Australia has clinched its 100th win in T20 Internationals with another highly impressive display against New Zealand to complete a clean sweep of the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy in Auckland.
Despite resting captain Mitch Marsh and champion fast bowlers Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, the Australians batted first in a rain-affected match and were able to score 4-118, with Travis Head top-scoring with 33, while Matthew Short made 27 batting at No.3.
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After officials shortened the match to 10 overs, New Zealand was set an adjusted target of 126 but never looked likely as they struggled to combat the tight bowling by Australia.
They reached 3-98 in response, with Glenn Phillips unbeaten on 40 from 24 balls and Mark Chapman not out on 17 from 15 balls, as Australia clinched a 27-run triumph.
Fox Cricket analyst Brendon Julian praised the effort of the Australians throughout the series held at Eden Park.
“It was a clinical effort by the Australians over the last week. They have chopped and changed their sides, tried some different bowlers, and they have all performed really well,” Julian said.
The focus now turns to the two Test series against New Zealand beginning on Thursday.
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CARIBBEAN DREAMS DASHED FOR STEVE SMITH?
As has become a custom of Steve Smith, in the moments after he edged Adam Milne to Kiwi wicketkeeper Tim Seifert on Sunday, he stared at the pitch for an elongated period.
It is possible Smith, who fell for four, was digesting the prospect that his cheap dismissal had delivered the fatal blow to his hopes of playing in the T20 World Cup in June.
It followed his dismissal for 11 on Friday night and puts the former Australian captain, who featured in the T20 World Cup triumph in 2021 in the UAE, in peril for a place in this year’s edition.
Prior to the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy, Australian coach Andrew McDonald made it clear that Smith was among those on trial ahead of the visit to the Caribbean and USA in June.
“We’re not really settled in terms of the final 15 at this stage and that is why these games are really important,” McDonald said.
“If he was not in our thinking, then he would not be on the plane over here. We are playing him for a reason.
“He’s gone to the top of the order in recent times, so batting high up, there’s still competition for places. I suppose that is a good problem to have.”
It is a good problem for Australia, but clearly an issue for Smith after two cheap dismissals.
With Travis Head in good form, David Warner clearly a starter if fit and Matt Short, who made 27 from 11 balls when batting at No. 3 when earning Man of the Match honours, Smith needed to fire.
He did bat with intent. There was no meandering in either innings, with the champion batsman scoring more runs than balls faced in his two brief outings at Eden Park.
Smith, who produced some big innings for the Sydney Sixers in 2022-23 to put himself back in contention for national T20 honours, performed well in two T20s in India last November.
He scored 52 from 41 balls in his first outing and followed that with 19.
But his deeds in New Zealand have been scarcely convincing and Smith failed to secure a spot in the IPL either, which precludes him from furthering his claims ahead of the World Cup.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan told foxsports.com.au last week that if the 34-year-old did not open for Australia, he did not believe there was a spot for him.
“If he is not going to open, I don’t see him having an impact in the middle order after the powerplay,” Vaughan said.
“You need people who can whack it into the stands from (overs) six to 20. He can do that once he is in, but I think he is a better player in the first six (overs) when there are only two men outside the circle.”
Short, meanwhile, was happy to be able to play a productive role given he sits on the fringe of selection for the T20 World Cup.
“It was a bit of a strange game with the rain, coming on and off, so we knew the aggressive way we wanted to play … and make the most of the short boundaries here, so it was a good day,” Short said.
“Just being here, around the boys, is unreal. I mean, whether it is batting in the middle, or towards the top order there, I am just really grateful to be able to play with these guys.”
WARNER’S WOES CONTINUE IN THE SHAKY ISLES
Warner, meanwhile, may have fond memories of his time playing in a domestic T20 league for Northern Districts in the infancy of his international career in 2009.
But it is doubtful the veteran, who played just two of his 112 Tests in New Zealand for an average of 13, has great love for the Kiwis given his experiences on recent tours of the country.
It is eight years since Warner called out the New Zealand crowds for the personal abuse they directed towards himself and his teammates during the Test tour in 2016. This was prior to “sandpapergate”, with the crowds issuing insults related to Warner’s family.
