New Zealand have sent Brendon McCullum out of the One Day International arena a winner, taking a 55 run victory over Australia, and the Chappell – Hadlee trophy 2-1 in dominating circumstances.
Australia would win the toss and elect to bowl first, but it would seemingly backfire as Brendon McCullum played his most composed innings of the tournament, but still with a very high strike rate. He was joined early on by Martin Guptill and the pair put on 80 runs in the first nine overs.
That would be the height of the New Zealand innings though, with McCullum falling during the 10th over for 47 from 27 balls in an effort that laid the platform for the rest of the innings.
It was a platform the rest of the batsmen struggled to build on though, as New Zealand became what seemed like unnecessarily defensive with Kane Williamson and Martin Guptill at the crease.
Adam Zampa played a big role in the defensiveness though, as he bowled brilliantly in a 10 over spell that only went for 45. He would also pick up the crucial wicket of Guptill.
With the top three back in the sheds, Australia bowled spin at both ends, before Mitchell Marsh and their pace bowlers went into restrictive mode as Grant Elliott and Henry Nicholls built a partnership.
At 4 for 200, New Zealand were looking to be in a strong position, but the bowling of Mitchell Marsh, Josh Hazlewood and John Hastings decimated the New Zealand lower order, restricting them to just 246.
In reply, Australia got off to a flying start, with both David Warner and Usman Khawaja striking the ball beautifully. Warner would be dismissed with the score on 39 at the end of the 5th over, before Khawaja went in the 12th over with the score on 75.
Steve Smith and George Bailey then went about accumulating the runs, and were doing a fine job until Smith, and then Glenn Maxwell came and went in the space of three balls.
Bailey was then joined by Marsh who batted well, scoring 41 from 42 before getting out controversially. While the correct decision was made, it was done without a strong appeal and a referral to the video umpire, based on what had been seen on the big screens around the ground.
From there, it was all downhill for Australia as they crashed to be all out for 191, some 55 runs short of the target.
The teams now get ready for a two match Test series kicking off on Friday.
Final Score:
New Zealand 10/246 (45.3 overs)
Australia 10/191 (43.4 overs)
New Zealand win by 55 runs.
Brendon McCullum plays his final one-day international match in the decider between New Zealand and Australia at Seddon Park in Hamilton. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage of the match from 11:30am (AEDT).
After an ODI career that has been one of the most electric of all time, McCullum reaches the end in what will be his 260th match for New Zealand in one-day cricket. He has scored over 6000 runs, and always been a menace to bowlers with a strike rate of nearly 100 over the length of his career.
Despite the fact that this is his last game, he still has a big role to play; at the top of the order during this series, he has seemed to be more of a threat than ever.
Playing with a care-free attitude, his scores in the first two games have been 44 from 29 balls and 28 from 12 balls getting New Zealand off to a flier on each occasion.
Australia’s answer to McCullum must be opener David Warner. While he struggled in the first game, only scoring 12, he managed to lead Australia to victory in the second scoring 98 off 79.
New Zealand took the first match of the series in a canter, yet there still would have been negatives. After one of the best starts to a one-day innings you are ever likely to see and going eight runs per over in the first ten, they only managed to make 307 as Australia’s bowlers came back strongly.
From there, New Zealand’s bowlers performed a work of art to remove Australia for 148, after reducing them to 6 for 41 off nine overs.
Following the big win, the teams went to Wellington and New Zealand again would bat first. They only made 281 this time, as Australia’s bowlers did a much better job controlling things early in the innings and picking up wickets. Kane Williamson would top score with 60.
As already mentioned, David Warner then guided Australia to victory. The middle order collapse, though, that was only steadied by Mitchell Marsh and John Hastings who scored 69 and 48 respectively will worry Australia though. Losing 4 for 22 in six overs is not good in anyone’s books.
A strong start will be important for both sides in this one. With the series on the line, and so many power hitters in each team, it won’t take long for the game to get away.
Prediction
New Zealand will be aiming to put in a massive effort for McCullum here, no doubt about it. Australia will fight hard, but their middle order has looked fragile at best.
New Zealand in a close one.
Be sure to join The Roar for live scores and coverage of the third and final ODI between New Zealand and Australia from 11:30am (AEDT) and don’t forget to add your comments in the section below.
