That’s it from us for now. We’ll be back for the shamefully short two-Test series from Friday.
New Zealand win by 55 runs
New Zealand claim the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy and send off departing captain Brendon McCullum in fine style. 246 proved defendable courtesy of a gutsy bowling and fielding performance. Pace and spin, right-armers and left all contributed in restricting the World Cup winners to just 191.
At 75-1 and Khawaja in full flight an Australian win seemed an inevitability. At 164-5 Australia were still clear favourites with Marsh in dominant form at the crease. Somehow the Black Caps found a way to pressurise the visiting batsmen and chip away often enough to force the victory.
What a night for New Zealand cricket.
Updated
WICKET! Boland run out (Nicholls) 2 (Australia 191 all out)
Let the party begin!
Boland can’t get Milne away so when he does get one off the square he sprints for his life. The ball only reached Henry Nicholls at point though and he threw down the stumps at the non-striker’s end with a rocket arm.
Spectacular way for this series to end. New Zealand jubilant.
43rd over: Australia 190-9 (Hazlewood 5, Boland 1) Target: 247
Rain falling now in Hamilton but it’s not going to reach McCullum’s parade. The departing skipper has captained his troops beautifully tonight. His bowling changes and field placings have been inspired, and his own fielding has set the standard for the rest of his team to follow.
The excellent Anderson can’t polish things off but with figures of six overs two for 16 he can happy with his night’s work.
Brendon McCullum is the only player to have
— ICC Live Scores (@ICCLiveHQ) February 8, 2016
275+ Sixes in T20
200+ Sixes in ODI
100+ Sixes in Tests
75+ Sixes in T20I#NZvAUS
42nd over: Australia 190-9 (Hazlewood 5, Boland 1) Target: 247
All about when, not if, for New Zealand now. It’s been a gripping innings with wickets at regular intervals preventing Australia from racing away after their excellent start. The dismissal of Marsh will prove the major talking point. Since then the Black Caps have been relentless.
Milne doesn’t clean things up, instead suffering a boundary through the vacant slip region to close his over.
Hazlewood edges one away to the boundary to finish the over. The Aussies will take them! The tourists need 57 off 48 #NZvAUS
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) February 8, 2016
41st over: Australia 184-9 (Hazlewood 0, Boland 0) Target: 247
Wicket maiden for Anderson. This is turning into some send-off for McCullum.
WICKET! Zampa c McCullum b Anderson 2 (Australia 184-9)
41st over: Australia 184-9 (Hazlewood 0) Target: 247
Just the tail now for Australia and the run rate has crept above a run a ball. The crowd are big into this too.
Zampa swinging from the hip against Anderson but four dots start the over. He tries again with the fifth but he gets an outside edge and McCullum dives forward to take a beauty at slip! New Zealand rampant!
WICKET! Wade c Guptill b Milne 17 (Australia 184-8)
Is that the game for New Zealand? Wade searching for a boundary slaps Milne straight to midwicket on the edge of the ring.
40th over: Australia 184-7 (Wade 17, Zampa 2) Target: 247
Wade accepts a single from the opening delivery of Milne’s over. What’s Zampa got to offer? Solid back foot drive to get off the mark. He’ll be breathing a little easier after that.
There are 15 players in ODI history who have 50+ wickets with a strike rate under 30. Four of them are in the current @BLACKCAPS squad.
— Michael Wagener (@Mykuhl) February 8, 2016
Anderson, Henry, Boult and McClenaghan - in case you were wondering.
39th over: Australia 180-7 (Wade 15, Zampa 0) Target: 247
Nearly a second for Anderson! Zampa’s first delivery on a length anfgling across the right hander edged towards slip but it bounced just in front of McCullum. Enormous moment in the young Australian’s career.
One run and a wicket from a fantastic Anderson over. Can New Zealand finish this off, or can Wade steer his side home?
WICKET! Hastings c Elliott b Anderson 6 (Australia 179-7)
Targeted by bouncers from Milne, Anderson tries the same trick to start his new spell, and it works first ball! Hastings tries to pull a well directed short delivery but only top edges high towards midwicket where Elliott runs in and pouches the catch.
New Zealand in the driving seat now.
38th over: Australia 179-6 (Wade 14, Hastings 6) Target: 247
Milne going upstairs against the Big Duke and the loopy bounce off the slow surface is giving Hastings all sorts of mither. Just one run from a series of variation bouncers.
37th over: Australia 178-6 (Wade 14, Hastings 5) Target: 247
Ish Sodhi back into the attack and Australia prosper, Wade and hastings rotating the strike and the Aussie keeper then tucking into a rank long-hop.
It’s nip and tuck for who should be favoured right now. The run rate is not an issue for Australia, nor is the modest total for the quality of batsmen in and still to come. But only four wickets in hand makes this a nervous chase.
36th over: Australia 171-6 (Wade 9, Hastings 3) Target: 247
Milne’s pace replaces that of Henry and Australia are back on course with an over of ones and twos.
Wade looks up for the fight tonight. Bristling and pugnacious at the crease, moving with purpose like a flyweight boxer.
Marsh was out and given out. No problem. Henry half appealed at time. Umpires only took him seriously later.
— Peter Lalor (@plalor) February 8, 2016
35th over: Australia 167-6 (Wade 6, Hastings 2) Target: 247
Elliott still bowling and just one from the over with Hastings giving himself time to get in.
The bowler’s involved in a bit of needle with Matthew Wade. It’s spicy out there now. Marsh was guilty of an audible obscenity when he walked off too.
