Image Credit- CA
In a thrilling series opener in Wellington,
Australia’s captain Mitchell Marsh put on a strong all-around display, and Tim
David batted brilliantly down the stretch to seal a last-ball victory over New
Zealand.
Despite Marsh’s best efforts, Australia seemed like they were going to lose
when they were chasing 216 after Devon Conway broke out of a slump with a
half-century. However, David took control with 31 off 10 balls, interspersed
with a boundary off Tim Southee through the leg-side to complete Australia’s
incredible raid.
In the competition for the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy,
which was traditionally reserved for the victor of the sides’ bilateral ODI
series, Australia emerged victorious. The three-match series is essential
preparation for both teams since the T20 World Cup is less than three months
away.
Australia displayed a full-strength assault as Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins,
who had both been on rest since the end of the Test summer, played their first
Twenty20 international since the 2022 T20 World Cup.
On the first delivery of a superb opening over, Starc
was spot on as he angled a ball beyond Finn Allen. After denying Allen any
width to hit, he came back in the sixth over to pluck Allen.
Prior to being blasted for 16 runs in the penultimate over of the innings,
Starc was the best bowler in the group. Until he was bowled out for fifteen
runs in the final over, Cummins had likewise largely resisted the assault with
his cunning variety of slower deliveries.
Conway was experiencing his first extended period of
poor form in his career when he started the series. Conway may have gotten out
of it by thinking back to the last time he batted in a T20 match against
Australia, when he made an undefeated 92 to start the 2022 T20 World Cup.
Conway and Allen struck a half-century in four overs, exactly like they had at
the SCG, so it was deja vu all over again. Conway achieved his first
international half-century since the ODI World Cup last year, enjoying a
surface that was fast with a steady bounce. Throughout an innings that boosted
his confidence, he consistently hit shorter pitches with outstanding back-foot
play.
Conway combined with Rachin Ravindra after Allen went
down shortly before the powerplay ended. Ravindra was slow to start and was
first stopped by Cummins’ persistent line and length. However, Ravindra soon
settled into a rhythm, hitting Zampa three times for sixes in the fifteenth
over.
With captain Kane Williamson out due to the birth of his third child, Ravindra
seized his chance, smashing his second T20I half-century off just 29 balls.
With the top-order batting and the finishing touches from Mark Chapman and
Phillips, Josh Clarkson, a big-hitting rookie, was not needed.
After missing the West Indies series, Travis Head
returned to the Australian batting order, leaving no room for Steven Smith. In
T20Is, he opened with David Warner for the first time. However, none was able
to profit from starts. Warner waved back at the fanatical audience that had
booed him off the ground.
It fell to Marsh, who complied with a characteristically aggressive batting. He
crushed everything in his hitting zone as he raced to his half-century off just
29 balls. However, Marsh was unsupported as Australia lost ground and required
an almost unbelievable 32 runs off nine balls to win. However, David regained
control after hitting a boundary off Adam Milne, then went on to hit two more
sixes to cut Australia’s aim down to 16 runs in the last over.
In the last over, Southee bowled effectively at first,
delivering a few of yorkers, but David once more demonstrated his ability to
finish strong, hitting a six over the leg-side off the full-tossed fourth
delivery of the 20th over. His swipe through wide long on with two fielders
converged two balls later went for four, capping an incredible chase that
demonstrated their might. It also demonstrated the possibility that Smith won’t
have enough room in the T20 World Cup.