This victory sealed their claim on the coveted Chappell-Hadlee Trophy, leaving the New Zealand squad licking their wounds.
Just days after their nail-biting victory in Wellington, the Aussies, unfazed by the Eden Park home town factor, launched a ferocious attack on the Kiwi bowlers, dominating the game from the get-go.
The Black Caps, already hamstrung by injuries, including the loss of rising star Rachin Ravindra and opener Devon Conway, couldn’t catch a break. Their batting lineup crumbled under pressure, barely scraping past 100 runs before their innings folded.
In a daring move at the toss, New Zealand swapped in seamers Trent Boult and Ben Sears for Tim Southee and spinner Ish Sodhi, hoping to outfox the Aussie batsmen. But Boult was greeted with a barrage of runs from the Aussie openers, with Travis Head alone plundering 16 runs off Boult’s first over.
Disaster struck when Conway, already nursing a thumb injury, had to relinquish his wicketkeeping duties, adding more pain for the beleaguered Black Caps.
Despite Lockie Ferguson’s heroic bowling efforts, snagging an impressive 4 for 12 and avoiding the Aussie onslaught, the Kiwis couldn’t stem the flow of runs. The Aussies’ blistering start saw them piling on the pressure, with Head and Marsh forging a rapid 50-run partnership.
The Kiwi fielders’ butterfingers cost them dearly, missing crucial catches, but they managed a spirited fightback, claiming a flurry of Aussie wickets and momentarily stalling the run-fest.
However, the Aussies weren’t done yet. Pat Cummins defied a close call, thanks to a no-ball review, and continued to hammer the Kiwi bowlers, contributing a vital 28 runs off 22 balls.
Reflecting on the carnage after the game Mitch Santner acknowledged the Aussies’ firepower, but praised his team’s efforts to disrupt their rhythm through strategic wicket-taking.
With key players sidelined, the New Zealand batting order, shuffled and shaken, struggled to mount a challenge. Will Young stepped up to open, but the Blackcaps’ hopes were quickly dashed as wickets tumbled, sealing Australia’s triumph and leaving the Kiwis to ponder what might have been in the T20 battle for the Chappell-Hadlee.
Ben Sears takes the wicket of Travis Head who is dismissed just short of his half-century @BLACKCAPS v Australia: 2nd T20I | LIVE on TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+ 🔥🏏 pic.twitter.com/ABfCMOrCB2
— TVNZ+ (@TVNZ) February 23, 2024
