New Zealand claim the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy 2-0
It’s a shame this is only a three match series because either side of the wash out we’ve enjoyed two crackers.
These are evenly matched sides and that makes for nail-biting cricket. At times today New Zealand threatened to post in excess of 300 and looked incapable of making 200. Australia looked like they might win inside 30 overs but required a stirring tail-end bash just to take the game into its 47th.
Ross Taylor’s record-equalling century anchored the day but it was Mitchell Santner’s late hitting that changed the mood of the innings break. Australia’s chase looked to be a cruise but Shaun Marsh was needlessly run-out and then Aaron Finch, Travis Head and Marcus Stoinis all perished in the deep when big individual hauls were there for the taking.
Santner’s control through the middle overs was important but man of the match Trent Boult’s career-best 6/33 including three late wickets when the game was on the line proved decisive.
If losing the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy wasn’t enough, the defeat sees Australia cede sole top spot in the ODI rankings where they are now level on points with South Africa.
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New Zealand win by 24 runs
It was a match that swung from one side to the other throughout the day but the Chappell-Hadlee trophy belongs to New Zealand.
WICKET! Hazlewood b Boult 4 (Australia 257)
Both teams have tried their hardest to hand victory to the opposition but this late intervention from Boult has been the most telling.
The dismissal of Zampa was superb and it was followed up by three dot balls to number 11 Hazlewood.
Australia’s last man cuts a four from a loose fifth delivery but he can only chop the sixth onto his stumps to conclude a thrilling chase.
WICKET! Zampa c Taylor b Boult 1 (Australia 253-9)
You will never see a more inspired piece of captaincy in a pressure situation. Williamson dared to place Taylor at fly slip for Boult’s first delivery at Zampa and it pays off to perfection. An angled length delivery edged straight to the veteran’s safe hands. Brilliant execution from New Zealand.
46th over: Australia 253-8 (Starc 29, Zampa 1)
Southee given responsibility to back up Boult’s breakthrough.
What can Starc do? Wide, dot, single, will do for New Zealand as it brings Zampa the new batsman on strike. Two more dots increase the volume inside Seddon Park, a third almost buys a play-on with the over closed out by Zampa pinching a single to long-on.
29 from four overs is very doable while Starc’s at the crease. Boult has one more over.
45th over: Australia 250-8 (Starc 28, Zampa 0)
Terrific over from Trent Boult. His country needed it and he delivered. On the mark early, then the wicket, then some serious sandshoe crushing yorkers to close it out.
32 from 30 balls required with two wickets in hand. Can Starc get Australia across the line?
WICKET! Cummins c Santner b Boult 27 (Australia 249-8)
Williamson has done what he had to and gone to his best bowler, Trent Boult, but the run rate is now below six r.p.o. so these batsmen don’t need to force the issue any more.
And Boult gets the breakthrough! Three line and length deliveries are followed by a quicker short ball that Cummins tries to pull but gets it high up the splice and lobs an easy catch to midwicket.
Massive moment in this match.
44th over: Australia 247-7 (Cummins 26, Starc 26)
For reasons best known to Kane Williamson, Mitchell Santner remains in the firing line and the first delivery of the 44th over is long-ironed over the umpire’s head by Cummins for six more!
The left-arm spinner continues to give the ball plenty of flight but gets away with singles from the remaining deliveries.
After eight overs Santner had 2/19, he ends with 2/50.
43rd over: Australia 236-7 (Cummins 17, Starc 24)
Ferguson back on and his extra pace works for Starc who gets bat on ball and pierces the gap behind point and then works him in front of square on the leg-side for another boundary.
Some excellent hitting from Australia’s bowling all-rounders but New Zealand have unravelled in the last ten minutes or so. This game is alive again.
42nd over: Australia 227-7 (Cummins 16, Starc 16)
Oof! Huge over for Australia. Starc and Cummins have decided now’s the time. They long-handled some monster hits off Santner, who for some reason decider to toss up some loopy length deliveries. Three sixes, two straight, one over square leg have set pulses racing around Seddon Park.
41st over: Australia 207-7 (Cummins 9, Starc 3)
Neesham is given another over and he gets away with a poor one. Most deliveries are angled down the leg-side to the right-handed Cummins but a leg-bye four is the worst of the damage.
40th over: Australia 199-7 (Cummins 8, Starc 1)
Santner, now with figures of 2/19 from eight overs, was the wrong bowler to target. Stoinis was slogging to the longest boundary on the ground, against the spin, and he joins Finch, Marsh and Head as batsmen who had opportunities to win this game for their country but couldn’t see the job through.
How close can Australia’s tail get them to this target?
WICKET! Stoinis c Neesham b Santner 42 (Australia 198-7)
Yet another set batsman out caught in the deep. The pressure on Stoinis finally tells and he tries to slog Santner out of the country only to pick out Neesham on the long-on boundary. It will take something miraculous for Australia to recover from here.
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39th over: Australia 198-6 (Stoinis 42, Cummins 8)
Williamson dares not give Ferguson another over, opting for the experience of Southee instead, and it pays dividends.
New Zealand are targeting Cummins for now, allowing Stoinis single opportunities all over the ground. The senior batsman is happy to accept them at the moment but with the required run-rate creeping towards eight he’s going to have to take control soon. Cummins can’t pierce the field and is now 21-balls into his eight-run innings.
38th over: Australia 196-6 (Stoinis 41, Cummins 7)
Big moment in the game as Santner returns to complete his spell. The left-arm spinner has been excellent so far but with the chase nearing its conclusion the pressure will be on.
He does his captain proud though, keeping Cummins tied down and conceding just the single. He butchers a run-out opportunity mind you, but it probably required a direct hit from the outfielder to make any difference.
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37th over: Australia 195-6 (Stoinis 41, Cummins 6)
Big over for Australia.
Ferguson back for another dart and another half-chance goes begging for New Zealand. A leaping Taylor at shortish extra-cover gets his fingertips to a mistimed drive from Stoinis but he can’t pluck it out of the sky.
Cummins rubs salt into the wound, bludgeoning a four through mid-on with all the grace of a drunk trying to open a Yale lock without spilling his kebab.
Stoinis shows how the aesthetes like it a few deliveries later, earning consecutive boundaries with elegance and timing. As the old adage goes, it’s not how, it’s how many.
NZ crowd here needs to get behind their team, should be baying for blood here... #nzvaus
— Innocent Bystander (@InnoBystander) February 5, 2017
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36th over: Australia 180-6 (Stoinis 32, Cummins 1)
Stoinis is keeping his powder dry for now, watchful at the crease and taking the single where it’s available. Cummins is struggling to get bat to ball, eventually getting off the mark on his ninth delivery.
Not much to shout about from Southee’s sixth over. He has 0/34 so far today.
