Cairns, Sep 8 (AP) New Zealand skipper Kane Williams won the toss Thursday and sent Australia in to bat as he chases a victory to level the three-match one-day international series.

Australia won the series-opener by two wickets despite slumping to 44 for five chasing a target of 233.

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Allrounder Cameron Green played an integral role in that win with an unbeaten 89 and a 158-run sixth-wicket stand with Alex Carey but was still sore two days later and was rested for Game 2.

Pace bowler Sean Abbott replaced Green in the only change to Australia's winning combination.

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Top-ranked New Zealand also made one change, with Tim Southee returning to replace paceman Lockie Ferguson in the bowling attack.

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Lineups:

Australia: Aaron Finch (captain), David Warner, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey, Glenn Maxwell, Sean Abbott, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood.

New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson (captain), Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Michael Bracewell, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Matt Henry, Tim Southee, Trent Boult. (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)