Published: Feb 04, 2017, 11:00 PM (IST)
Edited: Feb 03, 2017, 02:37 PM (IST)
New Zealand will take on Australia in the third and final contest of the three-match One-Day International (ODI) series of the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy, at the Seddon Park in Hamilton on Sunday. The live cricket streaming of the match will be available on Sky Go, while the live telecast is available on Sky Sport NZ. In Australia, the live cricket streaming of the third ODI will be available on Foxtel Play, while the live telecast will be available on Fox Sports and Fox Sports HD. The hosts’ are currently leading 1-0, after winning the first ODI at Auckland by mere 6 runs in a nail-biting finish over the visitors.
The second match at McLean Park at Napier was abandoned without a ball bowled. Rain and shoddy ground conditions ensured that the fans at Napier were left unhappy after the umpires decided that no play could be possible after second-string of rains came in mid-evening. There were several inspections after it had stopped raining in Napier before the toss for the second ODI, but there were security concerns. A few areas inside the 30-yard-circle were too wet, and overcast conditions did not allow the field to dry up. The Supersopper were at work in the outfield, but poor drainage at the McLean Park brought a disappointing end to the second ODI. Ish Sodhi selected for final Chappell-Hadlee ODI
New Zealand Cricket (NZC) launched an inquiry into the abandonment of the second ODI of the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy. The most astonishing fact was that there was no play possible despite there being rains staying away for 4 hours after scheduled start of play. Mind you, this is the second successive ODI that has been abandoned at Napier. The last time this happened was against Pakistan in 2016, when the ODI was washed out with no action whatsoever. New Zealand Cricket will be watching the developments at this venue closely as they are set to play one more ODI in their season, later, against South Africa. Napier City Council too is expected to initiate an independent review, which council chief executive Wayne Jack confirmed was being treated as priority.
Australia will be taking the third ODI as a do-or-die contest. Any unfavourable result will see the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy going back to the Kiwis, as Australia had snatched it from their opponents inflicting a 3-0 win in their backyard late last year.