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35th over: Australia 177-6 (Stoinis 30, Cummins 0)
The final passage of the day begins after drinks with left-armer Boult continuing over the wicket to the two right-handed batsmen. A beauty almost does for Cummins, short of a length rearing up to the batsman’s throat and it flies off the handle but safely in front of the waiting fielders.
Australia require 105 runs from 14 overs at seven r.p.o..
34th over: Australia 175-6 (Stoinis 29, Cummins 0)
Williamson going for the jugular, bringing Southee on. Both batsmen are watchful to an over of off-pace mixed seam deliveries.
BANG-BANG! Faulkner out for a duck as he edges Boult to a diving Taylor in the gully. Great plan & execution! Aus 174-6, 33 overs #NZvAUS
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) February 5, 2017
33rd over: Australia 174-6 (Stoinis 28, Cummins 0)
If Australia don’t win today they will only have themselves to blame. Three set batsmen have each left a lot of runs out on Seddon Park. It’s all down to Stoinis again.
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WICKET! Faulkner c Taylor b Boult 0 (Australia 174-6)
You can’t believe it! For the third time this innings New Zealand go Bang! Bang! Faulkner this time the latest batsman unable to adjust to this pitch early in his innings. His hands followed a Boult delivery slanting across him and the recently placed Ross Taylor at fly slip made no mistake diving low to his right.
There’s a third-umpire review to make sure Taylor caught that cleanly, which he did, but - you know - cricket.
WICKET! Head c Brownlie b Boult 53 (Australia 173-5)
Right on cue! Head, like Marsh and Finch before him, throws his wicket away when set. Boult sends down a short ball, Head gets under a pull but can’t clear the short boundary and Brownlie takes a smart catch above his head in the shadow of the rope.
32nd over: Australia 172-4 (Head 53, Stoinis 26)
New Zealand taking things much more deliberately in the field now as this partnership for Australia passes 50. Ferguson is bending his back but both batsmen are now set and as we’ve seen all match runs are on offer once a batsman has adjusted to the pace of the pitch.
With the run rate sliding back closer to six rpo, the Black Caps are going to need to start taking wickets again.
31st over: Australia 167-4 (Head 51, Stoinis 23)
The rub of the green again goes Australia’s way as Trent Boult is brought back into the attack.
A short delivery somehow goes for four off Head’s shoulder before a flick through the leg side just evades the outstretched hand of Ross Taylor.
FIFTY! Travis Head finds the boundary to bring up his fifth ODI half-century. Can he guide the Aussies to victory? #NZvAUS
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) February 5, 2017
30th over: Australia 159-4 (Head 47, Stoinis 23)
Noticeable increase in energy from Australia at the crease in the past two overs. Head now working runs in front of square before just about surviving a nasty Ferguson bouncer. The speedster’s follow up to Stoinis is tidy also, beating the batsman for pace but just missing the edge.
And then he lets himself down with a rank delivery, way too short and wide down the leg side and away for five wides, transforming the over and continuing the upturn in Australia’s fortunes.
There’s still time for Ferguson to redeem himself but after finding the edge of Stoinis’ bat, he can only watch the ball fly to third-man at catchable height through the vacant slip cordon.
29th over: Australia 145-4 (Head 44, Stoinis 17)
Williamson continues with his bonus overs but Stoinis has had enough, after 20 balls at the crease his eye is in and the allrounder skips down the pitch and drives smartly through the covers for a boundary - the first in ages. And like Australian wickets one brings two, Stoinis taking to the sky to despatch Williamson over the sight-screen for six.
The fightback starts here.
28th over: Australia 133-4 (Head 42, Stoinis 7)
A return to pace, and serious pace, with Lockie Ferguson. Can he land the sucker punch after the groundwork laid by the spinners?
No, is the short answer, but he concedes only four singles as the run rate eases towards 7 rpo.
27th over: Australia 130-4 (Head 41, Stoinis 5)
Another brisk, economical over from Williamson. New Zealand are really dictating terms now, strangling the life out of Australia’s middle order.
26th over: Australia 127-4 (Head 40, Stoinis 3)
Tight from Santner again as the run-rate creeps up towards 6.5 rpo. These middle overs of spin have rocked Australia.
25th over: Australia 125-4 (Head 39, Stoinis 2)
Williamson also getting through his overs rapidly, buying his team some cheap overs against a batsmen yet to get settled and Head who’s lost his timing in recent minutes.
The last five overs have swung the game decisively, Australia 2/15 from them. With that long tail, the tourists will require this partnership to knock off most of the remaining target.
24th over: Australia 123-4 (Head 38, Stoinis 1)
Santner’s into his groove now, rattling through his work bowling dot after dot, refusing to allow the batsmen to rotate the strike. NZ’s premier spinner with 1/15 from his five overs so far.
Finch brain fade and Maxwell whatever-it-was mean Stoinis has to do it again #NZvAUS
— Daniel Brettig (@danbrettig) February 5, 2017
23rd over: Australia 121-4 (Head 37, Stoinis 0)
A potentially game changing few overs from Santner and WIlliamson. Like Marsh before him, Finch has to take responsibility for a poor dismissal that’s allowed New Zealand back into the contest.
Does Stoinis have another miracle knock in him?
WICKET! Maxwell c Latham b Santner 0 (Australia 120-4)
Bang! Bang! Just like earlier in the afternoon one brings two. Short and wide from Santner to Maxwell who gets a tiny edge that’s taken smartly by Latham standing to the stumps. The batsman uses up his team’s solitary review thinking he hadn’t touched it but snicko reveals the faintest noise and he has to go.
WICKET! Finch c Boult b Williamson 56 (Australia 119-3)
Aaron Finch, what are you doing? Headless chicken stuff from Australia’s captain (what was I saying about a captain’s knock?). There are runs on offer all over the place against Williamson but Finch is determined to knock his opposite number into Antarctica. He offers a half-chance to a diving Santner before holing out to Trent Boult at cow corner. So unnecessary.
20th over: Australia 110-2 (Finch 50, Head 33)
Santner looks innocuous but he’s been hard to get away. Finch eventually picks off the single he requires to reach his half-century, from 60 deliveries. *CLICHE KLAXON* - Captain’s knock in the making for Australia’s eleventeenth choice skipper.
19th over: Australia 107-2 (Finch 49, Head 31)
Finch is showing Williamson no respect at all, slapping another disdainful four through midwicket. Australia have noticeably gone after the first ball of the over in this run chase, enabling them to control the pace from the remaining deliveries. Smart tactics.
18th over: Australia 100-2 (Finch 43, Head 30)
Santner to continue after drinks, mixing up his lengths to keep Head on his toes. He slogs his way off strike but almost offers a chance to long on in the process.
Australia in control again. If they can avoid losing wickets, runs are easy to come by on a true surface in a tiny ground.
