World XI square charity series

Australian Andy Bichel captured three wickets and hit an unbeaten 37 to help a World XI beat New Zealand by three wickets in their second tsunami fund-raising match on Monday.

The Kiwis, who won Saturday's opening match by nine wickets, made 256 for nine from their 50 overs with opener Nathan Astle blazing 109 and all-rounder Craig McMillan chipping in with 33.

Former Australian Test opener Matthew Elliott gave the World XI a flying start to their reply with 57. Sri Lankan wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara kept the innings ticking along with 51 before Bichel steered them home.

Astle's century will not count on his record because the charity match did not have official status. The Kiwi opener said he was not worried.

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"We played pretty well, got off to a good start and managed to pin them back to a reasonable total," Bichel said.

The three-match series was organised to raise funds for victims of the Asian tsunami and to fill a scheduling hole after Sri Lanka's tour of New Zealand was postponed.

Organisers said they hoped to raise NZ$1 million (US$700,000). The series decider will be played in Hamilton on Wednesday.

Scorecard:

New Zealand innings

 S.Fleming c and b Vaas 14
 N.Astle c Rhodes b Bichel 109
 M.Sinclair c Sangakkara b Klusener 30
 C.Cairns c Warne b Klusener 9
 H.Marshall c Vaas b Muralitharan 6
 C.McMillan c and b Jayasuriya 33
 B.McCullum c Sangakkara b Bichel 0
 D.Vettori not out 26
 J.Wilson c Klusener b Bichel 11
 K.Mills run out 8
 D.Tuffey not out 0
 Extras (lb-2 w-7 nb-1) 10
 Total (for nine wickets, 50 overs) 256

 Fall of wickets: 1-14 2-107 3-135 4-148 5-202 6-205 7-214 8-233 9-252

 Bowling: Bichel 10-1-56-3, Vaas 5-0-35-1, Klusener 7-1-35-2 (w-2 nb-1), Jayasuriya 10-0-38-1 (w-2), Warne 10-0-44-0 (w-3), Muralitharan 8-0-46-1

 World XI
 M.Elliott c Sinclair b Astle 57
 N.Knight c McCullum b Cairns 29
 S.Jayasuriya c Marshall b Mills 4
 G.Hick lbw b Vettori 24
 K.Sangakkara c Marshall b Tuffey 51
 J.Rhodes run out 16
 L.Klusener c and b Wilson 4
 A.Bichel not out 37
 C.Vaas not out 22
 Extras (lb-9 w-3 nb-1) 13
 Total (for seven wickets, 47.5 overs) 257

 Fall of wickets: 1-65 2-74 3-111 4-122 5-167 6-172 7-222

 Bowling: Tuffey 8.5-0-65-1 (w-2), Mills 8-1-47-1, Cairns 7-0-31-1 (nb-1), Astle 10-0-45-1 (w-1), Vettori 5-0-24-1, Wilson 8-0-27-1, McMillan 1-0-10-0

 Result: World XI won by three wickets.

 Three match series tied 1-1