Follow Scott on Twitter @sk_pryde
Riccardo
Guest
Well said Ronan and Bobbo. In the Test Arena Adelaide showed that a track with something in it for the bowlers might produce some lower scores but how much more exciting was that as a spectacle. The mistaken mantra that flat tracks produce big batting displays means more entertainment, especially for TV audiences appears to have again been dispelled in this series, even though the tracks haven't done all that much. There remain plenty of positives for both teams with replacements making their claims. If Zampa can bowl a bit fuller and slower he could be quite a handful. His run-up reminds very much of another prominent blonde Leggie for Australia.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
"Still nice to watch some good old fashioned ODI cricket. Cricket needs pressure and when teams can score at 6 an over without risk it is boring." This x 1000. ODIs were brilliant until recent years. It's the proliferation of flat tracks that have hurt the format...and in the last 2-3 years Australia have been one of the worst offenders in that regard, serving up many pile-o-crap bowler-killer tracks.
Nudge
Guest
In that second one dayer that you're talking about, Henry bowled a long hop outside off stump that didn't move a centimetre that smith tried to guide down to third man. If he bowls that crap in the tests Smith won't be guiding it to third man, he will be smacking it through point for 4
wardad
Guest
Reminds me of the days when 250 was a good score and tension ratcheted up with tight bowling on pitches that werent made for batsmen to hammer bowlers into the dirt.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Just seen full footage of the Mitch Marsh decision for the first time. Right decision but wrong process. Allowing replays on the big screen to sway umpires after they've made a decision is not on. If this is allowed then what would stop the person controlling those replays on the big screen from quickly showing replays which benefited the home team, to sway the umpires, but not showing replays which would go against the home team? It's a slippery slope. No big deal in the end, in terms of this particular match, but the ICC need to be wary of the major problems this could cause in the future. Imagine if this same thing happened in the final of the World T20 in Kolkata, gifting Pakistan a win over India...the ground could turn into a warzone.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Why do you think NCN is "overrated"? I haven't seen anyone saying he's a superstar, just that he would be handy to have in the Australian side, which is understandable given he's been really impressive in his brief limited overs career for Australia, taking 37 wickets at 24, and is also a very talented ball striker and absolute gun fielder. Combined with his sensational record in domestic 50-over cricket, averaging 22 with the ball and 21 with the bat, I don't see how he's "overrated". "Johnson was becoming a liability towards the end of his career".......I can't agree with that at all. In his last 15 ODIs he took 30 wickets at an average of 19. If that's a liability Australia need 11 of them.
Daws
Guest
Taylor made 290 runs against Hazelwood in Perth. he looked comfortable against Hazelwood on that tour. Smith has made just about no runs on this tour and every time Henry bowls to him, he looks uncertain. in the first game he looked all at sea, playing with hard hands and poor footwork. in the second Henry dismissed him early to institute that middle order collapse. i said "becoming", not "is" his bunny. if makes he runs against him in the test series then good, well done to smith, if doesn't, then i will restate my point that he is weak against Henry
Daws
Guest
i don't know why Boland is still getting selected, he's done alright in these last two ODIs but he doesn't really look like an international standard bowler to me, especially with guys like Bird and Behrendorff waiting in the wings. As for the other bowlers, Starc and Cummins are guns but NCM is a bit overrated and Johnson was becoming a liability towards the end of his career(as a perth boy, it pains me to say that but it's true)
Nudge
Guest
Hazlewood got Taylor out for low scores in both innings of the Adelaide test, so does that mean Taylor is Hazlewood's bunny? "He looked all at sea against the swinging ball", which swinging ball dismissed him in this series? The ball hardly swung all series. Annoying how people make stuff about Smith when he fails
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
"Our bowling in One-Dayers has looked a bit poor for a while now." Not surprising given that Australia have just lost 4 of their best 5 ODI bowlers - Starc, Cummins and Coulter-Nile to injury, and Johnson to retirement. Their bowling attack in this match had an average experience off 11 ODIs each...that is as green as it gets. Yet, even still, Hazlewood is a gun, Hastings has been terrific, Zampa has looked at home and Boland is not in the top 15 of Australia's best 50-over bowlers and no one outside the selectors thinks he should be anywhere near the national setup. Add in Mitch Marsh, who took 7 wickets at 14 this series, and Australia's attack still is decent despite being decimated.
