NZ vs AUS | Marsh leads from front with 103* in 160-run chase to wrap up T20I series 2-0

Gantavya Adukia

ByGantavya Adukia,SportsCafe Editor

21

Australia secured the Chhappell-Hadlee Trophy for the ninth consecutive time with a three-wicket win against New Zealand at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui to take the T20Is 2-0. The Aussies restricted their Trans-Tasman rivals to 159 but themselves needed a heroic 103* from Mitchell Marsh for the win.

Mitchell Marsh scored an unbeaten ton for Australia in the third T20I against New Zealand at Bay Oval

Asked to bat first, New Zealand were dealt a blow in the first over itself when Devon Conway timidly tried to clear the infield and handed mid-off a simple catch. With rain pouring down and heavy gusts blowing, the ball was nipping around ferociously until a brief stoppage after the second over. The Kiwis resumed with a maximum off Tim Robinson's blade against Josh Hazlewood, followed by a four two balls later to get their innings underway again. Tim Seifert went one better by taking 15 off Xavier Bartlett but the visitors struck back with the wickets of Robinson and Mark Chapman in the last two overs of the powerplay, the score reading 46/3. Daryl Mitchell tried to signal intentions early with a four while Seifert kept chugging along even after the field spread, the duo combining for 31 runs in the three overs after field spread. However, Marcus Stoinis once again set the Black Caps back by nicking behind Mitchell in a maiden-wicket 10th over, the score at the halfway stage 77/4. Adam Zampa piled on the pressure with a five-run over before skipper Michael Bracewell finally broke free, undoing Stoinis' accolades by smashing 17 off him in the 12th over. But as had been the narrative of their effort, Seifert departed two balls later to once again set his team back and bring James Neesham to the crease. The all-rounder saw his captain smash a straight six off Zampa shortly after he came in and joined the party himself by taking Stoinis for 17 more in the 15th over, in what was the last ray of positivity for the Kiwis. A cheap Sean Abbott over culminated in Neesham holing out off Bartlett before Zampa scalped Bracewell in his final over worth just four runs. Abott then scalped two tail wickets in the penultimate over, and it took a six from Ish Sodhi to take New Zealand past 150 as they set a target of 157.

The Kiwis began with an exhibition of swing and seam bowling of their own, giving away just 12 runs in the first two overs despite a Travis Head six. However, Mitchell Marsh took matter in his own hands with two consecutive boundaries to begin the third followed by a maximum, even though Head departed to a full swinging delivery the next over. Marsh only dialed up the aggression further, smashing Ben Sears for 22 runs in the sixth over to end the powerplay on 62/1. Neesham seized back some momentum with Matthew Short's wicket two balls after the field spread, saw it oscillate back towards the Aussies with two Marsh sixes the next over, and responded with the wickets of Tim David, Alex Carey, and Stoinis to leave Australia at 98/5 after 11. The required run rate by now was just a little over run-a-ball, but the situation became trucky when Mitchell Owen holed out in the 13th with 46 still to get. Marsh took it as a sign to get the game dusted quickly, beginning with a four off Michael Bracewell before searing Sears for 15 in one over. The wicket of Bartlett four deliveries later threatened to complicate matters but Marsh continued to gung-ho, and with a miscued couple in the 18th over brought up a 50-ball century. Just four runs were required thereafter, and Abbott did the honours with a boundary to seal the win with two overs to spare.

WOW!

Big man!

One man show!

Beast!

Great!

Brilliant!

Yeah!

Big gun!

Yeah agreed!

Nice to watch!

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