Trans-Tasman T20 Tri-Series 2018: Australia vs New Zealand- 5th match, 5 talking points

The fifth match of the T20I tri-series between New Zealand, England and Australia had the two Trans-Tasman neighbors fighting it off at the Eden Park in Auckland in what turned out to be a run-feast.

Opting to bat first, New Zealand got off to a blazing start with the opening duo of Colin Munro and Martin Guptill adding 132 runs for the first wicket in just 10.4 overs. Eventually, the hosts ended with a mammoth score of 243 for the loss of 6 wickets in their quota of overs. The target was always meant to challenge the Australian players but bogged by a fluent opening partnership between David Warner and D’Arcy Short, the visitors chased down the target with five wickets and seven balls to spare.

Here are the 5 talking points of the match.

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#1 Martin Guptill blazes away to his second T20I hundred

Martin Guptill, who surprisingly went unsold at the IPL auctions a few weeks ago, gave glimpses of what was in store as he began the New Zealand innings with a boundary off the bowling of Kane Richardson. It was just the impetus that the player needed and with Munro taking time to settle in, he started an onslaught that dented the Australian confidence from the very beginning.

He scored 105 in just 54 deliveries at a strike-rate of 194.44, with six boundaries and nine sixes! He scored 34 in just 7 deliveries in the end and was particularly harsh on Richardson, who was unable to find his momentum till the burly player was at the crease.

Along with de Munro, Guptill added 132 in just 64 balls and set the stage for a mighty target. Enroute his century, Guptill also became the highest scorer in T20Is.

#2 Colin Munro gives adequate support to Guptill

With Guptill going bonkers from the very first delivery, Colin Munro acted as the anchor in the first few overs, before stepping up and combining with his opening partner to take the game away from the Aussies.

He had two boundaries in his first nine deliveries but soon took over the mantle from Guptill to unleash an array of boundaries himself. In the 11th over of the innings, he tore apart Andrew Tye, hitting him for a hat-trick of sixes. Such was his power that even the variations that were being tried by the bowler made no difference.

He ended with 76 in just 33 deliveries, with six sixes and six fours and could not finish off with yet another century as he ended up mistiming a fuller delivery to long-on.

#3 A plethora of slow balls and yorkers stop the run flow

By the time Guptill was dismissed in the seventeenth over of the innings with the score reading 212 for three, the Aussies would have finally heaved a sigh of relief. The bowlers finally found their momentum and sent back Tim Seirfert, Mark Chapman, Colin de Grandhomme and Kane Williamson in quick succession. New Zealand lost their last four wickets for 31 runs, with Richardson rattling the stumps of de Grandhomme and then sending back Williamson within the span of four deliveries.

If not for Ross Taylor’s knock of 17 in 6 balls, the Kiwis would have finished with a lot lesser runs, which would have made the chase even easier for the Kangaroos.

#4 The opening carnage by Australia

Just when one had thought that Australia had been batted out of the game, David Warner and D’Arcy Short walked out with positive intent and started smashing runs at will over the park. They raced away to 111 in 7.4 overs and the writing was almost on the wall.

The Kiwis needed a couple of quick wickets but were unable to dislodge the opening pair till the score had reached 121.

Warner, who had hardly been in any sort of a form going into the match, was the first to be dismissed by Ish Sodhi for a well-made 59 in just 24 deliveries at a staggering strike-rate of 245.83! Short carried on and ensured that he held one end up in the high pressure run chase and by the time he was dismissed in the seventeenth over for 76 in 44 balls, he had done enough to take Australia close.

#5 The big-hitters finish off the game in style

After the dismissal of Chris Lynn for 18 in 13 deliveries, Glenn Maxwell combined with Short to take Australia closer to the target. He made 31 off 14 and added 56 for the third wicket in just 25 deliveries.

Though Short fell soon after Maxwell, Aaron Finch at the other end stayed on, scoring an unbeaten 36 in 14. Unlike the New Zealand batting order, the openers found adequate support from their middle order that helped them chase down this record target. Ultimately it proved to be the difference between the two sides in this high-scoring encounter.