Aussies win rain-hit final as runs dry up at Eden Park

Australia maintained their perfect record in the Transtasman Twenty20 series, seeing off co-hosts New Zealand in an unexpectedly low-scoring final at Eden Park.

Victory came in unsatisfying fashion, with rain intervening and Australia 19 ahead on Duckworth/ Lewis, but they were worthy winners for the fifth time in a row in a triangular tournament which also included a well-beaten England – leaping from seventh to first in the world rankings.

When the sides met at the same venue six days ago Australia needed to make a world record chase on a day which saw 488 runs and 32 sixes; this time 121 for three from 14.4 overs was enough.

New Zealand posted a modest 150 for nine, confounding those who had written the ground off as a bowler’s graveyard.

Ashton Agar turned the game in Australia’s favour with three for 27, while D’arcy Short proved batting had not become too treacherous with 50 from 30 deliveries to underpin the chase.

Colin Munro and Martin Guptill briefly threatened a repeat of last week’s runfest, helping themselves to a string of early boundaries to push the run-rate north of ten-an-over. But they fell in quick succession, Guptill caught at mid-off and Munro attempting a second straight six off Kane Richardson.

Veteran Ross Taylor’s unbeaten 43 was not enough to make up for the regular clatter of wickets.

Agar bagged the last real danger man, Colin de Grandhomme for ten, with Andrew Tye and Marcus Stoinis also chipping in.

At the start of the chase, Short scored 14 off 15 deliveries,then club bed the next six balls for 27 – including three on-side sixes.

A rain delay interrupted him in full flight and, when play resumed, Australia went from 55 for nought to 95 for three after 12 overs.

That still left them ahead of the D/L par and a pair of sixes by Glenn Maxwell and Aaron Finch made it comfortable when the showers returned.