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THIS was not the night for a sporting coup d'etat. While tennis' global dictator, Roger Federer, maintained the world's sporting order on the east coast, cricket's equivalent, Australia, snuffed out a proletariat uprising on the west, defeating a courageous New Zealand by eight runs at the WACA Ground.
Unlike the graceful Federer in Melbourne, the Australians called in the big guns to secure victory in Perth — Matthew Hayden and Ricky Ponting scoring centuries and combining for a 200-run second-wicket partnership to help Australia post a formidable 5-343.
The Black Caps, in response, fell eight runs short in their rain-interrupted run chase, and could even count themselves as unlucky, having watched forlornly as half-centurion Lou Vincent was ruled out to one of the worst decisions of the summer — leg before wicket to a ball that appeared to make no contact with his pads — and then again as storms punctuated Jacob Oram's forceful innings late in the evening.
Oram eventually finished with a blistering 101 from 71 balls — the fastest one-day century by a New Zealander but not fast enough to secure victory. His partner in the dying overs, Brendon McCullum, also took the fight to the Australians, notching 46 not out.
The Australians have found the pre-World Cup sparring session they were hoping for. In one innings, NZ scored almost as many runs as England has in its past three. And in so doing, it no doubt has boosted its own confidence immeasurably, given that Andrew Flintoff's men have been drawn in the Kiwis' World Cup pool.
Still, despite the scare given to them by the Kiwis last night, the Australians emerged with their sixth consecutive victory of the tournament, and kept alive their quest to become the first team since the World Series Cricket revolution to complete an Australian season undefeated in both forms of the game.
The Australians came close in the 2000-01 season, when they completed a 5-0 sweep of the West Indies in the Test series, won all 10 games in the triangular one-day competition but lost and tied a match in a three-game limited-overs series with South Africa before the Tests. In the preceding season, Australia lost one of 10 limited-overs matches.
Entering last night's match with a 5-0 record in the Test series and five consecutive victories in the one-day competition against England and NZ this season, the Australians were aware that history beckoned. And while the opening stanza of their innings may not have been their most convincing of the summer, it was nonetheless sufficient to provide the home side with a chance to re-write the record books.
In a clearly attacking mindset from the start, Adam Gilchrist and Hayden threw their bats at any loose deliveries offered by the Black Caps bowlers. That eventually brought about the undoing of Gilchrist for 13, but Hayden, who appeared charmed from the outset, continued his dominant approach after the arrival of Ponting to the crease.
Dropped twice before he reached double figures — by Daniel Vettori and Ross Taylor off the bowling of the desperately unlucky Kyle Mills — Hayden refused to alter his approach, despite a run of indifferent scores thus far this series. And though he would be granted another reprieve, by Hamish Marshall when his total had reached 79, Hayden eventually was rewarded with his first one-day international century in almost two years, and sixth overall.
His innings, though streaky, almost certainly will guarantee his place alongside Gilchrist atop the Australian batting order at the World Cup, barely four months since his one-day international career appeared all but finished.
Overlooked for Australia's Champions Trophy squad in favour of Shane Watson, Hayden eventually received a recall to the limited-overs side after the retirement of Damien Martyn and the hamstring injury to Watson. His early efforts were less than convincing, but after his innings of 117 (from 111 deliveries) yesterday, he surely has done enough to earn a place on Australia's World Cup squad.
Ponting's century, by contrast, was a far more measured affair. Chanceless until he was eventually brought undone by Craig McMillan for 111 (from 122 deliveries), Ponting's 21st one-day international century enthralled the Perth patrons, sweltering in the oppressive conditions. The Australian captain, who hadn't scored a limited-overs ton since the tour of South Africa last year, now has raised his series average to 86.33 at a strike-rate in excess of 80.
Finally there is some competition in the One Day Series.
