message to South Africa who they face in the second semi-final in Jamaica Wednesday. Australia are unbeaten in the World Cup.

Hayden cracked 10 fours and two sixes and set the stage for a big total in a second wicket partnership of 137 from 131 balls with Ponting who fashioned a typically assured 66 from 70 balls including seven fours.

When both were dismissed and Australia slipped to 257 for five in the 41st over, Watson hammered an audacious unbeaten 65 from 32 balls to stun the Kiwis as they gathered 81 runs from the last 10 overs. Australia scored 58 runs in the last five overs.

Along the way, Michael Clarke chipped in with a silky smooth 49 from 46 balls with seven fours while Mike Hussey scored 37 off 44 balls with two fours.

New Zealand started positively, surviving the loss of captain Stephen Fleming (12) and Ross Taylor (3) to reach 77 for two in the 12th over.

But left-arm spinner Brad Hogg grabbed four for 29 while fast bowler Shaun Tait (3-32) and Glenn McGrath (2-25) gave good support, as the Black Caps stunningly lost their last eight wickets for 56 runs in 98 balls.

New Zealand hinted at taking up the gauntlet when Fleming hoisted the third ball of the third over from Nathan Bracken over long on for six and then slashed Tait through the slip cordon for four in the next over.

The very next ball, however, Fleming was given out caught by Ponting at third slip, attempting to pull a short delivery with the score on 21 in the fourth over. Television replays showed the ball actually brushed the batsman's shoulder on its way through.

Then, with just eight runs added, Taylor pulled the first ball of McGrath's opening spell to Hussey at short mid-wicket, as Australia took control in the sixth over.

Fulton and the in-form Scott Styris, who hit 27 from 22 balls, shared an enterprising stand of 48 from just 36 balls as New Zealand threatened to pull themselves back into the contest.

Styris had counted five fours when he attempted to clobber McGrath out of the park and give a catch to Hayden at mid-wicket.

His dismissal opened the floodgates and the ruthless Aussies quickly mauled the middle order transforming what had been billed as a clash of the titans, into a woefully lopsided affair that concluded at 3:53 p.m.

Earlier, Hayden had warned of things to come when he smashed the last ball of the opening over bowled by Michael Mason over mid-on for four and then took cover-driven boundaries from the fourth over from James Franklin.

He lost partner Adam Gilchrist (1) to the first ball of the second over, slicing a catch to Mark Gillespie at third man off Franklin but Hayden motored on unperturbed.

Joined by Ponting, Hayden continued to plunder the New Zealand bowling, forcing Fleming to wring in changes throughout the first 10 overs.

Ponting greeted off-spinner Jeetan Patel, introduced after just four overs, with a four over mid-wicket and when Hayden lifted Mason for a straight six off the last ball of the ninth over, Australia had raced to 76 for one.

Hayden raised his half-century from 53 balls in the 17th over and motored to his second 50 off 44 balls as he raised his century in the 31st over.

Ponting also brought up his half-century from 53 balls and had cruised to 66 when he unexpectedly flicked Patel to Taylor at short mid-on.

Hayden and Clarke then added 72 effortlessly, with Clarke in particular playing delightfully, reeling off three successive boundaries off fast bowler Mark Gillespie in the 26th over.

Attempting to raise the tempo a notch higher, Hayden skied an attempted hit over the top and bowler Styris ran back to mid-on to claim the catch in the 33rd over.

Three overs later and after taking boundaries from the previous two deliveries, Clarke was bowled by Franklyn offering no stroke to a delivery he misjudged.

Andrew Symonds (11) went cheaply but Watson and Hussey consolidated with a cameo 77-run stand for the sixth wicket.

While Hussey struggled for fluency, Watson was at his best despite missing the last three matches through injury.

Striking the ball cleanly and with precision on both sides of the wicket, the right-handed Watson smashed four fours and four sixes.

He was severe on Gillespie, taking 24 from the bowler's sixth over, the 48th of the innings, as he went for 67 from the six-over spell.

Franklyn finished with three for 74 while Patel claimed two for 48.

SCOREBOARD

Match No. 47, Australia vs New Zealand (second round),

World Cup, National Cricket Stadium, St George's,

Grenada

Australia:

Adam Gilchrist c Gillespie b Franklin 1

Matthew Hayden c & b Styris 103

Ricky Ponting c Taylor b Patel 66

Michael Clarke b Franklin 49

Michael Hussey c Styris b Franklin 37

Andrew Symonds c Mason b Patel 11

Shane Watson not out 65

Brad Hogg not out 0

Extras: (lb 1, w 5, nb 10) 16

Total: (for 6 wickets in 50 overs) 348

Fall of wickets: 1-7 (Gilchrist, 1.1 overs), 2-144 (Ponting, 22.6), 3-216 (Hayden, 32.4), 4-233 (Clarke, 35.3), 5-257 (Symonds, 40.1), 6-334 (Hussey, 49.3)

Bowling:

Michael Mason 3-0-27-0 (1nb, 1w)

James Franklin 8-0-74-3 (5nb, 1w)

Jeetan Patel 10-0-48-2 (1nb)

Daniel Vettori 10-0-60-0 (2nb)

Scott Styris 10-0-50-1 (2w)

Mark Gillespie 6-0-67-0 (1nb)

Craig McMillan 3-0-21-0

New Zealand:

Peter Fulton b Hogg 62

Stephen Fleming c Ponting b Tait 12

Ross Taylor c Hussey b McGrath 3

Scott Styris c Hayden b McGrath 27

Craig McMillan lbw b Tait 1

James Franklin b Watson 6

Brandon McCullum c Hussey b Hogg 7

Daniel Vettori c Symonds b Hogg 4

Mark Gillespie c McGrath b Hogg 2

Michael Mason c Gilchrist b Tait 0

Jeetan Patel not out 0

Extras: (w 7, nb 2) 9

Total: (all out in 25.5 overs) 133

Fall of wickets: 1-21 (Fleming, 3.3 overs), 2-29 (Taylor, 5.1), 3-77 (Styris, 11.1), 4-80 (McMillan, 12.3), 5-89 (Franklin, 14.3), 6-111 (McCullum, 19.3), 7-117 (Vettori, 21.1), 8-127 (Gillespie, 23.5), 9-133 (Mason, 24.5), 10-133 (Fulton, 25.5)

Bowling:

Nathan Bracken 4-0-27-0 (1w)

Shaun Tait 6-0-32-3 (1nb, 4w)

Glenn McGrath 4-0-25-2 (1nb)

Brad Hogg 6.5-1-29-4 (1w)

Shane Watson 5-0-20-1 (1w)

Result: Australia won by 215 runs

Man of the Match: Matthew Hayden (Australia)

Umpires: Aleem Dar (Pakistan) and Asad Rauf (Pakistan)

TV umpire: Billy Doctrove (West Indies)

Match referee: Mike Procter (South Africa)

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