AUS V NZ 3rd ODI: Majestic Warner helps Australia to clean sweep New Zealand

AUS V NZ 3rd ODI: Majestic Warner helps Australia to clean sweep New Zealand 

Photo: Twitter, @cricketAus

Melbourne: Australia opener David Warner scored 156 on Friday to lead Australia to a 117-run win over New Zealand and a three-match sweep of the one-day international series against New Zealand.

Warner helped pace the hosts to 264-8 batting first after captain Steve Smith, who made an outstanding catch to end the match, won the toss and elected to bat.

Australia posted 324 and 378 in the first two games, but set New Zealand a relatively modest score to win Friday's game. But New Zealand could only manage 147 in reply before being bowled out in the 37th over.

Martin Guptill top-scored for New Zealand while Mitchell Starc took 3-34 for the winners.

"Credit to the bowlers, they came out and executed the plan after we put up the runs," Warner said after being named man-of-the-match.

Warner hit his second straight century after a 119 in Australia's 116-run victory Tuesday in Canberra. He helped Australia out of early trouble at 73-4, and was run out on the final ball of the innings after facing 128 balls.

In 23 ODI innings this year, Warner has scored 1,388 runs at an average of 63.09, with seven centuries.

Warner was dropped on 18, when Henry Nicholls could only get his fingertips on the ball after lunging for a diving catch at deep mid-wicket off the bowling of Lockie Ferguson.

Opener Aaron Finch fell for three, and New Zealand's leg-side trap claimed Smith without scoring.