At the time, a spectator was also evicted from a match for sustained abuse directed towards Josh Hazlewood. The 37-year-old clearly had not forgotten the experience when making pointed comments about the crowds on the eve of this T20 series.
If he had hoped for a change in fortune, Warner would have been disappointed. After making 32 runs from 20 balls in the series opener last Wednesday, the all-format star was subjected to sustained booing as he left Eden Park when falling to Kiwi skipper Mitch Santner.
He responded by blowing a kiss towards the grandstands shortly before leaving the ground for the last time as a player.
Warner’s spicy response to booing crowd | 00:50
Warner was then rested from Friday’s outing to give Smith a chance to open alongside Travis Head but was then unable to play against New Zealand on Sunday as a result of an adductor problem.
In a statement released on Saturday, Cricket Australia said the left-handed opener would be fit to represent the Delhi Capitals in the IPL league beginning next month and that the injury will have no impact on his availability to represent his nation in the T20 World Cup.
Warner to miss third NZ T201 | 00:27
ELLIS AND JOHNSON ADD TO THE SELECTORS CONUNDRUM
While McDonald and the Australian selectors were hoping the New Zealand series would provide a clearer picture when it comes to the make-up of the 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup, they have much to consider when it comes to the bowling attack.
Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood were rested for the final T20 outing, with the third member of the Big Three Mitchell Starc returning and bowling well without taking a wicket in the final match of the series.
But the left-armed quick set the tone for Australia with eight dot balls in his two overs. He was ably assisted by Spencer Johnson, who took 1-10 from his two overs while bowling five dot balls, and Nathan Ellis, who finished with 0-11 while bowling seven dot balls.
Effectively, this meant that New Zealand was unable to score on a third of the balls that they faced in their abbreviated innings, the caveat being the rare free hits they received. Spinners Adam Zampa and Matthew Short were more expensive, but both secured a wicket.
Not surprisingly, former Australian quick Brendon Julian was full of praise for the attack, which managed to restrict the Kiwis on their home turf in impressive fashion for the second match in succession.
“Dot balls are gold in T20 cricket. It was another clinical performance by the Australian bowlers,” the Fox Cricket analyst said.
Both Johnson and Ellis were exceptional on Sunday, conceding just 5 runs an over each. On Friday night, Ellis was superb again when taking 2-16 from three overs.
In Ellis, Australia has a superb death bowler when a brilliant slower ball and exceptional yorker. In Johnson, who will head to the IPL to play with the Gujurat Tigers on a deal worth $1.78 million, the nation has a left-armer who is both fast and accurate.
Both would be worthy of a spot in the World Cup squad but whether selectors have the luxury of squeezing them both into the team given the excellence and experience elsewhere is an intriguing question.
BLACK CAP CLANGERS IN THE FIELD
The outfield at Eden Park was slippery on Sunday, which is scarcely a surprise given the frequent showers which disrupted play and reduced the game to 15 overs per team.
But that does not excuse the shoddy catching performance of New Zealand, which was plagued with butter fingers throughout all three matches in the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy. And it is a skill the Black Caps will need to tighten if they are to have a chance in the World Cup.
The adage that catches wins matches was at play on Wednesday night as Australia pulled off a great escape courtesy of a couple of spilt chances, with Mitch Marsh a benefactor when dropped twice on the way to scoring 72 not out in a man of the match performance.
The Kiwis again experienced a case of butter fingers on Friday, but given the magnitude of what was a 72-run win for the Australians, dropped catches were less a factor in the match.
Kiwis keep dropping Aussies early on | 00:47
But in the space of eight overs on Sunday, the Kiwis dropped three chances, with Travis Head given repeated lifelines off the bowling of Ben Sears, taking to seven the number of missed opportunities by New Zealand during the series.
Ish Sodhi, in particular, has endured a testing series in the field, as Fox Cricket analyst Brendon Julian noted in commentary on Sunday.
“It is a big thing when fielding. You have to want the ball to come to you,” Julian said.
“When you are trying to hide (in the field), (invariably) it will come to you. It is all about attitude with catching and fielding.
“Once you have got it in the back of your mind and you don’t want it to come to you, you are in trouble.”
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