17th over: Australia 97-2 (Finch 41, Head 29)
Williamson brings himself on to lob down his off-spinners and it’s an eventful over!
The first delivery is whacked straight back at him but the Kiwi skipper shells a makable c&b opportunity stretching to his right at about head height. That was tough but a better chance that the one Boult couldn’t hang on to earlier.
Thereafter Finch takes control, launching a lofted four over the bowler’s head and then carting a full toss over midwicket for six.
Drinks.
16th over: Australia 86-2 (Finch 30, Head 29)
Mitchell Santner’s left-arm around the wicket spin is greeted by Travis Head with a crunching straight drive for four. Some good fielding limits further damage in an over that fails to offer any encouragement to the slower bowlers.
15th over: Australia 80-2 (Finch 29, Head 24)
Just three from Ferguson’s over as he aims for a slightly shorter length. It’s a troubling length for the batsmen because when a bowler really digs in the ball seems to hold up fractionally in the surface making back foot shots difficult to time.
14th over: Australia 77-2 (Finch 28, Head 22)
Neesham’s second over begins badly with sweeper Brownlie fumbling on the cover boundary conceding an ugly four. It doesn’t get much better when he drops short to Finch and the Victorian slaps him like a line drive or an Andre Agassi return of serve, through mid-off with a horizontal bat. Brute force.
Australia gathering momentum again. There are runs to be had out there if the batsmen don’t throw their wickets away.
13th over: Australia 66-2 (Finch 22, Head 17)
Ferguson continuing to steam in but Finch is picking the pace well now and the line to the left-hander Head is awry. Head gobbles up one on his pads for a leg-side four in an over worth nine. It doesn’t matter if it’s 152kph if it’s a half-volley on leg stump.
Right on cue, Robert Wilson is on the email: “I’m hoping for a double-hat-trick (or a record pasting) from Jimmy Neesham - just for the subsequent Twitter yuks. @JimmyNeesh makes Oscar Wilde look like Samuel Beckett’s (even more depressed) younger brother.
12th over: Australia 57-2 (Finch 21, Head 9)
Full-time Twitter star occasional Black Cap @JimmyNeesh into the attack with his heavy right-arm seamers. Two singles from it as everyone concerned settles into things.
11th over: Australia 55-2 (Finch 20, Head 8)
Another over from Ferguson that’s fast and on the money. Australia work three singles to keep the scoreboard ticking over.
10th over: Australia 52-2 (Finch 18, Head 7)
Loose over from Boult, eight from it, with Head the main beneficiary. There’s something village about how hard Head goes at some deliveries, often overbalancing. Sometimes he looks like he tries to hit the ball so hard in order to lift his feet from the ground, turn his bat into a broomstick and fly away into the Bay of Islands.
9th over: Australia 44-2 (Finch 17, Head 0)
Lockie Ferguson’s searing pace comes into the attack for the first time and anything short has Finch hopping about uncomfortably. He hits 150kph with his fifth delivery which precedes a sixth that sticks in the pitch and has Finch cutting too early, almost spooning a catch to cover.
Maiden for Ferguson and New Zealand pressing hard here in Hamilton.
Oh dear. S.Marsh run out for 22. He hit four boundaries off his six previous balls https://t.co/XCAwvLoete #NZvAUS pic.twitter.com/qa73e9zLZT
— FOX SPORTS Cricket (@FOXCricketLive) February 5, 2017
8th over: Australia 44-2 (Finch 17, Head 0)
Huge over for New Zealand. Shaun Marsh has to take a lot of the blame, turning slowly for a second that was only just there and curtailing an innings that was building momentum.
Handscomb will be dismissed a few times like that in his international career you’d expect, such is his propensity to stay leg side of the ball and play from the crease with an angled bat.
As with the first innings, this game is swinging one way and then the other.
WICKET! Handscomb b Boult 0 (Australia 44-2)
Bang! Bang! New Zealand roaring back into this contest. Boult just short of a length outside off, Handscomb hangs his angled bat out without moving his feet and gets a thick inside edge onto his pegs.
WICKET! Marsh run out (Santner) 22 (Australia 44-1)
Runs flowing freely for Marsh and Australia now, even off Boult. He’s measured the pace of the pitch and from the crease he waits for Boult to over-pitch and punches him down the ground for four.
But hang on - is that a run out? Yes! Marsh, bit off more than he could chew with a second to the arm of Santner and a good throw and take from the keeper sees Marsh a couple of inches short of his ground.
7th over: Australia 39-0 (Finch 17, Marsh 17)
That’ll do wonders for Marsh’s confidence. Wide half-volley from Southee and the West Australian just leans into a cover drive that skips over the outfield for four.
That confidence comes into play the next delivery, rocking back a guiding a delicate late cut wide of the diving third-man for another boundary.
Three in a row! What was I saying about Marsh getting bogged down? He saw Southee’s slower ball out of his hand, eased a half-step down the wicket and caressed a drive through extra cover like a man hitting a bowling machine set to ‘fill your boots’.
15 off the over in total sees Australia back on top.
6th over: Australia 24-0 (Finch 17, Marsh 2)
Marsh - just two from 14 deliveries - is getting bogged down out there against Boult. He’s unable to work anything from the tight top of fourth stump line and length. New Zealand recovering well from Finch’s early assault.
This venue 👌#NZvAUS pic.twitter.com/jDjrxRYmG9
— Adam Burnett (@AdamBurnett09) February 5, 2017
5th over: Australia 22-0 (Finch 16, Marsh 1)
Chance! Well, a half-chance really. Finch goes for the hat-trick of lofted drives but he whacks it straight at the bowler in his follow-through. Southee jabs out a paw but the ball ricochets out before his fingers can secure the dismissal.
It’s part of a promising over for Southee who builds on the pressure started by Boult, finding a better length (just short of good) and mixing up his seam position.
4th over: Australia 20-0 (Finch 15, Marsh 1)
Boult sends down the first challenging passage, testing Marsh with a hint of swing - some shaping in, mostly curving away. Marsh plays and misses outside off, gets beaten for pace on his inside edge and then almost gets trapped in front playing across the line.
Maiden for Boult, much better for New Zealand.
3rd over: Australia 20-0 (Finch 15, Marsh 1)
The first delivery of Southee’s second over is smited with dreamy technique for six by Finch. Similar to his lofted drive over mid-off in the first over, Finch goes aerially again, but times this one much more sweetly and with barely a flourish sends the ball arcing just wide of the sight-screen. Clearly Finch knows he doesn’t need to overhit boundaries on this tight ground.
Big challenge for Williamson figuring out how to handle this early charge.
