Tim David hit a four off the last ball to give Australia a six-wicket win over New Zealand in the first T20I on Wednesday, completing their third-highest successful run chase in the format.
Electing to bat first at Sky Stadium, hosts New Zealand made 215/3 in an innings which included 13 sixes and 10 fours. Captain Mitch Marsh then piloted Australia’s innings with an unbeaten 72 from 44 balls.
David, however, took over at the end, hitting two sixes and a four from the last three balls of the 19th over to leave Australia needing 16 runs from the last six balls.
Veteran seamer Tim Southee — the highest wicket-taker in T20s — was given the responsibility of bowling the last over. His first two balls were wides, then there was a leg bye and Australia needed 12 from three balls.
With Australia needing four off the last ball, Southee bowled full and David clubbed the ball through the mid-wicket and just wide of Glenn Phillips’ despairing dive to the boundary. David finished 31 not out from only 10 balls.
“It was a very good wicket and I felt we were just on the run rate right through the innings,” Man of the Match Marsh said.
“There was no doubt if we were going to chase down 216 we were going to need a bit
of luck.”
Leading the Black Caps, Mitchell Santner said: “I thought we didn’t bowl too bad but the power they possess all the way down is the reason why they’re pretty good.”
Earlier, Devon Conway broke a form slump with an innings of 63 from 46 balls — his first half-century in 23 innings across all formats — and along with Rachin Ravindra, put
on 113 from 66 balls for the third wicket.
Ravindra came into the New Zealand team as a placeholder for Kane Williamson who is absent awaiting the birth of his third child. He staked a strong claim for a place in New Zealand’s squad for the T20 World Cup in June, hitting six sixes in his 35-ball 68.
The New Zealand innings was given an explosive start by Finn Allen who made 32 from 17 balls in a 66-run opening partnership with Conway. Glenn Phillips finished 19 not out, Mark Chapman 18 not out and every New Zealand batter hit at least a six.