Its all set up for Aus to need 6 off the last ball and B-Mac to order the bowler to roll it along the ground... #nzvaus
— Innocent Bystander (@InnoBystander) February 8, 2016
34th over: Australia 166-6 (Wade 5, Hastings 2) Target: 247
The right decision has undoubtedly been made although Marsh can have question marks about the process.
Massive moment in the battle for the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy.
Mitch Marsh not happy after that dismissal. Huge moment. Took a long time to send upstairs... #NZvAUS pic.twitter.com/5v5v8RVNKe
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) February 8, 2016
WICKET! Marsh c & b Henry 41 (Australia 164-6)
34th over: Australia 164-6 (Wade 5) Target: 247
Marsh is middling everything but picks out fielders on the ring with the first three deliveries of Henry’s over. The fourth is a good yorker that Marsh drills into his front foot. Is that a catch?
This is an awkward situation. New Zealand didn’t appear to appeal for a catch until the big screen indicated Marsh could have hit that off his boot and into the bowler’s hands. Umpire Gould is debating with McCullum and eventually he goes upstairs to the third umpire. This is controversial!
This looks out... Marsh smacks the yorker into his boot. It doesn’t appear to have hit the ground at any point. There’s no dust. The super magnified replay looks to confirm the ball hitting only boot. And he’s out!
Blimey! We won’t hear the last of that. Australia’s danger man is out and he’s not happy about it.
Updated
33rd over: Australia 164-5 (Marsh 41, Wade 5) Target: 247
Defending just 246 Elliott’s overs feel a little like giveaways. There’s no desperation to force his variations away and gift chances, and there are enough gaps to milk ones and twos.
32nd over: Australia 160-5 (Marsh 39, Wade 3) Target: 247
Wade, still not set, is trying to get after Henry. The bowler’s on top of this duel for now though and is close to an LBW shout but right-arm over to a left-hander is always going to be optimistic unless there’s some inswing.
Single from the final delivery keeps Marsh off strike.
I've enjoyed this ODI series more then the Indian one. Not having roads for wickets is far more interesting #NZvAUS
— Matt (@Mattys123) February 8, 2016
31st over: Australia 159-5 (Marsh 39, Wade 2) Target: 247
McCullum’s gamble pays off. Now, how do they get rid of Marsh?
Grant Elliott is charged with the responsibility, replacing Sodhi, who is presumably being saved to mop up some tailenders later on. Singles to keep the scoreboard ticking over.
30th over: Australia 153-5 (Marsh 35, Wade 0) Target: 247
It was a length delivery outside off that Bailey tried to force away but succeeded only in chopping onto his pegs. You can see Bailey falling victim to a few more of those with his current technique.
Matt Henry now second fastest ever to 50 ODI wickets.
Second Offspring song in the space of 20 minutes from the Seddon Park DJ. Just play all of Smash, mate. #NZvAUS
— Adam Collins (@collinsadam) February 8, 2016
WICKET! Bailey b Henry 33 (Australia 153-5)
30th over: Australia 153-5 (Marsh 35) Target: 247
Wowee! Out of nowhere Marsh picks up a length delivery from Henry and off the front foot slaps him over midwicket for six. That was contemptuous. Four more next ball! Authentic this time from Marsh, leaning into an off drive that skips away from the cover sweeper.
Could this be a game changing over for Australia?
Hold your horses! It could be a game changer for New Zealand! Inside edge onto his stumps from George Bailey and the Black Caps have the breakthrough!
Updated
29th over: Australia 141-4 (Bailey 32, Marsh 24) Target: 247
Ish Sodhi returns in another indication of McCullum’s intent, and he starts with a beauty! Ripping a dipping leggie past Bailey’s outside edge. The third delivery spits off the pitch and catches Bailey’s defensive push on his gloves.
Impressive over from Sodhi.
28th over: Australia 140-4 (Bailey 31, Marsh 24) Target: 247
And it is time for this game to enter the next phase. Matt Henry into the attack and you fancy this will bring action, one way or the other.
Both batsmen now look set and with the run rate still well within reach it looks like it will take a mistake to stop Australia in their tracks. One almost arrives with Bailey mistiming an on drive and the ball just looping a few yards in front of mid-on.
27th over: Australia 138-4 (Bailey 30, Marsh 23) Target: 247
Anderson’s quicker balls tops 140kph this over and he sticks it on George Bailey’s back foot. No chance of LBW but an indication of how slippery a customer he can be. That leg-stump line eventually undoes him though, Bailey working a leg glance for four.
Big challenge now for McCullum in his final ODI. Does he stick with his off-pace bowlers to try and contain for a few overs, or does he return to his pacemen to try and blast this partnership open?
26th over: Australia 131-4 (Bailey 25, Marsh 23) Target: 247
Good over for Australia and a sign of the form Mitch Marsh is in. Back to back boundaries off Eliott, the first of which was a length delivery that he timed through extra cover, on the up, from an imposing upright stance. Majestic stuff from the young allrounder.
Maxwell has now gone six innings without passing 50, Smith five
— Daniel Brettig (@danbrettig) February 8, 2016
25th over: Australia 120-4 (Bailey 24, Marsh 13) Target: 247
Corey Anderson returns, around the wicket, and his off-pace variations look hard to get away on this pitch. Anderson’s quicker ball is the danger and he nearly rips it through Marsh at 136kph.
24th over: Australia 116-4 (Bailey 23, Marsh 11) Target: 247
Grant Elliott giving the excellent Bracewell a breather. Similarly tight from the bearded medium pacer. Three from his opening over.
