Andy Spear at McLean Park
A brilliant late charge from Scott Styris has led New Zealand to a two-wicket win over Australia in the first one-day international of the Chappell-Haddlee series at McLean park in Napier.
New Zealand was set a target of 276 to win on a flat pitch and was always in the hunt before a superb finishing touch from Styris guided the home side to victory.
Styris finished on 49 after smashing seven fours and a six by utilising the late power play. Ross Taylor, who was captaining the side after Daniel Vettori pulled out with a neck strain, had the best batting figures of the day with his 70.
The sides now move to Auckland where they will face-off in the second match of five at Eden Park and it promises to be a thriller after the hosts drew first blood.
Doug Bollinger, while expensive, was the most effective of the Australian bowlers, picking up two wickets for 58 runs off his 9.2 overs.
Earlier, Brendon McCullum and Peter Ingram got New Zealand off to a cracking start to reach 75 runs before the latter was caught by Michael Hussey off Mitchell Johnson's bowling for 40 in the 12th over.
McCullum was looking comfortable and seemed to be continuing his brilliant form from New Zealand's recent Twenty20 win before he was ground to a halt in the 15th over. The dynamic wicket-keeper feinted to charge a brilliant, quick delivery from Bollinger and was clean bowled on 45.
The wicket quickly dragged the run rate down with Martin Guptill and Taylor both struggling to score any decent runs off some accurate Australian bowling.
Guptill, who has been in great form lately, soon lost his wicket for nine after he lobbed an innocent looking delivery from James Hopes into the waiting hands of Shane Watson, who claimed the catch.
With New Zealand looking brittle on 106-3, it became clear that Taylor, on 24, would have to take control of the innings and steer New Zealand into a winning position.
Taylor did just that and really attacked the Australian bowlers to reach 70 runs before being caught by Hussey after a poor shot against the bowling of Watson. Neil Broom didn't last much longer and was bowled by Bollinger on 19, leaving New Zealand on 207-6 with a little over eight overs remaining.
New Zealand took the power play with six overs to come and Styris made the most of it, with some strong shots before Daryl Tuffey was bowled by Ryan Harris on 12.
Styris continued to hit important boundaries but was let down at the other end by Southee who hesitated between the wickets and was run out for two.
Styris, who hasn't been a part of a New Zealand ODI side for some time, guided his side to victory however after hitting Bollinger for six to win the match by two wickets.
New Zealand had every chance of winning the match at the beginning of its innings after putting in a solid bowling display against the star-studded Australian line-up.
Shane Bond, James Franklin and Jacob Oram, along with some brilliant fielding from Broom and Guptill, ensured New Zealand had a reasonable chance of chasing down the total and notching valuable first-up win.
Hussey was the best of the Australian batsmen with 59 but, while a few of his teammates made good starts, they failed to make