Matthew Hayden overcame a foot injury to post the highest individual score by
an Australian in one day internationals in the third and final Chappell
Hadlee Trophy match against New Zealand in Hamilton on Tuesday. 
With Australia trailing 2-0 in the series, the opener
smacked an unbeaten 181 from 166 balls to help his team amass an imposing total
of 346 for five at Seddon Park.
Hayden, who already holds the Australian record for the highest
test score (380), broke the previous one day record of 173 set by Mark Waugh
against the West Indies in Melbourne six years ago.
Batting with a runner after being struck on both feet, the
left-handed opener also broke Andrew Symonds` record of 156 for the highest
individual score in New Zealand as Australia posted the second highest total
by any team on New Zealand soil.
Hayden`s innings featured 11 fours and 10 sixes and was the
eighth highest score in history, just 13 short of Saeed Anwar`s world record
of 194 for Pakistan against India in 1997.
All-rounder Shane Watson made 68 off 69 balls after
being promoted to open the innings with Hayden and wicketkeeper Brad Haddin
smacked 38 off 31 deliveries.
Brad Hodge (12), Mike Hussey (13) and Cameron White (12) all
went cheaply chasing quick runs at the end of the innings, leaving Adam Voges
unbeaten on 16 in his international debut.
New Zealand already hold an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the series
after winning the first match in Wellington by 10 wickets then successfully
overhauling Australia`s formidable total of 336-4 in the second match in Auckland.
But the Kiwis face an even more daunting task to complete a
3-0 series whitewash after the Australians vented their frustrations by slamming
23 boundaries and 23 sixes on a perfect-batting strip.
Hayden began slowly, taking 82 balls to reach his half-century before gradually
increasing his run-rate despite not being able to move his feet freely.
The broad-shouldered Queenslander brought up his seventh one-day
hundred off 127 balls but needed only 26 more to get to 150 and 13 to go from
150 to 181.
Paceman Mark Gillespie and spinner Jeetan Patel both
finished with two wickets each but conceded 83 and 70 respectively from their
10 overs after New Zealand`s two main strike bowlers Shane Bond and Daniel Vettori
were rested.
Australia also made two changes to their side, with Voges making
his debut at the expense of opener Phil Jacques and seamer Mitchell Johnson
replacing Glenn McGrath.
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