People criticise the Aussies for poor sportsmanship but they've played this series without a middle order just to keep things interesting.
— Dan Liebke (@LiebCricket) February 8, 2016
23rd over: Australia 112-4 (Bailey 22, Marsh 9) Target: 247
Sodhi to continue his partnership with Bracewell but his new over is greeted by a stroke of tremendous power from Marsh. He gets to the pitch and marmalises it across the turf to the extra cover boundary.
22nd over: Australia 104-4 (Bailey 19, Marsh 3) Target: 247
The TV cameras find Dimi Mascherenas, New Zealand’s bowling coach, and the second person after Coldplay’s Chris Martin to feature in this blog that is immortalised on Shane Warne’s mural.
Predictably tight from Bracewell again. Six overs one for 15 his figures.
21st over: Australia 101-4 (Bailey 18, Marsh 1) Target: 247
That flurry of wickets has put New Zealand ahead in the Duckworth Lewis stakes. Rain is around, but not imminent.
Bailey is looking to counter attack Sodhi and pierces the off-side ring with a well struck cover drive. Marsh is more watchful, familiarising himself with Sodhi’s variations in these conditions. There’s turn for the leggie.
20th over: Australia 95-4 (Bailey 13, Marsh 0) Target: 247
Bracewell giving little away again, keeping the pressure on Australia’s wobbly middle-order. There won’t be many series where both Smith and Maxwell fail so badly so often.
19th over: Australia 94-4 (Bailey 11, Marsh 0) Target: 247
Eight overs three for 19 in this spell for New Zealand. Pressure all on Mitch Marsh, again. Can he deliver a second time?
GONE! Two wickets in three balls for Sodhi. Beautiful leg spinner takes Maxwell's edge & ct 1st slip for a duck. 94/4, crowd up! #NZvAUS ^WN
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) February 8, 2016
WICKET! Maxwell c McCullum b Sodhi 0 (Australia 94-4)
Here we go! Flighted leggie from Sodhi finds the outside edge of Maxwell’s bat and it carries to the safe hands of McCullum at slip. New Zealand roaring back into this!
Updated
WICKET! Smith LBW Sodhi 21 (Australia 94-3)
19th over: Australia 94-3 (Bailey 11) Target: 247
Steve Smith is adjudged LBW in the first over following a drinks break, and he’s reviewing! Sodhi has flighted this, found some grip to move from leg to off and Smith misses his sweep. The review shows it pitches in line, there’s no edge and would have hit the top of middle.
Huge wicket for New Zealand and Smith’s poor series ends with a whimper.
18th over: Australia 93-2 (Smith 21, Bailey 11) Target: 247
Pressure reliever for George Bailey, picking up a half-volley on middle stump and lofting it over the infield for four through midwicket. The game in a watchful phase.
The in house DJ at Hamilton needs a slap with a wet fish!
— Francis Leach (@SaintFrankly) February 8, 2016
So much great indie Kiwi rock and he’s playing soft rock junk.. #Boo#NZvAUS
17th over: Australia 87-2 (Smith 20, Bailey 6) Target: 247
Sodhi’s settling into his job, bowling with more flight and rip, forcing Smith and Bailey into some unconvincing strokes. In tandem with Bracewell, Sodhi has brought Australia’s run rate back under control. Just 11 runs from the past five overs.
16th over: Australia 86-2 (Smith 19, Bailey 6) Target: 247
George Bailey’s stance is fascinating. He looks bizarre at set-up. Almost as if he’s expecting the delivery to arrive from mid-off. With his grip so low down on the bat too the expected stroke from his body position would be a lap sweep to every delivery.
Another tight over from Bracewell. Three overs one wicket for just five runs so far from the allrounder.
15th over: Australia 82-2 (Smith 19, Bailey 3) Target: 247
Australia content to milk Sodhi for now although it would be much better for the visitors if Smith could time the occasional errant long-hop.
“Dancing in the Dark” rattles around Seddon Park as the clouds roll over and the floodlights take hold. You wouldn’t be surprised if there was rain at some point.
14th over: Australia 79-2 (Smith 17, Bailey 2) Target: 247
Bracewell must be the prototypical New Zealand cricketer. Bats a bit, bowls a bit, ruggedly handsome, could have played rugby, the son of someone famous, and does everything a tad better than you expect.
One run from his over of huffing and puffing.
Uzzie's 44 from 36 balls just second completed innings under 50 since first Test v NZ, Scores include 5 x 100+ and 4 x 50+ #NZvAUS
— Malcolm Conn (@malcolmconn) February 8, 2016
13th over: Australia 78-2 (Smith 16, Bailey 2) Target: 247
Spin now from New Zealand in the form of Ish Sodhi. Interesting over. Turn both ways, drift, mixture of lengths and paces. Sodhi gets away with a couple of genuine long-hops that suggest this surface may not be the easiest to pick.
12th over: Australia 76-2 (Smith 15, Bailey 1) Target: 247
Smith and Bailey together at the crease. Definitely a potential BBC Sunday evening middle-England police drama in the making. I’m thinking Smith plays a Lovejoy type who keeps pushing the boundaries (mildly). Bailey, the upstanding local Bobby, is always on hand to extract his old school chum from sticky situations.
Hmmm, an out of form Bailey followed by an out of form Maxwell, one more and this is game on! #NZvAUS
— Simon (@Badgercricket) February 8, 2016
WICKET! Khawaja c Ronchi b Bracewell 44 (Australia 75-2)
12th over: Australia 75-2 (Smith 15) Target: 247
Doug Bracewell’s right-arm effort into the attack and he makes an immediate breakthrough! An innocuous delivery short and wide outside off, flashed at by Khawaja and into the safe gloves of the tumbling Luke Ronchi. Another gifted wicket for New Zealand who are once again back in the guts of this contest.
