Matthew fractured a big toe!

Hayden takes time out; he carried on batting after the injury

Matthew Hayden suffered a fractured big toe in the final one-dayer against New Zealand in Hamilton and is a doubt for the start of the World Cup.

Hayden smashed 181 not out, the best score ever by an Australian in ODIs.

But he was hit on his right boot by a yorker while helping his team to a total of 346-5 against the Kiwis.

Australian physio Alex Kountouris said: "Matthew will see a specialist in Brisbane on Wednesday when his medical management will be outlined."

Kiwi seamer Mark Gillespie was the man to do the damage, hitting the left-hander's boot as he tried to play a leg glance.

Hayden played out the rest of his innings with a runner, striking a string of sixes to pass Mark Waugh's 173 and record a new highest score by an Australian in one-day internationals.

When I got hit on the toe I knew it was broken Matthew Hayden

Hayden also had the dubious honour of setting another record - the highest score by a player on a losing team as New Zealand triumphed by one wicket in the final over.

He said: "I'm really disappointed, but the good news is we've got a bit of time, and time is the only thing that heals bone.

"It's been a pretty frustrating day.

"I must admit when I got hit on the toe I knew it was broken, it just felt ordinary. I couldn't put any weight on it at all."

The Aussies, holders of the World Cup and favourites to win this time, have been hit by poor form and injuries of late.

Pace spearhead Brett Lee (ankle) is only 50-50 for the tournament, while key all-rounder Andrew Symonds (torn bicep) is expected to miss all the group games.

Batsman Michael Clarke has hip soreness - though is not expected to miss Australia's first match on 14 March.

Australia's first game against seeded opposition comes against South Africa 10 days later.

Live Scores-3rd ODI Australia VS Newzealand

20-02-2007 at Hamilton
New Zealand beat Australia by 1 wicket
Australia won the toss and decided to bat
Australia Innings
346 for 5 (50.0 overs)
New Zealand Innings
350 for 9 (49.3 overs)





Umpires: Aleem Dar, G A Baxter
New Zealand: L Vincent, S P Fleming, R L Taylor, S B Styris, P G Fulton, C D McMillan, B B McCullum, J E C Franklin, M R Gillespie, J S Patel, D R Tuffey
Australia: S R Watson, M L Hayden, B J Haddin, M E K Hussey, B J Hodge, C L White, A C Voges, G B Hogg, N W Bracken, S W Tait, M G Johnson

Aussies aim to salvage some pride

One-day international, Hamilton:
New Zealand v Australia
Match starts 0100 GMT, Tuesday
The Live Scores of the match will be available here.

Australia will be looking to stop the rot when they take on New Zealand in the final match of the Chappell-Hadlee one-day series.

They were defeated in the first two games of the three-match series and are on a losing streak of four games.

Stand-in captain Mike Hussey has led Australia in the last three one-day matches and has yet to win, despite having twice scored centuries.

"Maybe I should get a duck, then we might win," he joked.


If you take probably three of the best one-day cricketers of all time out of that side, you're going to struggle

Brad Hodge on Australia's woes

New Zealand will be without bowlers Shane Bond and Daniel Vettori for the dead rubber on Tuesday.

The Kiwis' two most experienced bowlers suffered minor injuries on Sunday - Bond had a tight hamstring after bowling nine overs while Vettori's troublesome back is causing more discomfort.

Neither problem is believed to be serious and the duo would have played had the match been a decider.

Bond has proved almost unplayable by the Australians, taking 5-23 in the first match, and 1-7 in his first six overs of the second match.

He has been replaced by left-armer James Franklin while Vettori makes way for Jeetan Patel.

Australia batsman Brad Hodge said the squad was struggling with the absences of captain Ricky Ponting, wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist and the injured Andrew Symonds and Brett Lee.

"If you take probably three of the best one-day cricketers of all time out of that side, you're going to struggle," Hodge said.

"Minus Gilchrist, Ponting and Symonds they're pretty hard guys to fill their shoes.

"They'd make any world side in modern day cricket, so with them out it's awfully difficult to fill their shoes, and the guys who've just come in, finding your feet and finding the right mix, it's not as simple as it seems."

Teams:

New Zealand: Stephen Fleming (captain), James Franklin, Peter Fulton, Mark Gillespie, Brendon McCullum (wicket-keeper), Craig McMillan, Jeetan Patel, Scott Styris, Ross Taylor, Daryl Tuffey, Lou Vincent.

Australia (from): Matthew Hayden, Phil Jaques, Brad Haddin (wicket-keeper), Mike Hussey (captain), Brad Hodge, Cameron White, Shane Watson, Brad Hogg, Shaun Tait, Nathan Bracken, Glenn McGrath, Mitchell Johnson.