In what will be the second dead-rubber of the summer, Australia will be looking to heap more misery on New Zealand at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in the third ODI on Friday.
Both of these sides have plenty of cricket coming up over the next couple of months, both against other sides and each other which puts plenty of importance on this match to build momentum despite the fact it means nothing for this series.
Some will rightfully point out that the Chappell-Hadlee trophy will be on the line again at the end of January when Australia head to New Zealand for three One-Day matches, and as such it turns this into a longer six-match series.
Realistically, both teams have plenty of cricket in between the two series with New Zealand set to host Bangladesh over the Christmas break in all three formats, and Australia to play Pakistan in Tests and ODI matches.
Given the way New Zealand have played in the two matches on this tour so far, they could seriously use a boost to the confidence.
After going down by plenty at the Sydney Cricket Ground in the first match of the series, things didn’t improve all that match in Canberra, with New Zealand inexplicably choosing to bowl first.
The decision from Kane Williamson raised eyebrows, given six of the eight games played at Manuka in the international format have been won by the team batting first.
Early rain had delayed the toss, and the D/L method often favours the team batting second. With no more rain, the decision backfired on the Kiwis in a big way.
Australia might have lost Aaron Finch early on for just 19, but that’s where the fun stopped for the Black Caps with runs flowing from the blades of David Warner and captain Steve Smith.
Smith, who was coming off his record-breaking effort at the SGC continued where he left off along with Warner who displayed a level of control in his innings that made him look like the best player in the world.
Warner would end up with a century before trying to force the pace and ending up out for 119 to the bowling of youngster Colin de Grandhomme before Smith (72) joined him back in the pavilion not long after.
From there, the Australians put the hammer down with Travis Head starting it off with 57 from 32 balls, before Mitchell Marsh bombed seven sixes, including three in the final over on his way to 76 from 40.
The Australian’s would end up with 5 for 378, with Tim Southee being the pick of the bowlers taking 2 for 63.
It was always going to be a tough chase for the Black Caps, and they never really looked like going close with Martin Guptill making a strong start but departing for 45 to a ripping ball from Patrick Cummins, before Kane Williamson made 81 at a run-a-ball.
Williamson was never quite able to elevate the run rate enough, and with the required pushing out to ten per over, James Neesham added 74, before the middle and lower order fell away with Cummins picking up four wickets, along with Starc and Hazlewood who had two each.
In the end, Australia picked up a commanding 116 run win and look to be well and truly the dominant team of this series.
History
Last five meetings
March 6 2016 – Australia won by 116 runs at Manuka Oval, Canberra
March 4 2016 – Australia won by 68 runs at Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
February 8 2016 – New Zealand won by 55 runs at Seddon Park, Hamilton
February 6 2016 – Australia won by 4 wickets at Westpac Stadium, Wellington
February 3 2016 – New Zealand won by 159 runs at Eden Park, AucklandLast five series
2016 – New Zealand defeat Australia 2-1 (in New Zealand)
2015 – New Zealand defeat Australia 1-0 (world cup)
2011 – Australia defeat New Zealand 1-0 (world cup)
2010 – Australia defeat New Zealand 3-2 (in New Zealand)
2009 – Drawn 2-2 (in Australia)Current series results
1st match: Australia 8/324 (Steve Smith 164, Travis Head 52, Matthew Wade 38, Trent Boult 2/51) defeat New Zealand 256 (Martin Guptill 114, Colin Munro 49, James Neesham 34)
2nd match: Australia 5/378 (David Warner 119, Mitchell Marsh 76, Steve Smith 72, Travis Head 57, Tim Southee 2/63) defeat New Zealand 262 (Kane Williamson 81, James Neesham 74, Martin Guptill 45, Patrick Cummins 4/41)Australia lead 2-0
Who will Australia rest and swap?
Maybe the biggest question heading into Melbourne centres around who will make up the Australian XI. With the series already over, there have to be questions around the point of playing some of their Test players.
The obvious ones to rest are Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood although having both sit out would leave the Australia’s a fast bowler short with the members of their squad currently not playing being Adam Zampa, Glenn Maxwell and Hilton Cartwright.
There is no question Zampa will come back in. With Starc being injured before the summer he will be the firs to sit out.
The interesting question is whether Hazlewood sits out, and if so do Cartwright and Maxwell both bat down the other with a big bowling role, meaning one of the batsmen also sits out?
Steve Smith could be the option to sit out from the batting point of view, given he has scored over 200 runs and looked absolutely tired at the end of the Sydney match.
This would also give David Warner a chance to improve his leadership skills as skipper, and although they would still be down a bowler, three changes could be the way to go for the Aussies with George Bailey to bat at number three.