Updated
11th over: Australia 75-1 (Khawaja 44, Smith 15) Target: 247
Steve Smith batting in that way he developed a couple of summers ago, making an exaggerated movement to the off-side and milking runs off his pads to deliveries on an off-stump line.
Khawaja by contrast is still as a crane surveying the depths of a fish-filled pond, occasionally dipping his bill-like bat to pluck out runs on either side of the wicket with regal elegance.
10th over: Australia 67-1 (Khawaja 38, Smith 13) Target: 247
Corey Anderson the first bowling change, and I think it’s a good one. His changes of pace and ability to find movement in the air and off the pitch should suit these conditions. Left-arm over gives a different angle for this partnership to contend with too.
There is swing for Anderson but at 128kph it’s no threat to two such quality batsmen. The runs keep flowing for the side in green and gold.
9th over: Australia 62-1 (Khawaja 35, Smith 11) Target: 247
Runs coming easily again for Australia after that brief spell of Kiwi pressure. Smith’s are less convincing than Khawaja’s though. He collects his first boundary with a genuine edge through the vacant second / third slip region.
He’s into his work with more fluency now though, running hard for three with a gentle push through the covers that showed his footwork might not be far off.
8th over: Australia 53-1 (Khawaja 35, Smith 2) Target: 247
Strike rotation the aim of the over for Australia, and it’s a good tactic with the right-hand left-hand partnership.
Milne is bowling well though and is proving hard to get away. Movement both ways off the pitch troubling the inside and outside edge of Khawaja.
Oh, until Milne chucks down a bouncer that Khawaja gets inside of and hooks over fine leg for six. Milne, searching too hard for a response overpitches and the beatific batsman presents the full face of the bat and sees his straight drive track its way into the fence.
Khawaja wearing long sleeves is disrespectful to the Waikato summer. Hamilton in Feb is scorching mate! Get your kit off!! #NZvAUS
— James McOnie (@JamesMcOnie) February 8, 2016
7th over: Australia 41-1 (Khawaja 24, Smith 1) Target: 247
Henry bowling full and straight at Smith, targeting the Australian skipper’s pads. Smith doesn’t look at ease at the crease yet, and again sees a thick inside edge squirt away without control. Two failures this series so far for Smith. Another would set New Zealand up nicely for the Test series to come.
Maiden over. Good spell of pressure from the Black Caps.
6th over: Australia 41-1 (Khawaja 24, Smith 1) Target: 247
This is New Zealand’s window of opportunity. They have to continue to take wickets if they’re going to prevent Australia careering away with this chase.
Tight over from Milne, finding the inside-edge of both batsmen’s blades. Australia’s tendency to play with their hands away from their body on pitches without the pace and bounce they’re used to is a persistent technical flaw. Will it cost them here?
WICKET! Warner c Elliott b Henry 16 (Australia 39-1)
5th over: Australia 39-1 (Khawaja 23) Target: 247
What a moment! Khawaja mistimes a lofted straight drive and Kane Williamson looks like he’s going to pouch it on the ring at mid-off. Nope. The ball keeps going and going in the Hamilton breeze with Williamson in pursuit. Eventually it drops and Williamson dives, taking an absolute screamer! Unfortunately his dive takes him over the rope. One of the more remarkable sixes in international cricket. Unfortunate for Williamson who did incredibly well to hold on to that opportunity.
Henry does earn a wicket in the over though! Warner forcing too hard at a cover drive, hitting in the air straight to cover. Bonus wicket for New Zealand and they’re back in this.
Updated
4th over: Australia 30-0 (Khawaja 15, Warner 15) Target: 247
Great example of Warner’s growing maturity. He knows Khawaja is the man in form right now and he’s bunting singles whenever he can to give his opening partner as much of the strike as he can.
Khawaja can only pick out the leg-side sweeper with an aggressive hook shot, handing Warner back the strike. He dutifully wallops Milne over point for four and then works him down to fine leg for another boundary. Australia are motoring.
I'm going to be very sad when Khawaja eventually loses this level of batting form. #NZvAUS
— Dan Liebke (@LiebCricket) February 8, 2016
3rd over: Australia 19-0 (Khawaja 13, Warner 6) Target: 247
First boundary from Warner, whipping a front foot pull behind square. A stroke that reveals the benefit of facing the extra pace of Henry on this surface. He rotates the strike for Khawaja to peel off another of those near pornographic cover drives. Is there a more aesthetically pleasing stroke in the game right now?
2nd over: Australia 6-0 (Khawaja 5, Warner 1) Target: 247
Adam Milne making this an all right-arm pace new ball attack and he makes both David Warner and Usman Khawaja play a touch sooner than they’d both like to. Nothing much to report from the over though beyond Warner getting off the mark.
Host broadcaster training its camera lenses on some menacing clouds in the Hamilton sky. We’ll keep an eye on those as the run chase progresses.
1st over: Australia 4-0 (Khawaja 4, Warner 0) Target: 247
New Zealand will need a few early wickets you’d fancy and Matt Henry is given first dart with the new ball. He’s immediately into a good line and length at reasonable pace but the form Khawaja is in right now that hardly matters. He just leans into an off drive that skips along the pristine Seddon Park turf for four. Australia are away.
Just because...
