WELLINGTON: Australia crushed New Zealand by 50 runs in a low-scoring fourth Twenty20 International at the Westpac Stadium in Wellington Friday to level the series at 2-2.

The Australians scored 156 for six in their 20 overs after winning the toss and electing to bat.

In reply, New Zealand were all out for 106 after 18.5 overs.

Captain Aaron Finch anchored the tourists’ innings with a gritty 79, making him Australia’s most prolific Twenty20 International run scorer on 2,310, ahead of David Warner’s 2,265.

Finch chiselled out his 14th T20 half-century off 55 balls before cutting loose with four sixes in the final over, in which Kyle Jamieson conceded 26 runs.

Finch sliced his first shot for two runs but then hit two sixes over extra cover, another straight down the ground to long-on and finished off the innings with a fourth over the midwicket boundary.

But he struggled for partners as the Black Caps pinned back Australia’s batters with accurate bowling and a steady flow of wickets.

Despite his man-of-the-match batting performance, Finch singled out his bowling attack for praise, saying they were outstanding on a wicket that did not play as expected.

“I thought we adapted really well, it was a really polished performance with the ball,” he said.

Paceman Kyle Richardson ended with the best figures of three for 19, but spinners Ashton Agar, Adam Zampa and Glenn Maxwell all contributed with two wickets each.

Leg-spinner Ish Sodhi was the pick of the New Zealand bowlers, claiming three for 32.

The Black Caps made a slow start, with openers Martin Guptill and Tim Seifert managing just one boundary apiece in the opening three overs on a spin-friendly wicket.

Guptill departed cheaply for seven but it was only the beginning of New Zealand’s woes as they lost a further six wickets for 30 runs.

The collapse effectively ended the contest, despite some tail-end resistance from Jamieson, who top-scored for the Black Caps with 30.

New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson was frustrated at a passive display that he said needed to improve for Sunday’s decider.

“That was a pretty poor performance from us, particularly in the second half,” he said. “We lacked a little bit of intent at times.”

The match was scheduled for Eden Park in Auckland but New Zealand’s snap seven-day coronavirus lockdown resulted in a switch to Wellington Stadium, where no fans were allowed.

The restrictions will be lifted on Sunday morning, however, to allow a crowd for the final match of the series at the same venue later in the day.

Scoreboard

AUSTRALIA:

M.S. Wade c Sodhi b Santner 14

A.J. Finch not out 79

J.R. Philippe c Southee b Sodhi 13

G.J. Maxwell c Guptill b Boult 18

M.P. Stoinis c Williamson b Sodhi 19

A.C. Agar b Boult 0

M.R. Marsh c Southee b Sodhi 6

J.A. Richardson not out 4

EXTRAS (W-3) 3

TOTAL (for six wkts, 20 overs) 156

FALL OF WKTS: 1-18, 2-42, 3-68, 4-93, 5-97, 6-114.

DID NOT BAT: K.W. Richardson, A. Zampa, R.P. Meredith.

BOWLING: Southee 4-0-32-0; Boult 4-0-27-2 (1w); Santner 4-0-16-1; Jamieson 4-0-49-0 (2w); Sodhi 4-0-32-3.

NEW ZEALAND:

M.J. Guptill c Maxwell b Agar 7

T.L. Seifert b K. Richardson 19

K.S. Williamson c Marsh b Maxwell 8

D.P. Conway c Stoinis b Agar 17

G.D. Phillips run out 1

J.D.S. Neesham c Finch b Zampa 3

M. Santner b Maxwell 3

T.G. Southee c Wade b K. Richardson 6

K.A. Jamieson c Maxwell b K. Richardson 30

I.S. Sodhi c Finch b Zampa 0

T.A. Boult not out 6

EXTRAS (B-1, LB-1, W-4) 6

TOTAL (all out, 18.5 overs) 106

FALL OF WKTS: 1-21, 2-34, 3-36, 4-41, 5-48, 6-57, 7-64, 8-80, 9-82.

BOWLING: Agar 4-0-11-2; Meredith 3-0-20-0 (1w); J.A. Richardson 2-0-16-0; Zampa 4-0-24-2 (1w); K.W. Richardson 2.5-0-19-3 (1w); Maxwell 3-0-14-2 (1w).

RESULT: Australia won by 50 runs to level five-match series 2-2.

UMPIRES: W.R. Knights (New Zealand) and C.M. Brown (New Zealand).

TV UMPIRE: C.B. Gaffaney (New Zealand).

MATCH REFEREE: J.J. Crowe (New Zealand).

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Aaron Finch.

FIFTH MATCH: Wellington (Westpac Stadium), Sunday (11:00am PST).

Published in Dawn, March 6th, 2021