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Australia has wiped the floor with New Zealand in a rain affected clash at Eden Park, winning the game by 27 runs under the DLS system.
The result sees Australia claim a clean-sweep, dispatching the world’s No. 2 ranked team — Australia are ranked No. 4 on the ICC rankings — with ease in New Zealand’s own backyard.
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In a sign of the Aussies’ dominance, the match was all but over after the eighth over left the Kiwis needing 51 off the final 12 balls.
As has happened throughout this series, with the exception of Devin Conway and Rachin Ravindra’s partnership in the first match, the Kiwi batters have been completely outplayed.
Australia scored 4/118 off 10.4 rain-interrupted overs, which was upped to a chase of 126 off 10 overs for the hosts.
Usually this would still swing the favouritism in the direction of the chasing team but the Kiwis could not get much away.
The pick of the bowlers was Aussie rookie Spencer Johnson, who more than justified his hefty $1.78m IPL contract with figures of 1/10 off his two overs.
Nathan Ellis also impressed with 0/11 from his two overs.
But while the Aussies were impressive with the ball, New Zealand turned on its own as the visitors dominated the Black Caps to claim the cleansweep in the T20 series.
One fan wrote: “Horrendous run chase from New Zealand this.”
Another posted: “Trying to understand how we’ve gone from one of the best fielding teams in the world to definitely in the bottom tier.”
A third fan suggested: “Retire Phillips, he couldn’t hit a pea off a chop!”, “Glenn Phillips is embarrassing himself!! Australia want to keep him in.” and: “The New Zealand batters are just awful!!”
Another fan commented: “When people say Australia should play NZ more often, this is the reason why they don’t. A complete mismatch.”
It may have been somewhat harsh on Phillips, who ended up topscoring once again with 40 off 24 and the second highest strike rate behind Will Young’s seven-ball 14.
The truth is all the Kiwis struggled to get the Aussies away.
Australia’s innings was sparked by Matt Short, who thumped three sixes in an 11-ball 27, which was enough to earn him the player of the match award, despite being Australia’s most expensive bowler with 1/33.
Short, who earned his spot in the Aussie side after a record setting BBL season with the bat, hadn’t batted in the series to this point after he wasn’t required in the first match before being left out of the second.
“Just being here and around the boys is unreal,” Short said. “Whether it’s batting through the middle or at the top, I’m just grateful to be able to play with these guys.”
But while the Aussies dominated, it was another failure for Steve Smith
The Aussie legend could only manage four off three balls opening the batting in the third game — to go with his 11 off seven in the second match of the series.
Under immense pressure to keep his spot in the team, the opener slashed at a shortish ball outside off stump, but his cut took an outside edge and went through to keeper Tim Seiffert.
The delivery from Adam Milne climbed quickly and Smith was left looking down at the pitch after the dismissal, bamboozled by what he appeared to suggest was unexpected bounce.
Smith scored just 11 in the Second T20 on Friday.
AAP journalist Ben McKay wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “Smith out 4. Surely turns the lights out on the World Cup bid”.
Australia can select just 15 players for July’s World Cup in the USA and West Indies, with Smith likely pushing for a place as an opener.
With David Warner, Travis Head, Short and Josh Inglis all coveting a spot opening the innings, it’s going to be tough for Smith to justify his selection, particularly since Australia doesn’t have any more T20Is before the World Cup.
Australia now play two Tests against New Zealand with the first starting Thursday February 29.
2.40pm — Australia flexing on the Kiwis
New Zealand have never been in this run chase.
Australia’s bowlers have flexed their muscles, defending 126 off 10 overs.
While the odds are usually in the chasing team’s favour, the Aussies have made it near impossible for the Kiwis.
With two overs left, the hosts need 51.
Long story short, they need sixes and lots of them.
2.10pm — New Zealand begins revised run chase
Play has resumed in the Third T20 with New Zealand walking out to bat.
The stubborn showers in Auckland have stuck around and limited Australia’s innings to just 10.4 overs.
Australia reached 4/118 before a third lengthy delay at Eden Park.
It means New Zealand is chasing 126 in 10 overs, including a three-over powerplay.
1.15pm – Travis Head gone after long delay
Four balls after the restart of play, Travis Head was sent back to the dressing room when he tried to slog Mitchell Santner.
The Kiwi spinner’s wide ball was enough to trouble Head, who skied a ball to Ish Sodhi.
It left Australia 4/108 at the end of 10 overs.
12.10pm – Kiwi gets first T20I wicket
Australia was 3/95 in the ninth over after Josh Clarkson took the scalp of Glenn Maxwell.
The Aussie star was undone on 20 from nine balls when he slogged out to Will Young at deep fine leg.
Australia earlier lost Matt Short after he had blasted 27 from 11 balls.
The second rain delay of the game then struck as Josh Inglis arrived at the crease.
11.30am — Matt Short on fire
Australia reached 1/51 after the opening five overs.
Matt Short was hitting it out the park for fun and hit 27 from his opening nine balls.
It hasn’t been looking good for the home side with two catches dropped early.
11.20am — Steve Smith gone early
Steve Smith’s hopes of being picked in Australia’s best XI for this year’s World Cup look thin after he failed again on Sunday.
Under immense pressure to keep his spot in the team, Smith fell for four runs from three deliveries.
The opener slashed at a shortish ball outside off stump, but his cut took an outside edge and went through to keeper Tim Seiffert.
The delivery from Adam Milne climbed quickly and Smith was left looking down at the pitch after the dismissal, bamboozled by what he appeared to suggest was unexpected bounce.
Smith scored just 11 in the Second T20 on Friday.
AAP journalist Ben McKay wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “Smith out 4. Surely turns the lights out on the World Cup bid”.
10.45am — Australia makes big selection call
Captain Mitchell Marsh has been rested from Australia’s final T20 with New Zealand.
Steve Smith has been called in and will open the batting with Travis Head.
Marsh’s departure means Matt Short will get a chance to bat at No. 3.
Matt Wade is captaining the team.
New Zealand won the toss and elected to bowl.
10am — Warner skips series finale
David Warner has been ruled out of the final T20I.
Cricket Australia made the surprise announcement on Saturday night.
The 37-year-old was also left out of Australia’s XI for the second match of the series.
It was always planned that he would return to Australia after the Third T20.
It means the retiring Warner will never play in New Zealand again and he will have already played his final international game if he is overlooked for Australia’s World Cup squad.
“Warner will require a brief recovery period which is not expected to affect his availability for the upcoming Indian Premier League leading into to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup,” CA said in a statement.
The setback means Steve Smith looks likely to keep his place in the starting XI.
9am – ‘S***house New Zealand torched
New Zealand were embarrassed on home soil and Friday and the reaction was not kind.
The Kiwis fell to 4/29 and it was Adam Zampa who did the damage, finishing with 4/34.
Kiwi fans were not happy by the result.
“This nz side gives me early 90’s vibes. Absolute s***house,” one wrote on X.
Another added: “Bowling has been superb but once again NZ caused their own downfall when momentum completely changed when they should’ve had Cummins out if not for field placing error.”
Another said: “Blackcaps all over the place.”
Originally published as Australia crush ‘horrendous’ New Zealand in rain-affected third T20I
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