Robert Taylor joins in via email: “Watching the game I heard Steve Smith say ‘another poor decision’ after the not given wide (shhhh Steve, don’t you know that was in your favour?). Two overs later Aus get a very generous LBW call. Not going to defend the umpire for being influenced but that is one of the reasons why you don’t let players abuse umpires because it can affect their later calls. Bad umpiring but disgraceful behaviour from Steve Smith.”
Is Rob alone in his opinion? Let me know your thoughts on that, and anything else #NZvAUS that might be on your mind. Via Twitter @JPHowcroft or email: jonathan.howcroft@theguardian.com.
Updated
Thanks Geoff. An unexpectedly rapid conclusion to New Zealand’s innings there. Nearly made me choke on my commemorative Big Mac in honour of the retiring Kiwi skipper’s final ODI. I was going to force in a laboured Waitangi Day / tangy sauce gag into that already lame joke but it would have been about as welcome as Chris Martin at a Super Bowl half-time show.
On with the cricket...
New Zealand bowled out for 246
45.3 overs: New Zealand 246 (Henry 0)
Australia’s bowlers have done a fine job on a slightly sticky, slow pitch, making use of the conditions to ramp up the pressure, slow the scoring, and in the end take 6-23 in the last five overs.
New Zealand’s bowlers will have to follow that lead to have any hope of denying Australia on this pitch. We’ll see at that point how much we can blame poor New Zealand batting, or whether the conditions played a substantial role.
Hazlewood took 2-45 from his 10, Zampa 1-45, as the only Australians to bowl out. Hastings ended with 2-42 halfway through his eighth, Marsh 3-34 from six, and Boland 2-59 from nine.
Geoff Lemon heading for the exit, with Jonathan Howcrowft waiting to see whether the Black Caps can summon something special for their captain’s final ODI.
WICKET! Sodhi b Hastings 0 (1 ball)
A first-baller for Sodhi, who jams down on a Hastings yorker but like a bad piece of toast, does not jam enough. It sneaks through past his pad and rolls back into the timber.
WICKET! Bracewell b Hastings 2 (5 balls)
Simple stuff: on the stumps from Hastings, Bracewell has a go, has a miss, and has his bails light up.
Updated
45th over: New Zealand 246-8 (Bracewell 2, Henry 0)
Scott Boland’s skill is the yorker, and as much as he didn’t deserve the wicket, he’s bowled them well. One run, one wide, and one wicket from the over.
With five overs left, Milne and Bracewell should really have decided to challenge that. It looked dodgy at first glance, and Milne is the man who hit 36 from 27 balls to help NZ to a decent total last game.
Updated
WICKET! Milne lbw Boland 5 (4 balls)
Another close lbw, this time it goes against. Like last time, the ball hit Milne on the foot, this time the side of his front foot. He was playing a drive, and hit the ball down to long-off almost at the same time as it hit him.
The umpire rules that it hit the boot first, and Milne doesn’t challenge the call.
Subsequent replays show the ball would have comfortably missed leg stump.
44th over: New Zealand 244-7 (Bracewell 1, Milne 5)
Marsh putting his hand up for yet another man-of-the-match gong: he must like the champers. That makes three-for today, so if he can add a few more runs with the bat then he’ll be a shout.
Mind you, Milne and Bracewell have both made batting look a lot easier than their higher-placed counterparts. Both get off the mark first ball, then Milne flicks stylishly off his pads through backward square for four.
Updated
WICKET! Elliott c Maxwell b Marsh 50 (62 balls)
And another next ball. Marsh on a hat-trick as Elliott ends a good 50, but not enough. Gets down low after moving outside off, and tries to sweep-flick this hard through midwicket. He gets it too square, not much elevation, and Maxwell takes a solid low catch.
WICKET! Ronchi c Boland b Marsh 5 (8 balls)
A rubbish shot, is all you can say. Poorly played, any rate. A big attempted drive, doesn’t get much of it, and it carries like a practice catch to long-on.
43rd over: New Zealand 237-5 (Elliott 50, Ronchi 5)
Oof, that’s a very tight DRS review. Hazlewood hits Ronchi on the foot as he was moving across, looks a great shout, but the umpire says not out. Smith reviews immediately without even asking the bowler.
In the end it comes down to umpire’s call as to whether the ball hit Ronchi outside the line of off stump. A matter of millimetres. The on-field call stands.
The batsman had just about left the field after seeing it on the screen, but returns. The Australians look disgusted.
One Ronchi run off the over is the only result. NZ don’t even get given a wide down leg that hit nothing.
Updated
42nd over: New Zealand 236-5 (Elliott 50, Ronchi 4)
There’s barely an Australian bowler who’s had a bad day. Boland took some stick early, but has reeled it back. Marsh is continuing well, singles from his first five, before finally New Zealand get away as Elliott drives six runs over long-off.
Not a big slog, timed away, and Elliott raises an even half-century from 58 balls.
41st over: New Zealand 225-4 (Elliott 42, Ronchi 1)
There’s been no sense of urgency about New Zealand’s running today, either. They’re striking their too-infrequent singles, then trotting through, rather than running hard to put pressure on the field.
Hazlewood returned with 10 overs to go, bowling his ninth, to keep up the pressure. It has worked, with Anderson’s tortured innings finally over.
Luke Ronchi is next, another hitter who hasn’t been hitting lately. His first ball is wide down leg, his second he runs a single to point. Elliott back, but the ball hits him on the ankle.
WICKET! Anderson c Khawaja b Hazlewood 27 (45 balls)
It’s been coming, and coming, and coming... that was like the steamroller scene in Austin Powers. Finally Anderson is squashed flat, with a slog off his legs that doesn’t get a full connection, and it lands short in the hands of a relieved Khawaja at deep midwicket, who according to the scorecard will have had a good day in the field.
