Shaun Tait impressed again for Australia with three wickets, though skipper Ricky Ponting stole the show with a match-winning 107 not out against New Zealand in Adelaide.

Australia, chasing 255 to win after the Black Caps’ 254-7, won by seven wickets at a canter with 45 deliveries remaining. Ponting faced just 108 balls in constructing his 24th one-day international century, as his team took a 1-0 lead in the series.

Adam Gilchrist hammered 51 off just 29 balls and put on an opening stand with Matthew Hayden of 69 before the seventh over had been completed. Michael Clarke, with 48, and Andrew Symonds, an unbeaten 28 at a run a ball, also contributed to what was an all-round team effort.

After his successful international comeback from injury in the Twenty20 match on Tuesday Tait, playing at home on the Adelaide Oval, earlier claimed 3-59 after coming on as first change behind Brett Lee and Nathan Bracken.

He made an important breakthrough after Brendon McCullum (96 from 103 balls) and Jamie How added 99 for the second wicket. Tait had How caught by Hayden. He then had Scott Styris caught behind in his next over and bowled Daniel Vettori in the penultimate over of the innings.    

The second match in the three-game series is at Sydney on Sunday.