T20 World Cup: New
Zealand thump Australia in Super 12 opener
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ICC Men's T20 World Cup Group 1, Sydney |
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New Zealand 200-3 (20 overs): Conway 92* (58), Allen 42 (16) |
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Australia 111 all out (17.1 overs): Maxwell 28 (20), Santner 3-31, Southee 2-6 |
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New Zealand won by 89 runs |
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Scorecard - Table |
Devon Conway hit an unbeaten 92 as New Zealand claimed a
comprehensive 89-run win over hosts Australia at the T20 World Cup.
Victory in their Super 12 opener at the Sydney Cricket Ground
was the Black Caps' first over their Trans-Tasman rivals in Australia in any
format since 2011.
It was also Australia's heaviest defeat in a T20 World Cup and
their second largest of all time in the 20-over format.
Finn Allen got things started as he bludgeoned 41 from 16 balls
in an opening stand of 56 with Conway, who expertly controlled the New Zealand
innings.
The left-hander added 69 with captain Kane Williamson and James
Neesham smashed 26 not out from 13 balls, including six from the last ball, to
take New Zealand up to 200-3.
Australia's chase faltered early on with David Warner's bizarre
dismissal - bowled via his thigh pad and the back of his bat - the first of
three wickets to go down in the powerplay.
A stunning diving catch from Glenn Phillips, running around from
deep cover to remove Marcus Stoinis, left the home side 50-4 in the ninth over
and all but ended the game as a contest with Australia slumping to 111 all out
in the 18th over.
Tim Southee ended with figures of 3-6 from 2.1 overs while
left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner took 3-31 as the Kiwis began their tournament
with a confidence-boosting win.
"We weren't able to get partnerships throughout the
innings," said Glenn Maxwell, who top-scored with 28 for Australia.
"It was basically how not to play a T20 and we got beaten
in all aspects of the game."
The hosts travel to Perth to take on Sri Lanka in their next
game on Tuesday, while New Zealand move on to Melbourne to face Afghanistan the
following day.
Finn fireworks set the
tone for NZ before Conway takes over
Allen ensured the Super 12 stage got off to an electric start as
he took the attack to Australia on his World Cup debut.
The 23-year-old right-hander thumped Mitchell Starc over the top
for four second ball and sent the next delivery even further, over long-on for
six.
World number one Twenty20 bowler Josh Hazlewood was next into
the firing line and was powered over cover by a charging Allen before the
opener was given a life on 19 when his mistimed pull shot burst through Adam
Zampa's hands at short fine leg.
Allen proceeded to nail Pat Cummins and Stoinis for sixes before
his stunning display of clean hitting was brought to an end by Hazlewood's
perfectly executed yorker.
Conway had been happy to play second fiddle but, with Allen
gone, effortlessly stepped into a leading role.
There wasn't the out and out aggression of Allen, with the
left-hander picking his moments and targeting the leg-spin of Zampa.
The spinner saw his first ball drilled through the covers and
Conway twice put him into the stands, the second maximum taking him to a
36-ball half-century.
With Neesham taking the bulk of the strike in the final over,
Conway was denied the chance to reach a maiden T20 international hundred, but
his classy 58-ball knock put New Zealand well on their way to victory.
Aussies' chasing troubles
continue
For the fifth game running, Australia skipper Aaron Finch won
the toss and elected to bowl. And, for the fifth game running, his team failed
to get over the line.
After three narrow defeats - two by England, the other by India
- and being saved by the rain after slumping to 30-3, this was a hammering.
Warner can consider himself extremely unfortunate given the
manner of his dismissal, so too, to an extent, Stoinis after Phillips did his
best to get 'catch of the tournament' sewn up early, but their failure to chase
down totals is the continuation of an unwelcome pattern for the hosts.
Australia might have hoped the concerns over Finch's form were
behind them after he hit 76 in their final warm-up game against India but, for
now, that remains the outlier.
On paper, the batting line-up remains more than strong enough to
make up for the captain's slump. However, that has not been born out in reality.
"We didn't bring our A-game and a really good side pounced
on us tonight," Maxwell told ABC after the game.
The problem for the Aussies is the number of top sides in Group
1, all waiting to pounce on the champions.
Australia's undoubted quality means there is every chance they
could bounce back and go all the way, but after their troubles chasing it may
take a change of approach to get their big-hitting middle-order firing.
