T20 World Cup: Southee, Santner star as New Zealand thrash Australia by 89 runs in Super 12 opener

Sydney, October 22, 2022

Tim Southee and Mitchell Santner picked three wickets each as New Zealand broke their 11-year winless run in Australia with a comprehensive 89-run thrashing of the hosts and defending champions in the Super 12 opener of Men's T20 World Cup at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday.

After openers Devon Conway (92 not out off 58 balls) and Finn Allen (42 off 16 balls) took New Zealand to a mammoth 200/3 in 20 overs, Southee (3/6) and Santner (3/31) ensured that Australia never got going in their tall chase and were skittled out for just 111 in 17.1 overs, with no batter reaching 30 runs.

Australia had the worst possible start to their chase of 201 as David Warner tried a pull-shot off Southee in the second over, but the inside-edged went up in the air and lobbed off the bat, on its follow-through, to hit the stumps in a bizarre dismissal.

Aaron Finch and Mitchell Marsh hit a four and a six each, but New Zealand took them out in successive overs. While Finch lofted straight to extra cover off Santner, Marsh was deceived by a slower ball from Southee and holed out to deep mid-wicket as Australia ended the power-play at 37/3, including playing 22 dot balls.

Australia's troubles were further deepened as Santner picked two more wickets -- Marcus Stoinis went inside-out for a drive over cover and was caught by Glenn Phillips, who ran across from the deep and threw himself in the air for a sensational catch while Tim David holed out to deep mid-wicket.

Australia's night went from bad to worse as Matthew Wade nicked behind off Lockie Ferguson while Glenn Maxwell, who hit a 20-ball 28, was castled by Ish Sodhi in an attempt to switch-hit the leg-spinner.

The result was a foregone conclusion by then as Trent Boult clean bowled Mitchell Starc and Adam Zampa with slower balls and Southee completed his three-fer with Pat Cummins' scalp to hand Australia their second-heaviest defeat in T20Is.

Earlier, James Neesham clouted Australian pace bowler Josh Hazlewood's last delivery of their innings for a massive six over long-on as New Zealand, riding on openers Devon Conway (92 not out) and Finn Allen's (42) superb start, gave the hosts a stiff 201-run target.

In what was billed as a grudge match for the Black Caps, who lost the 2021 T20 World Cup final to the trans-Tasman rivals, the ever-reliable Conway remained unbeaten, missing his century by just eight runs as he put the Australian bowling attack to the sword, smashing seven boundaries and two sixes and guiding his side to 200/3.

But Conway's aggression was nothing compared to that of his opening partner Finn Allen, who scored a 16-ball 42 at a mind-boggling strike rate touching 263 as he cracked five boundaries and three sixes before being bowled by Hazlewood in the fifth over with the Black Caps losing their first wicket on 56 runs.

Skipper Kane Williamson, who came in next, and Conway stitched together a fruitful partnership giving last edition's runners-up a huge fillip as they aimed for a big score. That New Zealand finally put exactly 200 on the board was thanks to Neesham's cameo (26 off 13 balls).

Brief scores: New Zealand 200/3 in 20 overs (Finn Allen 42, Devon Conway 92 not out, James Neesham 26 not out) beat Australia 111 all out in 17.1 overs (Glenn Maxwell 28, Pat Cummins 21; Tim Southee 3/6, Mitchell Santner 3/13) by 89 runs

IANS