Bracken finished with 3-34

Australia beat New Zealand convincingly in the Guwahati one-day international despite resting a number of key individuals.

Seamer Brad Williams was rested along with prodigious opening pair Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden.

The Aussies were further handicapped by batting first on a fresh wicket assisting the bowlers.

All the same they ran out 44-run winners, and the Kiwis will struggle to make the TVS Cup final now.

Everything had seemed fine for New Zealand when they reduced the Aussies to 61-4 in the morning.

Fast bowlers Daryl Tuffey and Kyle Mills took two wickets each in a torrid opening hour for batsmen.

Pinch-hitter Ian Harvey fell for a breezy 25 at the top of the order while Jimmy Maher and Damien Martyn made just three runs between them.

TVS CUP TABLE Australia P5 W4 L1 NR0 Pts23 NZ P5 W1 L3 NR1 Pts10 India P4 W1 L2 NR1 Pts9

Michael Bevan and Ricky Ponting repaired the worst of the damage.

Bevan struck seven fours in a busy innings of 84 not out to hold the innings together while Ponting recorded hit 52, his first half-century of the series, in a 78-run partnership with the left-hander.

The Aussies suffered again in mid-innings when left-arm spinner Daniel Vettoris returned fine figures of 2-20, removing Ponting and the last specialist batsman Michael Clarke.

Australia slumped to 164-7 in the 42nd over but Bevan fought back, hitting boundaries and running furiously in the final overs.

Bevan hit 84 not out

He and Bichel (15 not out) added 61 over the last eight overs.

The momentum had turned in Australia's favour and it stayed that way as New Zealand's reply got off to a bad start.

Nathan Bracken removed Chris Nevin for two and Lou Vincent for 12 inside the first 10 overs.

Harvey, Bichel and Brad Hogg all picked up a single wicket as the Kiwis collapsed to 88-5.

Scott Styris kept them in with an outside chance of victory when he hit 54 before slow bowler Hogg ended his 55-run partnership with Chris Harris (38).

Harris then struggled to get his runs at the required rate as he attempted to marshall the tail towards victory.

Two run-outs and a third wicket for Bracken ultimately wrapped up victory for the Aussies in the 46th over.

Australia: Ricky Ponting (captain), Jimmy Maher (wicketkeeper), Damien Martyn, Andrew Symonds, Michael Bevan, Michael Clarke, Ian Harvey, Brad Hogg, Andy Bichel, Michael Kasprowicz, Nathan Bracken.