ICC Cricket World Cup 2015: NZ vs AUS, Pool A match in Auckland in caricatures

It is amazing that the last full game New Zealand and Australia played against each other was during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 which Australia won. The next match between them in the ICC Champions Trophy 2013 was washed out due to rain. Since March 2010, this was only the third match between them. The intensity still was no less at Eden Park, Auckland, on Saturday. In the Pool A fixture of ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, Australia travelled down to Auckland to play against the co-hosts New Zealand.

Returning from an injury, Michael Clarke won the toss and chose to bat. His decision seemed right when Aaron Finch (14) and David Warner (34) got going but it wasn’t to be. They got to 80 for one after a 50-run partnership between Warner and Shane Watson (23), when the carnage began. From 80 for one, Australia plummeted to 106 for nine; lost nine wickets for 26 runs. The last wicket pair of Brad Haddin (43) and Pat Cummins (7) added 45-runs to take the total to 151 in 32.2 overs, the score at which they got bundled out. Trent Boult (five for 27) registered his career-best figures and picked up a five-for; he was the mastermind of the Australian collapse. Daniel Vettori (two for 41) and an expensive Tim Southee (two for 65) provided an able support to limit Australia to the paltry score.

The response from New Zealand was evident when Brendon McCullum (50 off 24 balls) got going straight away. Even a blow to his handfrom Mitchell Johnson didn’t stop McCullum from playing his shots. But New Zealand got into trouble when they started losing wickets in rapid succession. A steady partnership of 52-runs between Kane Williamson (45*) and Corey Anderson (26) brought them back in the game, but it was very close in the end. They were 146 for nine down with six required; Williamson was stuck at the other end of the crease while wickets kept falling. Trent Boult played out the two crucial deliveries which got Williamson on-strike. Ad he wasted no time as he hit a six to lead New Zealand home by one wicket. It was the biggest thriller in the 2015 edition of the World Cup thus far.

Add Cricket Country as a Preferred Source

Mitchell Starc (six for 28) bowled beautifully and tormented the Kiwis batting line-up, but his efforts went in vain as Australia lost the game.Trent Boult was awarded the Man of the Match for his monumental effort with the ball and playing out those two deliveries of Starc.

With the win, New Zealand remains at the top of the points table with four wins out of four matches. Australia is at fourth position with three points from three games.Australia next plays Afghanistan on March 4 while New Zealand also play against Afghanistan on March 8.

Brief scores:

Australia 151 all out in 32.2 overs (Brad Haddin 43, David Warner 34, Shane Watson 23; Trent Boult 5-27, Daniel Vettori 2-41, Tim Southee 2-65) lost to New Zealand 152 for nine in 23.1 overs (Brendon McCullum 50, Kane Williamson 45*, Corey Anderson 26; Mitchell Starc 6-28, Pat Cummins 2-38) by 1 wicket.