Laments for Williamson, Smith
Twenty-four hours earlier, Kane Williamson cut a frustrated figure trying to explain his New Zealand side’s failed Champions Trophy cricket campaign.
Now it was Steve Smith’s turn to shake his head and wonder where it all went wrong, as Australia joined the Black Caps at the exit door.
As England and Bangladesh progressed to the semifinals from group A, the Chappell-hadlee Trophy combatants bowed out early for a second successive tournament.
Washouts and slip-ups in one match are costly in this quickfire format. Four years ago, New Zealand and Australia shared the points at rain-soaked Edgbaston - as they did this time - and both couldn’t progress.
This was the world’s second and fourth-ranked one-day international sides (New Zealand have since slipped to fifth, behind England), and no one expected both would depart early this time.
Each were in charge of their respective fates, too. New Zealand needed to beat Bangladesh and hope England beat Australia, but only half that equation happened. Poor batting at the death, an inability to finish off Bangladesh from 33-4 chasing 266, and a monster 224-run stand between Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmudullah finished New Zealand off.
England then made it three from three to fulfil their side of the bargain - for Bangladesh anyway - beating Australia by 40 runs on the Duckworth-lewis method after Smith’s men made 277-9. Star allrounder Ben Stokes saw it home with 102 not out as England shortened to $2.20 favourites to hoist the trophy.
It left the Black Caps - beaten by Australia in the 2009 final wondering what might have been.
‘‘It is a short tournament and you want to come here firing and playing your best cricket. In the Australian game we showed some really good signs of that. It still wasn’t our best cricket and we were yet to see it certainly in these last two in Cardiff,’’ Williamson said.
If rain hadn’t cut short Australia’s first two games then they, New Zealand and Bangladesh would have probably been level on two points and the second semifinal spot decided on net run rate.
New Zealand were in control over Australia at Edgbaston before it rained, then Bangladesh got a huge break when they were heading for a heavy defeat to Australia but it poured down just four overs short of it being a legitimate match.
Still, the Black Caps had two chances to book their semifinal spot in Cardiff and were outplayed both times.
Williamson led the way with bat scoring 244 runs at 81.33 and strike rate of 92 - and Ross Taylor was solid with 148 runs at 49, but allrounders Corey Anderson and Jimmy Neesham didn’t fire when needed most and opener Martin Guptill scored 86 runs for a highest score of 33. Guptill can win matches on his own and looked in fine touch but couldn’t kick on, while Neil Broom didn’t provide the dynamic option at No 5 they needed.
With the World Cup in the UK two years away, the middle order batting and their shaky record in big ODIS overseas remain the work-ons. In the last four years New Zealand have won two of nine series deciders or tournament knockout ODIS away from home.
Said Williamson: ‘‘It’s important we use these experiences to learn and be better because they are tough tournaments and they do put you under pressure. They are cut throat, if there’s a bit of weather around, and we knew any team on their day can beat anyone.’’
Smith had similar issues to Williamson after arriving with a squad that looked one of the strongest, particularly their pace attack. The batting after David Warner, Aaron Finch and Smith fell away with the odd choice of Moises Henriques at No 4, and their total against England was 30-40 short of what they should have got. A late collapse of 5-15 mirrored New Zealand’s earlier efforts.
‘‘When you’re playing in a big tournament for your country, you need to step up and get the job done. We weren’t able to do that on this occasion,’’ Smith said.
‘‘We had some frustrating games throughout and just haven’t been able to find any momentum, I guess.’’