New Zealand 143 for 3 (Guptill 71, Conway 36, Phillips 34 *, Meredith 2-39) beat Australia 142 for 8 (Wade 44, Finch 36, Sodhi 3-24, Boult 2-26) with 7 wickets
When the Australian innings completed the way for New Zealand to win to a seven-wicket victory and a 3-2 T20I series victory, Martin Guptill and Devon Conway completed the blow as expected. they had started in Christchurch.
A pair of wins in unseen games allowed Australia to come in for the final game with a chance to win from 0-2 down, but on a sunny Sunday afternoon with crowds once again in attendance, Kane’s side got Williamson grabbed the early move that pleased the visitors when Matthew Wade and Aaron Finch were in a fit to get the upper hand on the closing expectations and leave a target of just 143 to win. Ish Sodhi, Mitchell Santner and Trent Boult all made valuable donations.
Guptill and Conway, coming together as openers, then went to a standpoint worth 101 meaning that a quick second spell from Riley Meredith was no longer close enough to stop the game and the series to go comfortably in New Zealand. Having been relegated from the World Cup final by India’s victory over England the night before, it has not been a happy 24 hours for the Australians.
Wade is torn by his depression
On the surface that promised to be tired with the third consecutive use for T20I, Finch was happy to bat first, but with one big change: changing Josh Philippe up to open Wade and bring him to No. 3 after four very heavy games. The move out did not work for Philippe, who grabbed a big swing at his first ball from Boult and was well lbw as he was going back just enough down the stock line, but he won. on Wade’s execution.
Finding the boundary on either side of the wicket, and running with equal alacrity off speed and spinning, Wade allowed Finch to bat comfortably in his run, and at 74 for 1 in 10th over tally of at least 160 beckoned. Even after Finch fell, cut Sodhi, and Glenn Maxwell picked up the second square foot ball, Australia were in a good position at 99 for 3 with seven goals remaining – or so it seemed. .
Australians put themselves off their feet
In addition to Philippe, the tourists also chose to encourage Ashton Agar to join Wade, but the courtship did not help their efforts to build a second set of moves in the closing rounds. Wade got hungry with the strike once wickets started falling, and while he still saw the ball well, he ended up mistaking Boult’s knuckle ball from the bottom of the bat to a deep midwicket to seek. Marcus Stoinis and Agar were threatening for a while, but when they got a full friendly throw from Sodhi, the two found fielders.
Mitchell Marsh stopped a hat-trick full of tosses, and shook one big blow over a long span of time, but when Tim Southee got a big grip on it after a normal start to the final, the innings had slipped. far from Australia in terms of Australia even of putting up a total of more than 150. The goal for the last seven goals of the innings was to read 43 runs at a cost of five wicis, a strong testament to the manner in which Williamson made his archers and fielders oppose Australia after such a promise began.
Guptill, Conway take control
The second change of the day in opening partnerships was Conway’s promotion to start a New Zealand run alongside Guptill. This time, the new union was to be sure of the game and the series, as they were not separated until there were 100 New Zealanders on the table and a small Wellington crowd dancing in the aisles. There was some helpful support for spinning, and Meredith ‘s pace was great again, but Guptill and Conway found themselves before launching with a decisive win.
Thirteen from the third came over, 11 from the fifth, 12 from the sixth and then a monument 23 from the ninth turned down by Adam Zampa, including Guptill six who landed on the tin can. A partnership worth 101 eventually gave Conway an option that left New Zealand more than a useful choice in terms of the idea for the T20 World Cup later this year: Conway, however, ‘look capable of most batting tasks.
Meredith’s speed can’t turn the game
Finch Meredith brought back for a final tilt at the rush of wickets needed to turn the game around, and the quick Tasmanian were at least able to grab enough of the watchers by giving birth to two in so many balls. Conway’s slice had little to do with the bowler, but Australian selectors will remember the fast-cutter Williamson put in front of the stump of his leg – meaning Meredith had knocked off the New Zealand captain two times. once in three balls in this series. .
Glenred Phillips’ first few balls from Meredith were also uncomfortable for how fast they were, but once New Zealand’s No. 4 used the pace, he was able to respond with meaningful blows. that the bowler’s quick analysis was invisible 2 for 39. That left the platform clear for the finish, as Phillips delivered the series to his side after Guptill fell, turning Zampa for two sixes in three balls to win with 28 balls remaining.
Daniel Brettig is assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo. @danbrettig