New Zealand strike bowlers Trent Boult and Matt Henry destroyed world champions Australia and set up a comprehensive 159-run victory in their opening one-day international in Auckland yesterday.
In reply to New Zealand’s 307-8, Australia were all out for 148 in the 25th over. New Zealand, sent in to bat, made an aggressive start with Martin Guptill (90), Henry Nicholls (61) and Brendon McCullum (44) getting them past the 200 mark in 30 overs.
The run rate slowed with the tailenders, but a total in excess of 300 at Eden Park, even with its short boundaries, was competitive.
Photo: AP
Australia were never seriously in contention with their reply. Their innings began to unravel at the start, as Henry and Boult ripped out the top order to have the tourists reeling on 41-6 after nine overs.
In Henry’s first over, he had Shaun Marsh caught in the slips for five with a ball that moved across the left-hander. He followed up with the dismissal of Steve Smith, bowled for 18, and George Bailey for two.
Boult removed David Warner for 12 and claimed Glenn Maxwell and Mitchell Marsh without either scoring. Warner was dismissed LBW after being hit on the front pad and after discussion with Bailey at the other end, he decided to walk.
However, replays showed that had he appealed the dismissal, it would probably have been overturned.
Matthew Wade and James Faulkner attempted a rescue mission for Australia, with a 79-run stand for the seventh wicket, but when they fell six balls apart, the innings was effectively done. Spinner Mitchell Santner came on for his one over of the game and took the final two wickets of Kane Richardson and John Hastings with his first two deliveries to finish the match sitting on a hat-trick. However, the main bowling damage was done by Boult with three for 38 and Henry with three for 41.
Guptill and Nicholls provided the backbone for New Zealand after McCullum, in his final appearance at Eden Park, ignited the innings in typical swashbuckling fashion.
McCullum left the ground to a standing ovation when his innings ended on 44 off 29 balls, with five fours and three sixes. Kane Williamson fell for a duck, but Guptill and Nicholls put on 100 for the third wicket before Guptill was run out.
With his dismissal, four wickets fell for 53 runs in 12 overs, with Santner’s unbeaten 35 at the tail the only other innings of note. The second game in the series is in Wellington on Saturday.
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