Related Link : ICC T20 World Cup 2007
The match between Aus-NZ and South Africa-Sri Lanka were the biggest of all the warm-up games. At Benoni, Andrew Symonds and Michael Hussey with their spectacular seventies pulled Aussies out of significant trouble to script them to a four-wicket win with 10 balls to spare.
New Zealand having won the toss put on 182 despite losing 8 wickets. They never got going with the first 10 overs not yielding many runs with four wickets going down for 61. It was only for half centuries from Ross Taylor (53 from 39 with 3 fours and 3 sixes) and Craig McMillan (60 from 29 balls with 5 fours and four sixes) that Kiwis could put on an interesting target. Both these batsmen shared a 67-run stand for the fifth wicket. Ben Hilfenhaus was the best bowler with 3 for 11 in 3 overs. Brad Hogg found the Twenty20 version tough to content the batsmen as he went for 51 in his 3 overs! Brett Lee making his comeback did well with 1 for 21 in his 4.
Australia were stunned by a double blow from Shane Bond in the first over with both acting captain Gilchrist and Matt Hayden dismissed for ducks. They were soon 15 for 3 in the next over but after that it was all Australia. Symonds and Hussey hit the Australians out of trouble with a smashing stand of 113 in 11.5 overs. Australia still had some work to do when Symonds was dismissed in the 14th over. Symonds made 70 from 43 with 8 fours and two sixes. Hussey ensured an Australian victory by staying almost till the end with a 44-ball 72 that had six fours and four sixes. For the Kiwis, Bond finished with 3 for 26 having bowled 3.2 overs.