Australia seized the Chappell-Hadlee series on Wednesday after a gripping two-run win over New Zealand in the second one-day international at Westpac Stadium.

And what a match it was as master-blaster Andrew Symonds played himself into the record books with a career-best 156, while at the death New Zealand's Kyle Mills was run out just shy of the victory target with one ball remaining.

It was a dramatic end to a classic encounter.

In what's believed to be a first in international cricket, the third umpire was called on to decide Mills' run out by Australian debutant fast bowler Mick Lewis.

Mills bunted the ball back to Lewis, who fumbled, regathered and then under-armed the ball into the stumps.

Both sides had to watch in agony at the big screen and the match was over when the tailender was judged to be centimetres short.

In the end New Zealand had come within a whisker of pulling off a remarkable win but was eventually all out for 320 in reply to Australia's 5-322.

Symonds' 156 was a magnificent display of power hitting and his knock was the highest scored by an Australian on foreign soil.

It was also his country's third-highest overall and as it came off just 127 balls and contained eight sixes, one of the most destructive.

Symonds, who on Friday should retain his place in the Australian Test squad for the first of the South Africa series, shared a fifth-wicket partnership of 220 with Michael Clarke, whose delightful 82 not out would normally have snared him the man-of-the-match award.

The Symonds-Clarke stand was just the 10th partnership of 200 or more for Australia in 605 one-day internationals.

Also, it was one of the quickest as it came from 172 balls and allowed Australia to plunder 190 runs from the last 20 overs - 67 from the final four.

Australia's total appeared too big for New Zealand, but they made a tremendous attempt at hauling in the target.

New Zealand had never before successfully chased anything over 300, but was given a free-wheeling start by opener Lou Vincent (71 off 49 balls).

This was followed through by a late charge from Chris Cairns (60 off 52), Jacob Oram (41 off 40) and wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum, who made 48 off 33 until he was run out at the bowler's end by a brilliant direct hit by Clarke from point.

In a match that had just about everything, Brett Lee sparked controversy by bowling a beamer at McCullum in the penultimate over, which was edged away for four and called a no-ball.

In the same over, Australia was penalised a no-ball because it had only three fielders inside the circle instead of four.

Australian captain Ricky Ponting protested against the umpire's decision to no avail, and Lee's over cost 18 runs - which left the Black Caps needing six off Lewis' final over to win.

But the Victorian, who was subbed into the game and took 3-56 in his international debut, was up to the task.

Earlier, Vincent batted with a runner because of a thigh injury and swung at everything, but after taking the scare-factor out of Lee, he was caught behind off Lewis.

Lewis returned to remove Cairns in the 41st over, caught at long-on by Lee, who soon after had Oram caught slashing to third man.

In the Australian innings, Symonds came to the crease with his side a wobbly 3-50 and after a period of feeling his way in, blasted the Kiwis all over.

His century was brilliant and his final flurry murderous, as it took him just 18 balls to blast his final 56 runs.

He is now the only No.5 batsman in one-day history to have passed 150.

Australia's win, after the 147-run win in game one, in Auckland, was its eighth straight over New Zealand and made it the first winner of the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy, after last year's decider was washed out.

Ricky Ponting's men will seek a second one-day whitewash over their trans-Tasman rivals this year - Australia won 5-0 in March - in game three, in Christchurch on Saturday.

In further good news for the tourists, there was a huge improvement in crowd behaviour after the trouble in game one, although alcohol sales stopped early, a pelted orange reached the infield and Lee was the target of fans' abuse.

Police arrested 15 people and ejected another 46 fans during the game.

Those arrested face a variety of charges including disorderly behaviour, offensive behaviour, and possession and smoking of cannabis.

Ponting said the win was too close for comfort as the Australians thought they had done enough with the bat.

"I'd rather win like we won the other night," he said.

"There was a bit too much happening (in the second-last over), probably too much happening."

Ponting was confident Lewis had done enough with the crucial run-out.

"It seemed like Mick had the ball for 10 minutes before he let it go, it was the longest half-second of my life ... it was just out so we just won, which was great," he said.

Vettori said the Black Caps should have won having got so close.

"Any time you get near 322 in the circumstances against Australia there's got to be some wonderful efforts and we put that together with the bat today," he said.

"We just missed out on a game we should have won and that's the most disappointing thing, that we should have won the game."

Ponting said Symonds' innings contained "some of the best hitting you would ever see", while Symonds loved the late hitting.

"I was really enjoying it at the end when I was swinging at will and there were no restrictions, it was just a free as a bird feeling," Symonds said.

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