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New Zealand have completed a comprehensive onslaught of the Australian batting line up to win the series opener by 159 runs.
Australian skipper Steve Smith won the toss and elected to bowl first. The Aussie leader was swiftly made to regret his decision after his opposite number hit 20 runs off just the third over.
An opening stand of 79 runs from just 65 balls between Brendon McCullum and Martin Guptill ensured the hosts got off to the best start possible, until McCullum and Kane Williamson fell within just two runs of each other.
New Zealand were cruising at 3-203 in just 29 overs after a Guptil masterclass of 90 from 76 balls.
Australia’s bowling attack rallied in the final stanza of the innings to take 6-104, restricting the black caps to a modest 8-307 from their 50 overs.
That was where the joy ended for the Australians as the hosts came out of the sheds with all guns blazing, reducing the Aussie batting line up to a devastating 6-41 in just nine overs.
The top order capitulated under the line and length of Trent Boult and Matt Henry, who took three wickets apiece within 10 overs.
A late resurgence from James Faulkner and Matthew Wade saw them grind out a 79-run stand, however once they both fell in quick succession, the game was all but over.
Eventually ending the demolition job in the 25th over, New Zealand have taken a dominant 1-0 lead in the Chappell-Hadlee series.
Final score
New Zealand – 8/307 (50 overs)
Australia – 10/148 (24.2 overs)
New Zealand and Australia will renew their trans-Tasman rivalry today in Auckland as the kiwis look for retribution against their larger neighbours. Catch all the wickets and big hits and live scores from 12pm (AEDT) on The Roar.
Having not played a bilateral series between the two nations in nearly six years, NZ are the current holders of the Chappell-Hadlee trophy coming into the three match series, after winning the pool match during the World Cup last year at the same ground.
Australia are crossing the ditch off the back of a comprehensive three nil defeat against India in the T20 series. Despite dispatching the same foe 4-1 in the ODI series, the Aussies will still be disappointed to be making the trip over on a bad note.
New Zealand on the other hand are in white hot form, having won their last five consecutive series (Test, ODI and T20) since losing to Australia earlier in the summer.
The big talking point coming into the game has been the omission of Usman Khawaja, despite being in the squad for the the injured Aaron Finch and arguably the most prolific run scorer of the summer, he has been left out of the game day side.
Even New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum said he “was a little bit surprised about it to be honest”.
In team news, the aforementioned Khawaja exclusion has given another chance for Shaun Marsh to open the batting order alongside Dave Warner. Captain Steve Smith also announced that Adam Zampa and Scott Boland would be left out of the first one dayer.
For New Zealand, Indian born legspinner Ish Sodhi has been brought into the squad, however, the final line up won’t be announced until right before the toss.
The other big talking point surrounding this match, and indeed the whole series, is the farewell tour of Brendon McCullum. The kiwi captain has always been an unselfish man but he will no doubt want to really stamp his authority on his final run in international cricket.
The conditions of the drop in pitch are expected to be very batsman friendly, couple that with the notoriously short boundaries at Eden Park, and we could be in for a very high scoring affair.
Prediction
The Baggy Greens were able to outpace the Black Caps without too much resistance in the Test series earlier in the summer, however, the short form of the game is a very different story as we witnessed during last years World Cup. Expect to see a lot of heart from the hosts against a weakened Australian side.
Australia to win by 9 runs.
Can the visitors revenge their loss at Eden Park in the World Cup? Or will McCullum’s men tame the number one side in the world. Find out on The Roar from 12pm (AEDT) to find out.
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