Scott Pryde
Expert
New Zealand have sent Brendon McCullum out of the One Day International arena a winner, taking a 55 run victory over Australia, and the Chappell - Hadlee trophy 2-1 in dominating circumstances. Australia would win the toss and elect to bowl first, but it would seemingly backfire as Brendon McCullum played his most composed innings of the tournament, but still with a very high strike rate. He was joined early on by Martin Guptill and the pair put on 80 runs in the first nine overs. That would be the height of the New Zealand innings though, with McCullum falling during the 10th over for 47 from 27 balls in an effort that laid the platform for the rest of the innings. It was a platform the rest of the batsmen struggled to build on though, as New Zealand became what seemed like unnecessarily defensive with Kane Williamson and Martin Guptill at the crease. Adam Zampa played a big role in the defensiveness though, as he bowled brilliantly in a 10 over spell that only went for 45. He would also pick up the crucial wicket of Guptill. With the top three back in the sheds, Australia bowled spin at both ends, before Mitchell Marsh and their pace bowlers went into restrictive mode as Grant Elliott and Henry Nicholls built a partnership. At 4 for 200, New Zealand were looking to be in a strong position, but the bowling of Mitchell Marsh, Josh Hazlewood and John Hastings decimated the New Zealand lower order, restricting them to just 246. In reply, Australia got off to a flying start, with both David Warner and Usman Khawaja striking the ball beautifully. Warner would be dismissed with the score on 39 at the end of the 5th over, before Khawaja went in the 12th over with the score on 75. Steve Smith and George Bailey then went about accumulating the runs, and were doing a fine job until Smith, and then Glenn Maxwell came and went in the space of three balls. Bailey was then joined by Marsh who batted well, scoring 41 from 42 before getting out controversially. While the correct decision was made, it was done without a strong appeal and a referral to the video umpire, based on what had been seen on the big screens around the ground. From there, it was all downhill for Australia as they crashed to be all out for 191, some 55 runs short of the target. The teams now get ready for a two match Test series kicking off on Friday.
Daws
Guest
alright maybe i jumped the gun a bit on Hazelwood, to be fair none of our bowlers bar Hastings has looked all that consistent, our bowling in One-Dayers has looked a bit poor for a while now
Daws
Guest
Henry's got him out twice in succesive games for low scores and Smith hasn't looked comfortable against him. As a matter of fact Smith hasn't looked comfortable in this series period. He looked all at sea against the swinging ball and he was throwing a few tantrums in the field today. he looks really irascible
Wasted1
Guest
Zampa really impressed me today by throwing the ball right up there consistently. Looked confident and unless rod marsh does a rod marsh should be all but set for India. I have to give it to Steve smith too, one of the classiest captains around. The first test this weekend could not come soon enough for mine, bring on Friday.
Bobbo7
Guest
You are right there Ronan. Was very impressed with Zampa. Wade in trouble for mine. Ha keeping is poor so he has to contribute with the bat and that hasn't been happening. Still nice to watch some good old fashioned ODI cricket. Cricket needs pressure and when teams can score at 6 an over without risk it is boring.
moaman
Roar Guru
Yeah Ronan;Hastings was a standout,to me and--grudgingly (for some reason) M Marsh. I would love to see both sides at full strength and in -form.Seems to me a lot of them struggled to assert themselves on indifferent pitches.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
"Hazelwood has lacked penetration in this series." Not a bad effort then to take 7 wickets at an average of 25 !
Bobbo7
Guest
Henry did appeal albeit very politely, correct decision is the main thing. NZ copped a shocker in Adelaide, move on folks.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Congrats to the Kiwis, a third good bowling effort from them. Henry, in particular, has been terrific continuing his awesome white-ball form this summer...gives NZ a good selection headache ahead of the Tests. Aussie batting was really poor in all three games, with only M. Marsh and Hastings saving the blushes of the middle order in the 2nd match. Regardless of the loss, though, I think Australia can take several significant positives out of this - 1. Mitch Marsh has found form after batting without any confidence the past six months. 2. Zampa bowled with skill and calm and should definitely go to India for World T20 along with Boyce. 3. Hastings, too, has made himself a certainty for the World T20 after Australia's pacemen were awful in the T20s against India. A pity we didn't get any thrilling finishes out of the three matches but hopefully the Tests will be enthralling.
moaman
Roar Guru
Most bowlers on both sides have lacked penetration,to be fair.