Shane Warne turned to his former Australian teammates Andy Bichel and Matthew Elliott to exact revenge on New Zealand in the second tsunami appeal cricket match at Westpac Stadium.

Smarting from a nine-wicket thrashing in the opening match in Christchurch on Saturday, the World XI hit back with a three-wicket victory to level the series 1-1.

It was just what the fund-raisers needed after the World team's opening performance, which was as shaky as the New Zealand capital, rocked by three earthquakes in the past three days up to a magnitude of 5.5.

Happy to find himself on firm ground, Elliott opened the innings and top-scored with 57 off 67 balls, providing the impetus for the World team to overhaul the Black Caps' 9-256 (50 overs).

Sri Lankan Kumar Sangakkara did his bit with 52 (60 balls), and then Bichel stepped in with an unbeaten 37 at a run a ball, including two exuberant sixes.

He and Chaminda Vaas (22 off 12) combined in an unbroken eighth wicket stand of 35 to see the World XI home with 13 balls to spare.

Bichel also topped the wicket-taking list for the night, bustling in on a chilly but relatively calm night in the windy city to take three wickets in his second spell.

The most valuable of them was New Zealand opener Nathan Astle, who hit 109 from 124 balls and got the nod ahead of Bichel for man of the match honours.

"I've been going well for Queensland, and to come over here for a great cause, I'm only too happy to help out," Bichel said.

Bichel, who was controversially dropped from Test and one-day calculations at the end of last season, showed why he is still one of the most combative players around.

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