The win puts Australia into Tuesday's semifinals of the only major competition in world cricket to have eluded them so far where they will play either old enemy England or Sri Lanka who meet in Southampton on Friday.

Symonds hit four sixes and seven fours in a brutal display of hitting and Damien Martyn added 60 not out.

The pair put on 100 for the fourth wicket to chase down the New Zealanders total of 198-9 with 12.4 overs to spare.

Symonds came in with Australia 99-3 and immediately took the game away from the underdogs bringing up his half-century from 40 balls whilst Martyn was slightly more circumspect reaching his fifty from 63 balls with eight boundaries.

But the foundations of the victory were laid by the Australian bowlers with Glenn McGrath and Michael Kasprowicz picking up 3-39 and 3-32 respectively.

The Australian chase got off to a rocky start when Adam Gilchrist played no shot to Jacob Oram in the first over and saw his off-stump pegged back but captain Ricky Ponting and Matthew Hayden steadied the ship with a stand of 45 for the second wicket before Scott Styris got one through the skipper's defences.

New Zealand did well to reach 198 having been 89-7 at one stage and although the Australians bowled well the New Zealanders contributed to their own downfall particularly in the farcical run-out of Craig McMillan.

However Chris Harris, Daniel Vettori and Brendon McCullum dug them out of a hole and gave them a total that although below par at least prevented this ninth match of the tournament from following the trend of the previous eight and being a total mis-match.