Warm day in Hamilton... #NZvAUS pic.twitter.com/kcGMYNh3jk
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) February 5, 2017
2nd over: Australia 12-0 (Finch 7, Marsh 1)
Boult will share the new ball with his left-arm over the wicket deliveries. Finch nudges a single early which gives Shaun Marsh his first view from the striker’s end, and he gets off the mark in quick time courtesy of some smart running from his partner.
Not a lot on offer for Boult either, be it in the air or off the surface. Australia will be pleased with these early exchanges.
1st over: Australia 9-0 (Finch 5, Marsh 0)
Southee opens for the Black Caps, bowling to Australian skipper Finch. It’s a loose start with four leg-byes worked down to fine leg from the opening delivery. Three balls later and the first delivery pitched up is driven aerially through a vacant straight mid-off for a four full of intent.
There’s a hint of swing but not a lot doing for the bowler. Good appetiser for Australia.
Just to remind you of the match situation. The Chappell-Hadlee trophy is on the line in this, the third of a three-match series. New Zealand racked up 281 in their innings, led by Ross Taylor’s 16th ODI century, to equal Nathan Astle’s national record. James Faulkner’s intervention of 3/59 was decisive, limiting what loomed as a 300-plus score.
Seddon Park in Hamilton is a picture, it’s warm, the skies are blue and there’s a good crowd in. The pitch is true and the consensus seems to be that Australia have their noses just in front at this stage.
Game on!
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And who doesn’t enjoy a swarm of bees disrupting play?
Plenty of other cricket news to keep you occupied during the innings break. Not least the ICC’s emerging plans for a Test championship.
Thanks Sam, you had me at the Velvets and my loyalty to your updates never wavered.
What a fascinating afternoon we have in store. 281 is in the sweet spot for hard to predict run chases. Australia, without Steve Smith or David Warner to anchor their assault, will be up against it, but there’s plenty of power in that batting order if they can only make starts. New Zealand’s attack with Trent Boult, Tim Southee and Lockie Ferguson promises plenty of entertainment too.
Australia need 282 to win
An ebbing, flowing, topsy, turvy, roller-coastery innings there by all measures. Some wonderful early batting by Brownlie, Williamson and most significantly Ross Taylor laid the foundations for what looked like an imposing total, before Australia embarked on a major tightening exercise of their own. New Zealand owned the first 35 overs and Australia the next 14, before Santner finished with a flourish.
At the halfway point a rollicking scoring rate, a small ground and a true wicket left most thinking that 320-350 runs represented par here, and I’m inclined to retain that view. Once Broom departed, New Zealand’s middle-lower order looked bereft of ideas for ways to get off strike, and that profligacy showed. They leave about 50 runs behind, but they do so in the knowledge that they bowl to an Australian batting unit so far unproven without their major talismen. Credit must go to Ross Taylor, who played the conditions masterfully - primarily operating in boundaries and singles. Never was a soft hand seen.
Speaking of masterful, it will be JP Howcroft to guide you through the second innings as we will find out who will own Trans-Tasman cricketing supremacy for another summer. Thanks for joining me, and enjoy what remains of the match.
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50th over: New Zealand 281-9 (Boult 1, Santner 38)
Last over to be bowled by Starc, and he devastates the stumps of both Southee and Ferguson in succession. He then delivers a waist-high no ball on his hat trick delivery to Boult. They grab a single meaning Santner has a free hit. He misses a length ball completely, no run. Santner doesn’t miss next ball though, striking one crisply over extra cover for four. Important runs. Two balls to go. And another four! Santner takes a full toss - a missed yorker - and lifts him over mid wicket to the vacant boundary out there. Last ball, and Santner finishes with a six! He backs away, Starc follows him, and he splits long on and cow corner. What an excellent final three balls for Santner and New Zealand finish with 281. Some summarising thoughts to follow.
WICKET! Ferguson b Starc 0 (1b)
Another! Starc on a hat trick! Almost exactly the same delivery from Starc. Around the wicket, base of the stumps. Ferguson defending, couldn’t stop it. Boult to the crease.
WICKET! Southee b Starc 10 (8b)
Southee is clean bowled with a round the wicket yorker hitting the base of middle stump. Pace. Execution. Tail.
49th over: New Zealand 265-7 (Southee 10, Santner 24)
Faulkner to bowl the innings’ penultimate over. Ball two and Southee slogs one to cow corner - he gets a good hold of it and it’s going all the way until Stoinis takes the ball brilliantly well over his head running backwards...his weight is taking him over the rope so he throws the ball back in the field of play. Replays confirm outstanding fielding, but it looks like his foot hit the rope, so it’s six. A single later to Southee and Santner then finds two to deep square. He then hits a boundary between point and backward point to finish a good over for New Zealand.
48th over: New Zealand 251-7 (Southee 3, Santner 16)
Southee facing Starc and Australia appeal and review after Southee appears to play and miss. The umpire was correct, and everyone’s bemused. He then drives one wide of extra cover and gets one to long off. A yorker follows to Santner - Starc is surely the best exponent of it in the game. He can only get one. Southee mistimes one to long on for a single, and Starc repeats his earlier yorker dosage to Santner. One squeezed run to square leg. They just can’t buy a boundary.
47th over: New Zealand 247-7 (Southee 1, Santner 15)
Faulkner is in and it’s a barrage of back-of-hand slower balls. Santner gets the first away to deep cover, bringing Taylor on strike. He gets inside the line of one and it strikes his thigh pad, snaking away down fine leg for four! There’s a muted appeal that’s ignored. He tries to hit the next into Larnach Castle but only succeeds in inside edging for one. He’s eventually dismissed playing the same shot, and Southee takes one to finish the over.
WICKET! Taylor c Stoinis b Faulkner 107 (101b)
Taylor, trying to accelerate proceedings, hoicks one directly to Stoinis on the square leg boundary. It would have gone for six without the sweeper there, but it was a comfortable catch. An excellent innings from the former skipper, who bludgeoned his way to a total that’s held his team’s innings together.
46th over: New Zealand 239-6 (Taylor 106, Santner 13)
Taylor got the all-important early boundary to bring up his ton, and his ensuing single brings Santner on strike. Again, he can’t get off it. Starc is bowling full yorkers just outside off and Santner has no answer. He eventually heaves one to the leg side but long on cuts it off, only one. Taylor shows him how it’s done with a sublime drive over cover for four to complete the set of six. A little better from NZ there.
Hundred for Ross Taylor! 101* (96b)
Taylor’s hundred finally arrives with a welcome boundary. He slices Starc to the third man boundary and it’s too quick for the sweeper to reel in. A mainly brutal innings from Taylor who has creamed a number of balls here. He’s been slowed down as his team mates have crumbled around him, but he’s been imperious himself. A great innings to watch
45th over: New Zealand 229-6 (Taylor 97, Santner 12)
Cummins to Taylor, and it’s a single to the mid on man on the ring. He moves to 96. Santner reciprocates with another to third man - I think he wanted to slap it but was too cramped. Taylor misses a back cut that goes through to Handscomb. He’s only one hit away. He does hit the next one, but it’s a mistimed under edge to Maxwell at point - he’s deep so they take one. Cummins is mixing up slower balls and cutters here, and Santner can’t get him away on ball five. Same goes ball six. Only three from it. That’s Cummins’ spell. 1-47 from 10.
