Academy makes good start to Australian series

New Zealand's Academy team opened their Australian series in Adelaide in style at the weekend with a seven-wicket win over Australia's Academy scored off the second last ball of the 50-over game.

Australia's Academy scored 253 to which New Zealand replied with 254/3. Jamie How scored 110 and Shanan Stewart an unbeaten 65 off just 49 balls.

In a two-day game which started yesterday, New Zealand bowled first at the Australians who were all out for 320.

Fast-medium bowler Wade Cornelius took 6-67 off 24 overs and made a big impression on Australian fast bowling legend Dennis Lillee who was in Adelaide to run a pace bowling clinic.

Lillee spoke with New Zealand's six pace bowlers before the start of play today. Two of the Academy players who are not playing in the two-day match have been involved in the fast bowling clinic.

In reply, at last report, New Zealand were 170/5 with Brendon McCullum out for 56 and Jonathan McNamee 50 not out.

The New Zealanders were in Adelaide when they received news of the death of Bert Sutcliffe and while playing on the Adelaide Oval's No 2 ground, they were able to have the New Zealand flag flying at half mast on the Oval itself. The players had a minute's silence before their game and wore black armbands in Sutcliffe's memory.