Do the Black Caps have anything left to offer?
The Black Caps seem to have played all their cards during the first two matches, and nothing they have tried, particularly in the field seems to have worked.
They have given up runs, been unable to take wickets and chasing hasn’t been their go with respectable efforts made, but they have been well off the pace.
Kane Williamson seems to have been simply unable to inspire anything out of his side and without at least one batsmen going on to score a big century, chasing more than 300 is never going to be a straight forward thing.
Winning the toss and electing to bat would be a big help of course for the Kiwis, who have had to chase in both games but even that doesn’t look like it will change the result given how Patrick Cummins and co have been bowling.
Kane Williamson is brilliant but needs to be more aggressive
Don’t get me wrong – New Zealand captain Kane Williamson is one of the best One Day batsmen in the world and has played some of the most spectacular innings you are ever likely to see.
The problem with Williamson is at times he seems to only have one speed and that appears to be far too slow.
While the Black Caps were chasing an already heavy eight runs per over in Canberra, Williamson grafted his way along at a run-a-ball, which as David Warner and Steve Smith showed can work perfectly.
The problem for the Kiwis is that with no Mitchell Marsh – or their version of Corey Anderson down the order and with other wickets falling around him there was no one to blast the Kiwis to victory at the death.
Simply put, Williamson had to be more aggressive from the outset and keep the required run rate down to about eight per over if they were ever going to be a chance.
Patrick Cummins is back!
Of course, the Kiwi batting was well and truly hampered by the fantastic bowling from Patrick Cummins. The young quick, who has battled his way through more injuries than you could poke a stick at finally looks to be staying healthy and what a performance it was in Canberra.
He bowled ten brilliant overs, removing Martin Guptill with a ripper of a ball and picking up four wickets in the process, helping to restrict New Zealand to such a small score.
If Hazlewood and Cummins were both to be rested from the final match of the series, then Cummins would become the spearhead of the attack, something he deserves to be if not for the more established bowlers ahead of him.
Why can’t the Kiwis win on big grounds?
There has always been a perceived weakness of the Kiwis that they simply can’t win matches on big grounds and this series so far has done absolutely nothing to avert that theory.
While they clean up teams at home, posting big totals on smaller grounds, it’s a different story in Australia. While the Aussie bowlers have been good, the Kiwi batsmen have looked completely out of their depth and in this age of big scores, that’s not something you can afford.
Certainly, something the Black Caps need to address before the Champions Trophy later in the year to be played in England.
Key Information
First ball: 2:20pm (AEDT)
Venue: Manuka Oval, Canberra
TV: Live, Nine Network
Online: Cricket Australia Live Pass
Betting: Australia $1.33, New Zealand $3.34
Overall Record: Played 132, Australia 89, New Zealand 37, no result 6
Last five: Australia 3, New Zealand 2
At MCG: Played 19, Australia 14, New Zealand 4, no result 1Hours of play
Start (AEDT) Finish (AEDT) 1st Innings 2:20 PM 5:50 PM Break 5:50 PM 6:35 PM 2nd Innings 6:35 PM 10:05 PM *Times are subject to change due to over rates, game situation, weather
Australia (likely XI and squad)
1. David Warner (vc)
2. Aaron Finch
3. Steve Smith (c)
4. George Bailey
5. Mitchell Marsh
6. Travis Head
7. Matthew Wade (wk)
8. James Faulkner
9. Mitchell Starc
10. Josh Hazlewood
11. Adam ZampaHilton Cartwright, Glenn Maxwell, James Faulkner
New Zealand (likely XI and squad)
1. Martin Guptill
2. Tom Latham
3. Kane Williamson (c)
4. James Neesham
5. BJ Watling (wk)
6. Colin Munro
7. Mitchell Santner
8. Colin de Grandhomme
9. Matt Henry
10. Tim Southee
11. Trent BoultTodd Astle, Lockie Ferguson, Henry Nicholls
Series Fixtures
1st Match: Australia won by 68 runs at Sydney Cricket Ground
2nd Match: Australia won by 116 runs at Manuka Oval
3rd match: December 9, Melbourne Cricket Ground
*All matches start at 2:20pm (AEDT).
It’s amazing how often dead rubbers will throw up a result that goes against everything the series has been, but this one just doesn’t look like being a New Zealand victory.
They have struggled all series, and there are enough Australian’s firing that no matter how many players they rest or swap, they should complete the white-wash.
Australia to win 3-0
Don’t forget The Roar will have a live blog of each and every day from the summer of cricket as well as highlights throughout the match.
Follow Scott on Twitter @sk_pryde
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