Mitchell Santner hits New Zealand's first boundary in 12.1 overs - a six off Mitchell Starc https://t.co/FgK4dSeQID #NZvAUS
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) February 5, 2017
44th over: New Zealand 226-6 (Taylor 95, Santner 11)
As with most other overs, Taylor starts with a single to third man. What can Santner do? One wonders whether the Stoinis approach of farming the strike may be a better option. Santner defends the first, no run. He then hits a textbook on drive for six! Where did that come from? Whatever the case, that’s more like it. Santner gets out of the road of the stumps and hits a Starc full toss to mid wicket for two. The next one is a very quick in-swinging yorker that Santner jams out square for one, to bring Taylor on strike. He gets a single and will start the next over on strike. A better one from New Zealand, eleven from it.
43rd over: New Zealand 215-6 (Taylor 93, Santner 2)
Taylor gets to the other end straight away, leaving Santner to negotiate Hazlewood. He’s cramped with balls just outside his chest and he’s jumping to play them. He can’t find singles from them either. He then misses a pull shot, making it three dots and a Taylor single. Hazlewood makes it four dots as Santner pushes again to backward point. Will some further pressure tell? Not here, just another dot. One run only.
42nd over: New Zealand 214-6 (Taylor 92, Santner 2)
Cummins keeps his lid-man to Santner, and pursues a short length. After three balls he guides one to third man, bringing Taylor on strike. What does he do? Takes a single to third man. They’ve been going at around three an over for a while now - a stunning overhaul from Australia. Santner drives the last ball handsomely but Stoinis is able to stop it at short cover by flinging himself down to the ball. Three from the over.
41st over: New Zealand 211-6 (Taylor 90, Santner 1)
It’s interesting - New Zealand pursued a strategy of consolidation through singles at three down, but they lost wickets through that period anyway. Taylor starts this over on strike to Hazlewood, and takes the single. Australia will be glad for it. Neesham (1 from 6) takes strike and he’s bowled! Santner makes his way to the centre. Two singles finish the over as Taylor enters the nineties (the score, not the era).
WICKET! Neesham b Hazlewood 1 (7b)
Another goes! Neesham is hopping at a Hazlewood ball and trying to run it down to third man. He instead gets a bottom edge into the ground, and as the ball hit the base the off-bail wobbled, and then takes a significant amount of time to dislodge. In the end it’s all that’s needed, Neesham goes for a disappointing 1 - he really struggled to find a way to score. The Black Caps are somewhat sinking here.
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40th over: New Zealand 208-5 (Taylor 88, Neesham 1)
New Zealand have lost 3-29, and it’s Cummins to continue. He has a man under the lid to Neesham, who’s wafting at air outside off stump. They have a slip to him as well, so it’s a reasonably aggressive field for the 40th over of an ODI. I wonder how Taylor will play this situation - he would have been eyeing off some party time about now but will probably have to consolidate. Neesham awkwardly fends Cummins and the ball drops just in front of the man under the helmet. I think they’ve found a weakness, Australia. He tries to hook a bouncer but misses, only one from it.
39th over: New Zealand 207-5 (Taylor 87, Neesham 1)
Taylor still dropping and running, this time from the bowling of Hazlewood. Munro’s then caught by Starc, bringing Jimmy Neesham to the crease. Are New Zealand behind now? It was looking very promising for them about thirty minutes ago, but the pressure is swelling now. Taylor becomes critical.
WICKET! Munro c Starc b Hazlewood 3 (9b)
That’s a great catch from Starc, who’s diving forward to a ball driven in the air to mid-off from Hazlewood’s bowling. The Black Caps just can’t get going in the final overs it seems, as Hazlewood picks up his first for the match. A reward for pressure there.
38th over: New Zealand 204-4 (Taylor 85, Munro 3)
Faulkner’s been Australia’s best today, and he’s doing well to continue the stemming of boundaries. New Zealand bring up 200 this over via another Taylor single. The continual fall of wickets has stopped his onslaught, though he’s still striking at better than a run a ball. Still singles only.
37th over: New Zealand 199-4 (Taylor 83, Munro 0)
Taylor gets off strike early and then Hazlewood keeps Munro on strike for the remainder of the over. He does so without conceding a run too, which momentarily halts New Zealand’s march. Hazlewood will be thankful for the respite as he’d been going at six an over up until that point.
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36th over: New Zealand 198-4 (Taylor 82, Munro 0)
Broom’s warming to the task here, he flicks one behind square and gets two for it. It’s still a singles convention otherwise, which Faulkner should get credit for. There’s too much dabbing going on though, and Broom is removed on the last ball of the over. Munro now joins Taylor.
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WICKET! Broom c Handscomb b Faulker 8 (12b)
Faulkner gets his second now, as the dab undoes Broom. He’s looking to run the ball down the third man but the open face hurts him. He succeeds only in nicking it through to the stand-in keeper Handscomb, and so a new partnership must begin.
35th over: New Zealand 185-3 (Taylor 77, Broom 3)
While I’m pontificating a par score, it occurs to me that this Australian batting line up is anything but steady. Bar a major outlier of an innings from Stoinis, the rest of the top order offered very little at last start. Perhaps New Zealand believe that a solid score of 300+ will exert enough pressure to do the job here? How the Smithless, Warnerless, and Khawajaless batting group manages the chase will be pretty interesting. Cummins keeps it tight early here, at one stage trying to effect a run out via a sweeping left foot caress of the ball to the stumps. Taylor had dropped and run and there was no danger. There was another bouncer-wide from Cummins earlier, and later on he follows it with a more traditional wide down leg side. He’s around the wicket to Taylor though, which doesn’t seem to be a bad option - he’s gone a fair few balls without a boundary. Broom continues the dab-athon, before Cummins bowls another bouncer-wide, this time it was extraordinarily high over the batsman’s head (a three metre high bouncer, says TV). There’s a single to finish.
34th over: New Zealand 185-3 (Taylor 77, Broom 3)
The players return from drinks, and New Zealand will consider themselves pretty well placed heading into the final stanza of the innings. Having said that, it will only take a mistake or two to leave the Black Caps floundering, as this wicket looks an absolute beauty and anything under 310 pretty insubstantial. Faulkner takes the reins and is glided the third man to start things off, bringing the new batsman Broom in strike. He in-turn brings Taylor back on strike. We’ve not seen anything too agricultural from New Zealand yet - I wonder if there’s any reserve of power to come. I think they’ll be looking to get to forty overs, then - if there’s wickets in hand - to truly go wild in the remaining sixty balls. It’s a festival of singles here, five in total.