40th over: New Zealand 221-4 (Elliott 41, Anderson 26)
Marsh, tying them down further. Anderson is going to choke on impatience soon. He has a 36-ball ODI century, but his strike rate this innings is down around 60. He can’t find singles to get off strike.
When he does, Elliott hits a pull shot firmly but so nearly holes out. It goes flat, but there’s a brilliant piece of fielding from George Bailey at deep midwicket. He sprints in, commits to the catch, realises at the last second he can’t make it, but dives regardless and takes the half volley cleanly at full stretch. One run.
39th over: New Zealand 217-4 (Elliott 39, Anderson 24)
Two runs for Anderson on the pull now, Boland delivering. A couple more dots before Anderson can even get off strike. Elliott brings about a collective sigh of relief as he lofts a simple drive down to long-on for four.
38th over: New Zealand 209-4 (Elliott 34, Anderson 21)
Mitch Marsh has only bowled two overs, and Maxwell three. Five more needed from them. Here comes Marsh for one of them. Elliott gets one tapped square. Anderson pulls but misses.
Anderson cuts finally, gets two, and Khawaja gets a few Bronx cheers for a good chase and save. But yet another cheap over goes by.
37th over: New Zealand 205-4 (Elliott 33, Anderson 18)
Boland keeps up his part for Australia, stopping Anderson scoring, the pressure building, three singles from it. Surely this tension will break soon.
36th over: New Zealand 202-4 (Elliott 31, Anderson 17)
Single, single, single. Even when Anderson really gives a ball everything, Australia has a sweeper in place to cut it off.
He does get a couple to third man, where Khawaja fumbles again. Not really the display you want with the World T20 squad announcement due tomorrow. Talk around the traps is that Aaron Finch’s brief tenure as captain of that format is over, and that he’ll be left out.
The 200 passes by, and with 84 balls remaining after this, 300 could still be on New Zealand’s radar. This pair and Ronchi will need to come off though.
35th over: New Zealand 197-4 (Elliott 29, Anderson 14)
Anderson can’t decide here. A few big shots attempted, then a defensive, then an attempted slash that hits his body and goes past Wade for two leg byes. Those and a single are the only runs from the over. Kiwi fans getting restless. Good thing it’s a drinks break.
34th over: New Zealand 194-4 (Elliott 28, Anderson 14)
Hastings bowls a good over, moving the ball a bit, beating a couple of attempted shots. Four singles from it. New Zealand still conflicted.
33rd over: New Zealand 190-4 (Elliott 26, Anderson 12)
It’s been three innings, but finally Anderson breaks free! Boland the right-hander to Anderson the left, goes too full and Anderson hits that into the sight screen so hard that you could see the black boards shake from the other end of the ground.
Low, flat, menacing.
Next ball? Anderson is dropped. Hits another drive hard, but this one is low and travels at ankle height to Khawaja at short cover. It’s a straightforward chance, at least for that fielding position, but he shells it.
32nd over: New Zealand 180-4 (Elliott 23, Anderson 5)
Anderson maybe starting to find his touch, with a nice late cut from Zampa that brings him two runs. That follows three singles.
But it also means that Zampa has bowled his 10 overs on the trot, for a return of 1-45. A wonderful ODI spell, taking advantage of NZ’s situation. I’d still like to see how he would respond if attacked by a better-set team.
31st over: New Zealand 175-4 (Elliott 21, Anderson 2)
The old ‘double it at 30’ measure has New Zealand’s likely total at 346. I have my doubts.
Hazlewood’s turn to send down a suffocating over. Two runs from it, both deflected to third man. New Zealand can’t get away.
30th over: New Zealand 173-4 (Elliott 20, Anderson 1)
Zampa must love bowling through these middle overs. Regular wickets, new batsmen to bowl to, caution and worry tying them down before you even deliver the ball.
Six deliveries, two singles. Anderson takes four of the former to get his first of the latter.
29th over: New Zealand 171-4 (Elliott 19, Anderson 0)
Corey Anderson comes out, pressure on him. He struggled mightily in Wellington (16 from 28) and failed in Auckland (10).
There’s no Mitchell Santner down the order today to dig New Zealand out. Anderson and Luke Ronchi next have to do it.
WICKET! Nicholls c Smith b Hazlewood 18 (29 balls)
Henry Nicholls it! Outside edge, he shimmies down at Hazlewood and aims the big drive, takes the edge low down on the bat and screams towards Smith’s head.
Smith has kept himself in at slip for a long time today, and finally one comes his way. He claims it, and throws the ball down in a moment of angry vindication.
Updated
28th over: New Zealand 168-3 (Nicholls 18, Elliott 16)
Well, the commentators haven’t been able to say “break the shackles” for a long time, but now they’ve broken their shackle-breaking shackles, as Zampa flights a ball that Nicholls sweeps crisply to beat deep backward square leg for four.
Unlike Guptill, Nicholls got down low and in good position for that sweep, and hit it well.
27th over: New Zealand 161-3 (Nicholls 13, Elliott 14)
Double misfield! Marsh again, this time at short cover for Nicholls, who drives to Marsh’s left. Marsh doesn’t stop it, then his parry wrong-foots Warner at mid-off.
They get two runs, but that’s all they get from the Hazlewood over.
26th over: New Zealand 159-3 (Nicholls 11, Elliott 14)
Two short covers in for Elliott now, facing Zampa. Elliott was out in exactly that way the last game. Not this time though, as he sweeps a couple, then lifts the ball over those catchers but only gets one as mid-off belts around.
