Can New Zealand burst the Australian bubble in the trans-Tasman T20 tri-series final at Eden Park, or will the visitors make it five wins in a row? Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 5pm (AEDT).
It’s that ground again. Pitches have been the cynosure of ICC’s watchful eyes recently, but most of these have been in Test match cricket.
However, the surface and more vitally the dimensions of Eden Park have been the talking points from the previous game which saw Australia chase down over 240 against the Kiwis to carry a 100 per cent record into the final.
A flat pitch and some of the shortest boundaries in world cricket, along with an in-form batting line-up of some of the best T20 players in the world saw the record-breaking target easily achieved in the end.
The bowlers from both sides will hope for something more out of the surface, but the groundsmen will need to tread that fine line – water the surface too much and who knows, a repeat of that low-scoring 2015 World Cup game could be in pipeline.
Either way, Australia will enter the game with the kind of confidence they would probably have never experienced in this format. Not only have they won four games in a row, beating both New Zealand and England twice apiece, the wins have been quite one-sided.
New Zealand, on the other hand, has struggled. Their solitary win in the group stage of the competition came early in the tournament when they edged England out by 12 runs and only qualified thanks to a slightly better net run-rate than England.
In their previous game which they could lose by up to 20 runs and still qualify, New Zealand fell away towards the end and lost by a couple of runs. Going into the final, and despite the lottery that is associated with this format of the game, the form of both teams leading up to this game couldn’t be further apart.
Australia has all their bases covered but one – they have never batted first in this tournament.
Their wins have all come chasing targets and it would be interesting to see how they go about defending a target at Eden Park.
Join The Roar for live coverage of T20 tri-series final from 5pm (AEDT).
canetoad
Guest
Disappointing for Lynn, another Aussie season gone begging, though he'll be right mate. Hopefully he can stay on track for another India IPL standout performance and beyond and be good to go for the Heat come end of this year!
Perry Bridge
Guest
But it shows the folly of selecting him if he really did have a "Don't dive" clause that he's seemingly gone against. Done the 'good' shoulder now it appears.
jamesb
Guest
Geez, a few weeks ago we were minnows in twenty/20, now we are kings of the world. Congrats Australia. Feel for Lynny.
Rellum
Roar Guru
Great result for us. Feel for Lynn. As someone who has had many should reco's and dislocations I know just how hard this will be for him to make anything like a full comeback.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
This series is the most dominant stretch of T20I performances Australia have produced in the history of the format. Which says more about how poor they've been over the decade of T20Is than about how good they've been this month.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Ashton Agar, as expected, is the man of the match. Three wickets that restricted New Zealand to 150 in those kind of playing conditions. Glenn Maxwell wins the man-of-the-series award as expected too. That's that from me. Australia head to South Africa (or most of the players already have) while New Zealand host England in the next few days. Wishing you very happy cricket days ahead. Good evening.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
That's a first.
doogs
Guest
Well done Australia on winning the final and becoming number one. Fantastic effort. Great energy throughout
canetoad
Guest
Well done Aussie's! Thanks for the call Suneer.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Australia have won the final by 19 runs according to DLS system. The rain seemed to have relented but it looked like there wasn't going to be enough time to dry up the outfield. As a result the game had to be abandoned and the Aussies were 19 runs ahead at that stage. Australia complete an impressive title win, winning five games in a row, and climb to the top of the ICC Rankings. Brilliant all-round display.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
The rain's stopped and that means the covers are coming off. However, the outfield might not be in the best condition. Might take some time.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
It's started raining. Again. They have to get off the field with Australia way ahead at this stage.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Ans now Finch looks to have sealed the deal. The pressure had been building but a six in the previous over and now another one by Finch in this one against Santner does it. 30 needed from 32.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
No-ball from Santner. How did he manage that waist-high full-toss! Hit over the fielder, almost, but Chapman does well to tip the ball over at long-on, jumps outside the fence and then catches it in the air while returning back inside the fence. A single off the Free Hit.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Six. Much needed and Maxwell has deposited Sodhi over the long-on fielder for a six. That will ease the nerves, but with Maxwell, you never know it could be an invitation to hit the next five balls for sixes as well... ...he smashes the next one back down the ground for a single. Finch tries to give himself some room but only manages to find the point fielder. Dot. And another one follows. A single from the final two balls too. What a comeback. Two singles follow that first ball six. 43 needed from 36.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Oww, nearly a run-out. The pressure was building on these batsmen with just three singles from four balls and Finch attempts a non-existing single. He was miles away when the throw came in. A single off the final ball makes it just five from the over. The required-rate just ticks over a tad. 51 from 42 needed.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Aaron Finch is in at five. At the other end, Maxwell nearly a Maxwell. Or an Afridi. Tries to whack the bowler out of the park and ends up miscuing it in the air behind point. The fielder's unable to get under it. Munro concedes seven in the next over. 56 needed from 48. Easy ask if they can maintain their heads.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Gone! Stumped! Agar falls... ...wow. What an innings from Agar. Almost like he didn't belong there. This time he tries to go after the other spinner, Santner and the bowler throws it wider. Seifert does a much better job of collecting it, and whips them off. Agar was far too down the pitch.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Almost another! And probably two... ...first, the Aussie number four, Glenn Maxwell, goes for a drive and it's uppish but falls just short of Williamson at short cover. Then, Sodhi beats the inside edge of the Agar bat and lifts his foot but the keeper Seifert is unable to gather it. Stumping missed. Four byes to boot. 2/83 in 10.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Bowled him! Sodhi has Warner... How has Warner missed that? That was a long hop from Sodhi, could have either pulled or cut that away, went for the latter option but only manages to miss the ball. Hits timber. Two down.