The Kiwis’ wait for an elusive ODI win in Australia has continued after they fell agonisingly short in the first of three matches of the Chappell-Hadlee series at the Cazaly’s Stadium on September 6. Cameron Green and Alex Carey scored crucial fifties, helping the Aussies seal the win.
The Blackcaps managed to reduce Australia to 44/5, and later to 207/8 in their run-chase of 233, but were undone by the heroics of Green, who ensured that the win was sealed with two wickets and five overs remaining.
Trent Boult found swing and seam with the new ball, and used the right-arm over angle to the Australia right-handers to great effect first-up in an inspiring spell. Skipper Aaron Finch was trapped leg-before to one that shaped into him in the third over, while Steve Smith’s defence was breached to hit the middle and off. Marnus Labuschagne was trapped leg-before too, and David Warner middled one off Matt Henry straight to deep square leg as the hosts stumbled to 27/4.
Henry then cleaned up Marcus Stoinis with a peach, leaving Australia five down, further 189 adrift. Green then joined Carey, and the two combined to add 158 from 27.1 overs for the sixth wicket.
Carey struck eight fours and a six, before falling to Lockie Ferguson for 85, with Australia still needing 31. Glenn Maxwell skied one to Jimmy Neesham at long leg to give Boult his fourth, while Ferguson dismissed Mitchell Starc to produce another gripping passage.
Green, however, found support in Adam Zampa, who scored a valuable 13* in an unbroken 26-run stand, with a wide down the leg-side bringing an anticlimactic end to the game. Green remained unbeaten on 89 off 92, striking 10 fours and a six.
Earlier, Maxwell set the stage on fire, first with his fielding brilliance and later with the ball, helping the hosts restrict the Blackcaps to 232/9 after having opted to bowl in the first international game at the venue since 2004.
Maxwell leaped to his left at backward point to send back Martin Guptill for six in the fifth over, with the right-hander finding a leading edge off a Starc delivery. Devon Conway (46 off 68) and Williamson (45 off 71) added 81 in a rather patient stand before the former was trapped leg-before by Zampa.
Williamson chipped one to deep mid-wicket off Maxwell, and Tom Latham (43 off 57) and Daryl Mitchell (26 off 33) were undone by the all-rounder after promising starts. Maxwell returned 4/52 from 10 overs, while Josh Hazlewood (3/31) bagged three quick wickets at the closing stages to back up his brilliance with the new ball, as the Kiwis were restricted to 232/9.
“A little bit tired and sore, but got a couple of days off,”
said Green, who was adjudged the Player of the Match.
“Credit to Zampa to finish it off, he stuck around. Groin, calf, hamstring and forearm all gone at the moment, but should be fine for the next game. Carey batted beautifully, I was just trying to hang on from the other end. (On first 50) Nice to get that monkey off the back now, hopefully there will be many more now.”
The second game of the series will be played at the same venue on September 8.
Brief scores
New Zealand 232/9 in 50 overs (Conway 46, Williamson 45; Maxwell 4-52) lost to Australia 233/8 in 45 overs (Green 89, Carey 85; Boult 4-40) by two wickets.
