All eyes on bowlers for series decider

You wait 13 years for a Twenty20 match between the Black Caps and Australia at Eden Park, then another comes five days later.

But will tonight’s tri-series final look anything like last Friday’s, where bat didn’t even let ball in the door?

It’s unlikely we’ll see another game where 243 is chased down, but what that match does tell us is that both teams can score big runs against the other team’s bowling.

We’ve also seen Australia’s bowlers get on top of the Black Caps’ batsmen, back in the series opener in Sydney, which means the only unproven unit is the Black Caps’ bowlers.

They haven’t had a dominant performance yet in their four games in this series – the closest they have come was in their first match against England, where they helped defend 196, but still conceded 184 in the process – and now would be the time to produce one.

Memories of Friday night’s onslaught will be fresh, but they should be a stronger unit, with Mitchell Santner back in place of Ben Wheeler, and that will make a difference. Given the volume of cricket these guys play, it’s unlikely there will be too many scars.

Australia will be looking to bounce back too, having conceded 243 on Friday after three games back home where they allowed 117, 155, and 137.

With the exception of Marcus Stoinis, their bowlers were all getting their first taste of Eden Park on Friday, and it will be intriguing to see how both sides adjust.

Can you deliver a dominant bowling performance on Eden Park, a venue with short boundaries down the ground and ones that aren’t exactly massive to either side, which combined present a challenge unlike any other in world cricket?

You only have to look at a previous meeting between the two sides to know that the answer is yes – the group stage one-day international at the 2015 World Cup, where Australia were rolled for 151, and the Black Caps lost nine wickets as they chased it down.

But you could also look at the other T20s at Eden Park, where teams batting first have scored more than 170 eight times, and less than 170 seven times, and where teams batting second have only chased down targets five times out of 15.

The batting failures weren’t all the result of dominant bowling performances, but the evidence is there that the ground does not favour batsmen as a matter of a course.

On the eve of the decider, Black Caps captain Kane Williamson was well aware that bowling could be prove to be the decisive factor.

‘‘I think in general in T20 cricket, bowlers important,’’ he said.

‘‘Having a strong bowling attack is most valuable, because the wickets do tend to be good surfaces, and if you have guys who can pick up wickets and defend well with the ball, then that goes a long way to either helping you restrict a total or bowl them out relatively cheaply.

‘‘It is a tough art, as we have seen, especially on grounds like this, but a challenge that most bowlers embrace and look forward are hugely to,’’ he said.

All wickets are important, but early ones are more important. Australia have picked up seven during the power play so far in this tri-series – including taking three twice – while the Black Caps have picked up five, and no more than two on any occasion.

Neither side managed to claim any on Friday, which played a big part in them producing the totals they did. If someone can strike early tonight, it will no doubt play a big part too.