SYDNEY, Australia — New Zealand thrashed hosts and defending
champions Australia by 89 runs on Saturday to start the
Twenty20 World Cup Super 12 in style and avenge defeat in last year’s final.
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Devon Conway
carried his bat with a majestic unbeaten 92 to help New Zealand blast 200–3
before Australia were skittled for 111 in the 18th over to make a nightmare
start to their title defense.
Conway’s knock
came from just 58 balls with seven fours and two sixes, joining a select group
to make 90 or more at a World Cup.
Mitchell Santner and Tim Southee both took
three wickets each.
It was New
Zealand’s first win against Australia in Australia in any format since 2011.
“It was one of
those days, an outstanding day,” captain Kane Williamson purred.
“The openers set
the tone, lots of contributions right through the batting and that was a very
good score on this pitch,” said Williamson. “The bowlers then did well and were
well supported in the field. Everyone knows their roles in this team, we knew
about the quality of their bowling, took the game deep and we were very
clinical in what we needed to do.”
The match at a
sold-out Sydney Cricket Ground was a repeat of the 2021 final in Dubai when
Australia powered to an eight-wicket win and maiden crown.
Aaron Finch’s
men now have their work cut out to match that feat in a tough Group 1 with
Afghanistan, England, and qualifiers Ireland and Sri Lanka awaiting them. Only
the top two make the semi-finals.
“They (New
Zealand openers) set the tone in the first four overs and we didn’t recover,”
said skipper Finch. “We needed early wickets, which didn’t happen, and when we
chased, we lost too many wickets. We weren’t good enough, with the net run-rate
taking a bad hit.”
“We play Sri
Lanka next, four games left, need to win everything and have some luck on our
side,” Finch added.
New Zealand got
off to a sensational start after Finch sent them in to bat, with Finn Allen
cracking two fours and a six off Mitchell Starc’s opening over.
Not to be
outdone, Conway then crunched two blistering boundaries off Josh Hazlewood as
the Black Caps plundered 29 from the first two overs.
Adam Zampa
dropped Allen in the next over as Pat Cummins was similarly punished, taken for
17.
But the young
right-hander’s luck ran out when Hazlewood returned and the wily pace spearhead
bowled him for 42 — off just 16 balls.
The introduction
of
Marcus Stoinis and Zampa helped Australia stem the run flow, but Conway
brought up his 50 with a six off the spinner Zampa, who trapped Williamson (23)
lbw in the same over.
Hazlewood
removed Glenn Phillips for 12 before Jimmy Neesham hit a six off the final ball
to reach 200.
Conway said
credit had to go to the 23-year-old Allen.
“He’s a young
guy and he’s fearless,” he said. “The way Finn plays complements my game.”
Slog
Australia’s chase started badly when
David Warner fell for three in the
second over, dragging the ball onto his stumps off Southee.
Finch (13) hit a
giant six off Trent Boult but did not last much longer, striking Santner
straight to Williamson at cover as his miserable form continued.
It was a similar
story for Mitchell Marsh, briefly hitting big to make 16 before being caught by
Neesham going for another slog to leave Australia teetering at 34–2 in the
fifth over.
Phillips pulled
off one of the catches of the tournament so far to remove Stoinis for seven,
leaping full length to his left as he ran from deep cover.
And when the
big-hitting Tim David, preferred to Steve Smith, became Santner’s third wicket,
out for 11, it was all but over at 68–5 in the 11th over.
Matthew Wade (two) and
Glenn Maxwell (28) were their last hope, with the tailenders offering little
resistance for the outclassed hosts.
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