Then Nicholls is dropped! Zampa flatter and short, Nicholls laced the pull shot, Marsh at square leg had to lunge to his right but had a fair look at it.
The ball burst through his hands, and landed on his far side as he fell the wrong way to claim a rebound. The batsman profits by a run.
25th over: New Zealand 155-3 (Nicholls 10, Elliott 11)
As is the vogue, Maxwell’s over also goes for three singles. Still, with 155 at the halfway mark, you could argue that New Zealand are a shout for 300. They would just have to keep pottering along for another 15, keep wickets in hand, then accelerate at the back end.
24th over: New Zealand 152-3 (Nicholls 9, Elliott 9)
Adam Zampa is getting a rails run as these two batsmen play through a risk-averse period. He’s tossing the ball up, varying the flight.
“I’ll tell you what he doesn’t do though, he doesn’t turn the ball,” says former NZ captain Jeremy Coney in the radio box.
He doesn’t need to at this point. Three only from his over. 27 runs from his 6 so far.
23rd over: New Zealand 149-3 (Nicholls 8, Elliott 7)
Just singles from Maxwell’s bowling. Nicholl’s cut shot shouldn’t have brought one, but Marsh misfields. The commentary on Radio Sport NZ: “He really just thrust his body in the way of the ball and said ‘I hope this doesn’t hurt.’”
22nd over: New Zealand 145-3 (Nicholls 6, Elliott 5)
Short cover, short midwicket, slip, with mid-on and fine leg on the circle for Elliott. For Nicholls the slip becomes a backward point.
Zampa bowling. A run for Nicholls, a double thanks to Maxwell’s overthrow for Elliott, a couple more singles.
21st over: New Zealand 140-3 (Nicholls 4, Elliott 2)
Maxwell on to sneak some quiet overs. Doesn’t help his cause though with five wides down the leg side, as Elliott misses the sweep and Wade misses the clean-up. Elliott follows up by dabbing a couple into the leg-side.
WICKET! Guptill c Hastings b Zampa 59 (61 balls)
20th over: New Zealand 132-3 (Nicholls 3, Elliott 0)
Oh dear, another one down. New Zealand folding limply here after a strong start. Guptill sweeps at Zampa, it seemed to take the back of the bat, and just popped away to short fine leg where Hastings takes his second catch.
Nicholls finishes the over with a single.
Updated
19th over: New Zealand 129-2 (Guptill 58, Nicholls 1)
Henry Nicholls played nicely in Williamson’s absence in Auckland to make 61, but was out for 4 in Wellington. Still a fairly new player.
Nicholls gets off strike immediately, then Guptill drives four through cover! Didn’t lather that, but timed it well enough to beat Bailey’s dive in the deep. The next he taps in the same direction for a single.
Updated
WICKET! Williamson b Boland 18 (28 balls)
For the second time in the series, Williamson goes cheaply. New Zealand haven’t got the runs they expect and require from him this series. He aims a big drive at Boland wide of off, doesn’t catch it, and edges it into his stumps.
Updated
18th over: New Zealand 123-1 (Guptill 53, Williamson 18)
Zampa mixing them up quite nicely now, taking advantage of New Zealand’s cautious approach, and keeps the batsmen to three runs once more.
17th over: New Zealand 120-1 (Guptill 52, Williamson 16)
Boland back, Williamson gives Guptill the strike, so the opener can drive two runs and raise his half-century.
His last 11 international knocks: 52*, 31, 90, 82, 11, 42, 87*, 2, 63, 58, 102.
16th over: New Zealand 115-1 (Guptill 49, Williamson 14)
Zampa rushing them through a bit more now, fixing the length up. Only three runs from that one. This pattern very familiar, the slowdown after the early bashing.
15th over: New Zealand 112-1 (Guptill 47, Williamson 13)
Hastings on the comeback trail after a McCullum assault, not for the first time this series. This over concedes just two singles and a wide.
14th over: New Zealand 109-1 (Guptill 46, Williamson 12)
Zampa on to bowl his leggies. Williamson raises the team hundred with a full toss that he can only take for one.
Zampa then drops too short, several times. The first costs a single, cut through point. The second a single, cut through cover. The third a massive six, pulled by Guptill after the batsman leapt back onto his stumps and crashed it away.
13th over: New Zealand 99-1 (Guptill 38, Williamson 10)
Finally, a quiet over for Australia, whose players will breathe a small sigh of relief. Hastings concedes only a single to Williamson, despite Guptill’s subsequent efforts to beat the field.
12th over: New Zealand 98-1 (Guptill 38, Williamson 9)
Marsh does a good job at keeping his figures tight, with only three runs from the bat, but NZ also pick up four leg byes from his over as the ball strays down leg.
11th over: New Zealand 91-1 (Guptill 37, Williamson 7)
Hastings keeps giving Williamson width to play the cut. The bowler gets away with two, thanks to some fine Maxwell fielding at point. The third goes to the fence. Then a two and a single to the on-side, as Hastings over-corrects.
10th over: New Zealand 84-1 (Guptill 37, Williamson 0)
Mitch Marsh got 2-30 last game, 2-35 in Auckland, and now 1-5 so far today.
McCullum had smashed one four from Marsh before getting out. He gets a rousing ovation as he walks off, and shakes the hand of his batting and captaincy successor Kane Williamson walking on. He has played the archetypal McCullum innings, and got out in the archetypal McCullum way.
