After Australia were sent in to bat first and made 252 for eight in the opening match of the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy series, a blistering spell of pace bowling by Lee helped reduce New Zealand to 33 for six by the 13th over.

They were eventually dismissed for 105 in the 28th over, their sixth lowest score in one-day international history.

Lee was simply too quick for the New Zealand top order, sending the ball down around 155 kilometres per hour (96.3 miles per hour), and his three for five off six overs broke the back of the innings. He conceded just one scoring shot and three of the runs were from wides.

Backing Lee were fellow pacemen Nathan Bracken and Stuart Clark, and their performances quashed pre-match suggestions the Australians would miss the rested Glenn McGrath.

Only Chris Cairns offered any real resistance, posting a 41-run partnership with Jacob Oram for the seventh wicket and finishing not out 37.

Earlier, Ponting cracked a rapid 63 at a run-a-ball pace to set his side up for what seemed a challenging target of 252 for eight.

His early appearance at the crease came after the usually reliable Adam Gilchrist was back in the pavillion for three as the Australian batsmen struggled to find their rhythm on the slow New Zealand pitch.

But once he had settled in, Ponting let rip in a 118-run partnership with Simon Katich, posting five fours and three sixes before New Zealand fought their way back into the game with three quick wickets.

Displaying their new lollipop green-and-yellow kit for the first time, Australia crawled to 18 for one after six overs before Ponting blasted 15 off one James Franklin over to force the New Zealand left-arm quick out of the attack, and Australia rapidly reached 46 for one off 10 overs.

Franklin, who claimed the prize scalp of Gilchrist for three in his opening over, was a late addition to the New Zealand starting XI after Shane Bond was ruled out with a hamstring injury.