Not a bad day for it! @BLACKCAPS #nzvaus pic.twitter.com/B0bmXvFbrB
— Paul Stevens (@paul_stevens1) February 5, 2017
33rd over: New Zealand 180-3 (Taylor 74, Broom 1)
Cummins continues and starts with a bouncer-wide, not his first today. Taylor continues his own penchant for playing with hard hands, belting one to deep cover but only for a single. Broom’s off the mark to the same region, albeit with softer hands. Taylor ticks it over and leaves Broom with the strike for the final ball, but he can’t find a run. Not the worst result for New Zealand, who will start the over with Taylor on strike.
32nd over: New Zealand 176-3 (Taylor 72, Broom 0)
The first leg is cleared here, as Brownlie delivers on my earlier, convenient prediction. It goes straight over the bowler’s head for four, as you sense the runs are about to flow. I’m going to call 340-350 as par here, the going looks very good for batsmen, without even having to do much. A good sign of a great batting wicket is the needlessness for foot movement. A single later and Australia are reviewing a caught behind! It looked like a bat-on-ground situation but snicko suggests otherwise, there is a faint edge and he’s gone! You’ll see the description below but that might hold New Zealand up a fraction. It’s Broom to the crease. A good over from Faulkner.
WICKET! Brownlie c Handscomb b Faulkner 63 (78b)
So Brownlie goes for a well-made 63. He was caught behind from a full Faulkner delivery, which found his bottom edge. It looked like a bat-on-ground situation but snicko suggested otherwise. A good catch from Handscomb diving forward.
31st over: New Zealand 169-2 (Taylor 70, Brownlie 58)
120 balls left for NZ and it’s Cummins first up. Taylor outside edges one early that flies to the third man boundary to set up the over well. After a single, Cummins replies with a bouncer to Brownlie that almost has him hitting the deck to evade it. He finds a single to deep square immediately afterward. Taylor gets one himself. I wonder if Brownlie will be looking to accelerate soon.
30th over: New Zealand 162-2 (Taylor 64, Brownlie 57)
They’re hitting the stumps, Australia. This time it’s Stoinis trying to take Taylor down (the best chance they’ve got, it seems) but the NZ man makes his ground after cutting one to point. Brownlie is trying to up the ante but edges another one after being beaten in flight. He gets one. He does better next time though, this time giving himself room outside leg and lofting the ball over extra cover for four to finish the over well.
Simon McMahon writes: “Evening Sam. Brownlie was on 36 when Taylor came to the crease, yet Taylor beats him to 50. As you say, raw power. But credit to Brownlie for playing, as you also say, the anchor role. If these two can hang around for another 10 overs New Zealand will be, like a good panna cotta, well set.”
Panna Cotta. Nice.
29th over: New Zealand 155-2 (Taylor 62, Brownlie 55)
Starc commences his sixth over with the requisite in-out field and it’s fairly non eventful early on. Both batsmen grab a single each, Brownlie through mid wicket and Taylor - searching for a boundary - is cramped and gets one to point. Brownlie sends Taylor back to the non strikers after driving one and Finch throws down the stumps, but Taylor is well safe. Starc finishes without conceding.
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28th over: New Zealand 153-2 (Taylor 61, Brownlie 51)
Taylor finds the boundary from Zampa’s first ball via a late cut, and later on Brownlie’s dropped by Stoinis - he was beaten in flight by Zampa, lunging forward and driving uppishly. The ball skewed off his bat and just over Stoinis at point, who jumped like Larry Bird to get a hand on it, but no more. He’s lucky to survive.
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27th over: New Zealand 147-2 (Taylor 56, Brownlie 50)
It’s Starc now, as Finch continues to ring the changes. He starts well - ‘well’ being defined as no boundaries conceded. There are four singles to the offside, one of which brings up Brownlie’s first ODI fifty. It comes from 65 balls - he’s anchored the innings so far.
“Morning Sam”, writes friend of the show Phil Withall.
“The simple answer to your question about crowds is no. Much as there is a perception that Australians are a sport loving bunch that will attend events out of patriotic pride it seems to be far from the reality.
“Nowadays they seem more interested in novelty than substance and hold out for big ticket events where it is more important to be seen than to watch.(Just my take as an impartial observer over the 16 years I’ve been here)
Cheers”
Think you’re on the money there, Phil.
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26th over: New Zealand 143-2 (Taylor 54, Brownlie 48)
Zampa’s reintroduced, and Taylor is eclipsing Brownlie for runs. Zampa finally errs in length, with a short one pulled to the backward square boundary for four. The following one is inside edged through mid wicket and it brings up Taylor’s fifty. It comes from 44 balls, and it’s been notable for its raw power. It’s not been one of deft singles and fine touch. As if to underscore this, Taylor completes the over by blazing an overpitched ball through cover for four.
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25th over: New Zealand 133-2 (Taylor 45, Brownlie 47)
Taylor’s almost caught Brownlie here. Cricinfo reliably informs me that he was on four when Brownlie reached 40. All of his runs, even singles, are hit firmly. He’s crunching a pull shot from Stoinis to deep mid wicket and driving one to the edge of the circle on the off side. His power allows Brownlie to play second fiddle. Stoinis then hits Brownlie on the pad and they go up in unison! The umpire says not out, and the Australians agree. He was back in his crease, feet not moving, and trying to swat the ball wide of midwicket. Replays show it was missing.
24th over: New Zealand 130-2 (Taylor 43, Brownlie 46)
As mentioned earlier, Taylor is hitting the ball hard here. He misses out with a midwicket flick on ball one, but smashes the next behind square off the front foot. Wasn’t that wide either. He goes very hard at the next and a thick outside edge just evades Handscomb and runs away for four. He may have got a hand to it but he wasn’t a genuine chance. Cover stops another one that’s flayed from Taylor, and he settles for a single to finish.
A side note: the ground is fairly packed in Hamilton, which is great to see. I wonder if Australia could draw a crowd like this to an equivalent ODI fixture.
23rd over: New Zealand 121-2 (Taylor 34, Brownlie 46)
Stoinis, who was hammered early, is back into the attack. With six bowlers already used, I wonder if Head has been relieved of his bowling duties. Much will depend on whether Stoinis can rebound from his early, leaky start. Like Faulkner before him, he’s not conceding anything too dramatic - his length is tight and there are only three singles from the over, heading into the final ball. Brownlie chops it into the off side but can’t get a run. Only three from it, given the state of the wicket I wonder if NZ feel the pressure building.
22nd over: New Zealand 118-2 (Taylor 32, Brownlie 45)
Taylor looks in a hurry here. He can’t find the boundary from Faulkner, but his whip to deep square leg and even his dab to third man have a hardness of hands that suggest he wants to explode. Brownlie meanwhile continues solidly, flicking one and pulling one for singles of his own. Getting the sense that this is a wonderful day for batting, so Taylor’s urgency may be justified. A small ground and a good wicket means 320-350 may be par. Boundaryless overs are very welcome too, and Faulkner’s is one. Five off the over.
21st over: New Zealand 113-2 (Taylor 29, Brownlie 43)
Hazlewood’s going at nearly six an over as his starts, which he won’t be comfortable with. He’s still fairly straight though, and concedes singles to deep square leg early on. He’s then short and wide and Taylor cuts him hard over backward point for four. Miserly he is not. It’s actually kind of refreshing. Another single to deep square makes it seven from the over.
20th over: New Zealand 106-2 (Taylor 23, Brownlie 42)
Faulkner is the third-change bowler now, ready to effect his array of cutters, back-of-hand slower balls and angry faces. There’s a leg bye off the hip to start, then Faulkner finds an edge through the vacant slip region for four. That was Taylor, who did have softish hands through the shot to be fair to him. Faulkner is much straighter than his colleagues so far, and he gets worked to fine leg on ball number five. He’s around the wicket to Brownlie now, and a ball aimed right at the top of off earns him a dot. Six off the over, Ross Taylor looking ominous.
19th over: New Zealand 100-2 (Taylor 18, Brownlie 42)
Some rare freedom is offered by Hazlewood and Taylor’s able to take full toll in the over here. Balls two and three are short and Taylor cuts the first hard through point and pulls the second ferociously in front of square leg - both for boundaries. He’s uncharacteristically off-length here is Hazlewood - he narrowly escapes from a half volley on middle and leg, before another bit of width is smashed through the off side for the third boundary of the over.
18th over: New Zealand 88-2 (Taylor 6, Brownlie 42)
Zampa continues to push the ball through and has further success. Brownlie tries to cut his second ball but extra bounce and pace means it catches the top edge, falling just short of point. A few more to long off and long on completes the over. Zampa has been immense in putting the screws on here, both he and Cummins have crucially arrested NZs momentum. Hazlewood to continue now...
17th over: New Zealand 84-2 (Taylor 4, Brownlie 40)
Hazlewood comes back and gets an edge that falls short of the keeper. Taylor was cutting a full one and luckily escapes. I hear the dulcet tones of colleague Geoff Lemon coming through the commentary airwaves on Radio Sport NZ too - cheerio, mate. More dots before a rising Hazlewood delivery is fended by Taylor for a single. An angled final ball is pushed to square leg by Brownlie for another single. The armwrestle is back on. That’s drinks. Honours even, in my view.
16th over: New Zealand 81-2 (Taylor 3, Brownlie 38)
Zampa’s full and flat and outside off stump, and he’s tough to get away. Brownlie and Taylor are able to find two and one respectively before Zampa drops short to Taylor, who cuts him beyond the ring fielder at point for two. A good throw from the boundary has him diving but he was always safe.
15th over: New Zealand 76-2 (Taylor 0, Brownlie 36)
Good pace from Cummins elicits a thick outside edge from Brownlie down to third man for one. Williamson has just entered a slight lull himself, defending one resolutely, then running one to third man. Cummins attempts a bouncer but it’s poorly directed - well over Brownlie’s head for a wide. He drives at the next and gets another thick outside edge as it flies down to third man for one. Boundaries have dried up here, I wonder if New Zealand will try to manufacture one? [I promise I wrote that before the following ball]. Cummins then beat Williamson with bounce and seam to grab the wicket, and Taylor saw out the last ball to bring it to a close.
WICKET! Williamson c Handscomb b Cummins 37 (42b)
There’s the wicket! Just as the boundaries had dried up Cummins gets one to seam in markedly, taking the edge of Williamson who was trying to cut one that ended up way too close to his body to do so. He’s cramped and can only feather it through to Handscomb. Great reward for Cummins.
14th over: New Zealand 72-1 (Williamson 36, Brownlie 34)
NZ content to work further singles here as Zampa gallops back to his mark in between balls. He deceives batsmen less through spin and more through pace, conceding only two heading into the last ball. Brownlie gives himself room on the final delivery but Zampa follows him. He can only slap it for one to long-off. Another good one from Australia.
13th over: New Zealand 69-1 (Williamson 35, Brownlie 32)
12 overs in and Australia have reverted to three boundary riders. The batsmen seem set and we’ve probably entered mid-overs singles territory already. There’s one to deep cover and a dab to third man before Williamson does well to evade a sharp Cummins bouncer. He’s dried things up here, briefly stemming the flow of boundaries earlier in his spell, and he finishes with only two from his over.
12th over: New Zealand 67-1 (Williamson 34, Brownlie 31)
Stoinis is hooked, Zampa is on. We briefly see a crowd-held sign with the words ‘Stoinis Is A One Match Wonder’. Cricket can be desperately unforgiving, can’t it? Zampa’s on the money straight away, finding a fullish length on that off stump line that we’ve become accustomed to. Williamson can’t put away a full toss later in the over, so it’s a smattering of singles down to longs off and on. A single from every ball, in fact. Six off, nothing dramatic.
11th over: New Zealand 61-1 (Williamson 31, Brownlie 28)
There’s a little conference between captain Finch and Cummins before this over commences, and the Australian starts well. It’s a small ground here in Hamilton, with one pronounced ‘short’ boundary square of the wicket. Where the wicket appeared slow-ish at the games start, it seems true and hard now. Cummins angles one in to Williamson’s chest, and the Black Caps’ captain moves quickly to swivel the ball square of fine leg, but it’s only a single. Four balls in and it’s better from Cummins so far, but how will he finish? A slower ball is turned for one to the now-deep midwicket boundary, and there’s a dot to finish. We see Zampa warming up here too.
Marcus Stoinis taking his sweet time winning us this game. Hurry up, man. #NZvAUS
— Dane (@eld2_0) February 4, 2017
10th over: New Zealand 59-1 (Williamson 30, Brownlie 27)
The carnage continues early in the piece here. Stoinis inexplicably offers further width - his full ball outside off stump is flayed to the square boundary. Stoinis briefly corrects his line before the next is flicked through mid wicket. His line remains on leg, so the following ball goes through there too - this time for two runs. Like Cummins, Stoinis is both sides of the wicket here. Their bowling partnership has been poor so far.
9th over: New Zealand 52-1 (Williamson 25, Brownlie 25)
It’s Cummins from the other end, meaning a double-change for Australia. Listening to some commentary here - some people cannot help but pronounce his name ‘Cummings’, can they? Anyway, Williamson is able to drop-kick his first ball over wide mid-on for four, dab one to third man, and then Brownlie joins the act with a sumptuous drive down the ground, albeit with minimal foot movement. Cummins is struggling here, and Brownlie takes to him again - this time with a cut shot that sails over point to the boundary. New Zealand are racing now - Cummins was all over the place there.
8th over: New Zealand 39-1 (Williamson 20, Brownlie 17)
So it’s Stoinis into the attack now and he starts dryly; his chesty, muscling-approach securing a few dots to kick things off. He then seems to come in wider of the crease and the ball is similarly so - it means Williamson can cut behind gully to the short boundary for four. The next ball is similar though Williamson hits squarer this time - another boundary. A glide down to third man for one and a dot conclude proceedings.
7th over: New Zealand 30-1 (Williamson 11, Brownlie 17)
Starc’s first ball offers the most marginal width but it’s all Brownlie needs. His weight is slightly forward when he cuts hard into the ground, piercing cover and backward point for four. Could Hazlewood have cut that off? Probably not. Brownlie then grabs a single before Williamson finds two more, much in the same vein as Brownlie’s initial boundary. After a slow start and the initial loss of Latham New Zealand are moving along pretty well here - I wouldn’t be surprised if Australia seek a change soon. Starc finishes with another full toss that creates a leading edge. The ball ends up between cover and mid-off, meaning another single for the Black Caps.
6th over: New Zealand 22-1 (Williamson 8, Brownlie 12)
Hazlewood starts with a yorker, and it’s probably the sixth or seventh already for the match. He draws a few more forward defensive strokes before he’s worked through mid wicket by Williamson for three. Brownlie then plays a consummate straight drive that would have likely gone to the boundary but for the mega hands of Hazlewood, who’s able to remove the sting from the ball, so there’s only a single.
5th over: New Zealand 18-1 (Williamson 5, Brownlie 11)
Brownlie gets off strike on ball one to bring Williamson on strike for his first one. He leaves one before he jams down on a quick one from Starc - the open face beats second slip and Hazlewood at third man, giving the captain an early boundary. He tucks the next one fine off his hip - it too looks to be heading to the boundary but Zampa scampers around to cut it off. The Australian then beats a lead-footed Brownlie outside off to finish the over.
4th over: New Zealand 12-1 (Williamson 0, Brownlie 10)
Meanwhile Brownlie looks in great touch here. He narrowly misses out on a boundary after a scintillating square drive early in Hazlewood’s over, but Maxwell makes the diving stop. He won’t be denied the following ball though, as he whips the New South Welshman through midwicket from one on off-stump. He gets a bouncer next for his troubles, but it’s a wide. Brownlie finishes with a single to complete a pretty good over for New Zealand.
3rd over: New Zealand 6-1 (Williamson 0, Brownlie 5)
He’s moving it, is GI Joe Mitch. He swings two past the left-handed Latham to start the over, leaving the New Zealander with no runs from his first five deliveries. He then elicits some bounce through one that hares past Latham’s chest before it balloons slightly through to Handscomb, who’s behind the stumps. As you’ll see below, the pressure somewhat told as Latham flicked one straight to Hazlewood at fine leg, meaning Australia start on top.
WICKET! Latham c Hazlewood b Starc 0 (8b)
Latham’s out! After an over of strangulation from Starc, Latham receives the most perfect of gifts via a half volley on leg stump. He flicks the ball freely but uppishly behind square but right in the vicinity of Josh Hazlewood, who moves forward smartly to take the catch diving forward. Starc laughs because the ball was so poor, but he’d arguably done the work beforehand. Latham will be mightily disappointed with that.
2nd over: New Zealand 6-0 (Latham 0, Brownlie 5)
It’s Hazlewood from the other end. He starts typically before Brownlie leans on one with a bit of width with a beautiful off-drive for the first boundary of the day. Everything else is tight and narrow well-directed, as you’d expect.
1st over: New Zealand 2-0 (Latham 0, Brownlie 1)
Starc looks like GI Joe now with a closely shaved crew cut, and I like it. It screams “I’m going to be spending at least 20 days in the field in India”. He joins a long line of Australian crew cuts for India. Warne comes to mind, can you help me with anyone else? He starts with a full-toss that swings, then a wide, before settling into a better line and length. Australia starts with two slips, as you would, and they’re bowling on a wicket that looks fairly ripe for batting. Brownlie finds his first runs via an attempted drive that catches the toe of his blade, splaying in the direction of third man. Starc then hits Latham on the pad with a very full yorker and they appeal! The umpire says not out, and the Australians don’t review. Replays appear to reveal an Australian mistake - it looked pret-ty, pret-ty close.
Let’s reflect
As we labour, lurch and crawl our way to the end of the traditional cricketing summer, I’d love to read your thoughts on how it’s all panned out. Is Australia moving forward? Is Big Bash now its prince? Is India cricket’s king? Is history being kind to Shane Watson?
Get in touch with me old-school at sam.perry.freelance@guardian.co.uk or new(ish?) school on Twitter: @sjjperry
Meanwhile, the players are out for the anthems now. Here’s my all-time rendition of Australia’s. Note Julie’s minor shrill at the conclusion.
No Heazlett
So, interesting that Heazlett misses out today. After a week of sniping between experienced players and selectors about a growing sense that the Australian team is a ‘development squad’, I wonder if the Queenslander will join the worryingly lengthening line of one-match internationals in the annals of Australian cricket. There’s a lot of time left for him, of course, but it’s to ignore the possibility in the current climate.
Teams
New Zealand: Tom Latham, Dean Brownlie, Kane Williamson (c), Ross Taylor, Neil Broom, Colin Munro, Jimmy Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult
Australia: Aaron Finch (c), Travis Head, Shaun Marsh, Peter Handsomb, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, James Faulkner, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood.
New Zealand has won the toss and elected to bat
It will be Latham and Brownlie to start things off for the Black Caps this morning, with Guptill missing out today. For Australia, Zampa comes in for Heazlett. Full teams next.
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Morning, afternoon and evening all,
Welcome to our live commentary of... *checks*... the third and final ODI between New Zealand and Australia as they bring down the curtain on another Chappell-Hadlee series. While it’s technically the third fixture, really it’s the second as Wednesday’s game in Napier was declared abandoned due to an unsafe outfield. As I understand it there were some strange scenes as the umpires checked and re-checked then double-checked on the re-check before eventually calling the match. Those machinations always feel very convoluted.
It makes this match winner-takes-all, however – which should add some spice to it. I’ll be back shortly with some team news and news from the toss. For now, here’s some Lou Reed.
Sam will be here shortly. While you wait, how about taking a slightly obscure detour through cricket history via the news of Test umpire Lou Rowan’s death at 91? Rowan was the man in charge when John Snow was accosted by a drunk fan during the 1971 Ashes Test at the SCG.
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