Now for the consolidation. Guptill blocks out the over - that ball went so high that they crossed.
Updated
WICKET! McCullum c Hastings b Marsh 47 (27 balls)
Mitch Marsh on early, he’s picked up wickets to haul in the scoring rate in both matches so far, and he does so again. McCullum goes to smash it straight, gets a huge high edge. Three fieldsmen converge, all unsure, but Hastings belts across from mid-on to take the catch with a dive at mid-off.
Updated
9th over: New Zealand 79-0 (Guptill 36, McCullum 43)
Guptill profits by 10 from the Hazlewood over. The first was a tight single. McCullum was coming, Guptill didn’t want it but eventually went, Wade threw at the non-striker’s end and Guptill got four overthrows.
Then a pull shot for four, to add to a couple of singles.
8th over: New Zealand 68-0 (Guptill 26, McCullum 42)
Oh, that’s nice. McCullum is playing a little more calmly today than sometimes. Another boundary through cover as he drives sensibly along the ground.
Then that 199th career six, as he even charged calmly. Sometimes he sprints down the wicket to slam the ball over cover, this time it was just a shuffle towards Boland’s delivery and it was timed nicely.
And the 200th, in the same over! McCullum joins Afridi (351), Jayasuriya (270) and Gayle (238) as the only batsmen to have passed that milestone. This one just a flick off the pads, but it was timed, and it soared.
He’s suddenly 42 off 23 today.
7th over: New Zealand 52-0 (Guptill 26, McCullum 26)
Hanging back, hanging back, is Hazlewood. Guptill can’t time him, including one pull shot that comes off the bottom edge and so nearly hits his stumps, but has enough spin on it to clip the pad instead.
Well, can’t time him for four balls. The fifth is pitched up, and Guptill smashes it over deep midwicket for six.
Then he finally picks up the pull shot, times it, and creams it for four!
The fifty is up in quick time once more. Can these two go on with it today?
Updated
6th over: New Zealand 42-0 (Guptill 16, McCullum 26)
Make that 198 career sixes! It was so nearly a tight over from Scott Boland, who had kept the batsmen to two singles in five balls. But the last...
A little room, a straight drive, over long-off.
5th over: New Zealand 34-0 (Guptill 15, McCullum 19)
A couple of victories for Hazlewood with the shorter ball, two that cramp Guptill, another that he toe-ends into the ground attempting a pull. Then an inside edge for four, which is also a victory but a less satisfying one.
4th over: New Zealand 30-0 (Guptill 11, McCullum 19)
Guptill happy to cruise in the McCullum slipstream for now, lifting the single to third man. McCullum has his long-on back now, so he pushes a single himself to Boland in the deep.
Hastings then creates some accidental fun, as he loses the ball in his delivery stride and it rolls down the pitch, almost an underarm delivery. Guptill gives the trickling ball a theatrical forward defence. Dead ball.
Then a killed ball, as Hastings gets full again to Guptill, and he clears long-off for six.
Updated
3rd over: New Zealand 21-0 (Guptill 3, McCullum 18)
B-Mac rolls on! Watchful against one ball from Hazlewood that he was shaping to pull but nearly got through him. The next though is uppercut over slip for four. Not sure how intentional that was, but in his last game we’ll give it to him.
The next is a pull, a big top edge that would have been swallowed by midwicket had the field been out, but with only two in the deep in these early overs, it drops safely for two.
2nd over: New Zealand 14-0 (Guptill 2, McCullum 12)
Four! After Guptill gets off strike with another single, McCullum gets a nice fresh full ball from Hastings that allows the New Zealand captain to get on the front foot and lift it down the ground.
And again! As Khawaja misfields at midwicket, the McCullum drag across the line has enough on it to hit the fence.
He drives another full ball straight to point, but makes amends with next, stepping across and driving Hastings through cover for four! That one split the field, lovely timing and placement, McCullum 12 from 8.
1st over: New Zealand 1-0 (Guptill 1, McCullum 0)
A nice touch by the Australians, with a guard of honour for McCullum. They’ll have to do it all again in a Test match in a couple of weeks. But this is a coloured-clothing affair, and a farewell as well.
Hazlewood commences proceedings. Guptill is trying to read the pace of the pitch from the first ball, prodded into his pad. Then tries to go through cover off the back foot but misses.
Guptill gets off strike, too straight and pushed square, then McCullum times his first ball well, a defensive stroke that zips to the point fieldsman on the bounce. The next hits his pad going down leg.
McCullum has hit 197 career ODI sixes. It would be quite some feat if he could crack the 200 today.
Updated
Two changes for NZ: Trent Boult has a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell. Doug Bracewell comes in. Mitchell Santner, NZ’s best player last outing, has a foot problem sustained while fielding. The leg-spinner Ish Sodhi replaces him.
Australia goes unchanged.
New Zealand
Guptill
McCullum (c)
Williamson
Nicholls
Elliott
Anderson
Ronchi (w)
Bracewell
Milne
Henry
Sodhi
Australia
Khawaja
Warner
Smith (c)
Bailey
Maxwell
M. Marsh
Wade (w)
Hastings
Zampa
Hazlewood
Boland
Updated
Steve Smith wins the toss and fields
Hello, hello. Brendon McCullum’s last One-Day International is about to commence here at Hamilton, a sweaty but cloudy day out at Seddon Park.
Jeremy Coney reckons it’s a mid-paced pitch, might be a bit slow but it should be a decent batting track once in. Like a cold swimming pool. It’s brownish in colour.
Geoff will be here soon. In the meantime, remind yourselves how the second ODI turned out:
