Warner, Smith help AUS beat NZ by 1 wicket in comeback match

While Warner hit a quickfire 39 Smith played 22 runs innings in their first appearance after serving their 12-month bans

Brisbane: David Warner and Steve Smith made a statement on their return to Australia team on Monday. While Warner hit a quickfire 39 Smith played 22 runs innings in their first appearance after serving their 12-month bans for their involvement in a ball-tampering scandal as the home side defeated a second-string New Zealand by one wicket in practice match here at Allan Border Field.

Australia chased down a 216 runs target as they warmed up for their World Cup defence. The home side won the match with 10 balls to spare thanks to a tail-end rescue act.

This was Australia's ninth consecutive win in a row, although this was an unofficial game and not counted as a full international.

Captain Aaron Finch continued his rich vein of form playing a measured 52, but fellow opener Usman Khawaja fell cheaply which saw Warner coming to the crease amidst warm applause.

David Warner plays a shot during his 39 runs knock.

The southpaw was dropped once on nought before he getting the go and turning on the form that saw him average 69.20 in 12 innings in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Warner hammered 39 off 43 balls before falling to leg-spinner Todd Astle attempting a reverse sweep. His dismissal brought out Smith who started nervously before hitting a pair of boundaries. He spent 43 balls in the middle before being caught behind off Matt Henry. Meanwhile, it was the pair's first game in Australian colours since serving year-long bans for their part in the “Sandpaper-gate” ball-tampering scandal in Cape Town that rocked Australian cricket.However, when Smith departed Australia lost five wickets for 42 runs before an impressive 34 from Nathan Coulter-Nile helped the hosts reach home with one wicket in hand. Earlier, Pat Cummins grabbed two wickets in his first over before New Zealand, missing Kane Williamson, Martin Guptill and Trent Boult, recovered to post respectable 215 off 46.1 overs.

Tom Blundell led the fightback and finished as New Zealand's highest run scorer in the match with 77 runs.

Cummins ended with 3-36 off eight overs, with Nathan Coulter-Nile and Jason Behrendorff also grabbing three apiece.

Australia will play two more matches against New Zealand this week before heading to England where they open their World Cup campaign against Afghanistan on June 1 in Bristol.