Aussie batsmen flay poor Kiwi bowling, fielding
Williamson’s puzzling decision to send Oz in leaves NZ on back foot Auckland’s
New Zealand surrendered the Chappell Hadlee Trophy as Australia flattened them for the second time in three days, winning by 116 runs at Manuka Oval last night.
It was a grim way for New Zealand captain Kane Williamson to celebrate his 100th ODI. He top scored with 81 but it was his decision at the toss to send Australia in which proved the biggest talking point of the match.
All the anecdotal evidence roared bat first and his team paid a hefty price as Australia piled on 378 for six — their second highest ODI score at home and fourth highest anywhere — and it was far beyond New Zealand’s reach as they folded for 262 in the 48th over.
The result has given Australia an uncatchable 2-0 ahead and renders the third game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday a damp squib.
Only the 417 for six against Afghanistan at Perth last year exceeded this total in Australia. New Zealand gave the chase a reasonable run for a time, chiefly through Williamson and Jimmy Neesham putting on 125 in 135 balls for the third wicket.
But from the time Neesham, after his highest ODI score, 74, and Colin Munro departed in 16 balls it was always beyond New Zealand.
Williamson played a classy innings before falling to a Pat Cummins slower ball to be caught at cover.
Australia’s bowling wasn’t terrific but it didn’t need to be — steady and tidy was good enough.
Earlier, New Zealand’s bowlers felt the pain of an Australian onslaught for the second consecutive game, and this beating was even harder to take than Sydney last Sunday. There, New Zealand were clobbered to the tune of 324 for eight, poor bowling copping serious punishment.
That day New Zealand had no say as Australian captain Steve Smith won the toss. This time the only reason for Williamson’s decision seemed to be the help the seamers might get early from the damp, heavy conditions. It was an almighty clanger.
In the last six games at Manuka Oval since 2013, the team batting first has won the match.
In their last three innings on the ground, Australia totalled 1006 runs for 20 wickets. Evidence enough you might think.
David Warner set about his work effectively and completed his 10th ODI century, and first against New Zealand, in 101 balls, leading the preChristmas carveup.
Hnzherald.co.nz/sport Full coverage of last night’s ODI between Australia and NZ in Canberra.
It was his sixth this year, and only Indians Sachin Tendulkar (nine) and Sourav Ganguly (seven) have made more in a year.
He shared a 145-run stand in 23.5 overs with Smith, who seemed set for back-to-back centuries only to sky a catch to deep cover at 72.
The platform thus laid, lefthander Travis Head smeared 57 off 32 balls, adding 71 in 41 balls with Mitchell Marsh.
And it was Mitchell Marsh who provided the icing on top, taking three successive sixes off Matt Henry in the 50th over to race to an unbeaten 76 off 40 balls.
It was an ugly day for the bowlers, only one of whom seemed to have much idea how to stem the tide.
The notable exception was left arm spinner Mitchell Santner, who had early success dismissing Aaron Finch and kept a good line against batsmen looking to get after him.
Henry had a shocker, and in two games his combined figures are 20-0-165-2.
The result has given Australia an uncatchable 2-0 ahead and renders the third game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday a damp squib.
Auckland, Canterbury and Bay of Plenty recorded impressive victories to open their accounts at the Toro women’s interprovincial golf tournament at Westown Golf Club in New Plymouth yesterday.
After beating Hawkes BayPoverty Bay in the morning, Auckland thrashed a fighting Aorangi to score a maximum of 10 wins from as many singles matches on the first day.
It’s clear Auckland have a spark in their eyes and No 3 Siyi Keh aims to ensure they get back in the winner’s circle.
“We are feeling pumped,