The less said about this New Zealand performance the better. When they had the Aussies under the pump at 92-5, you could smell a collapse coming, but it never did. Carey came in and calculatedly counter-attacked along with Khawaja to take Australia to a competitive total. In the end, it was 86 runs more than what they needed.
Guptill and his new opening partner, Nicholls, started well, seeing out the early overs, and putting the bad balls away. Nicholls fell to a strangle down and Guptill was taken out by an inswinger from Behrendorff. Williamson and Taylor put in their typical resistance but were not able to score many runs. The skipper then fell to a rare lapse in concentration and it was all downhill from there.
Taylor followed him soon after, looking to attack Cummins, and he started a procession where de Grandhomme, Latham, Neesham all falling within a few overs of each other. The tail did not hang around for too long either, and Australia finished the job off with more than 6 overs left in the game.
So New Zealand hope India beat England tomorrow, or else they'll have to play a virtual quarter final against the latter. Tomorrow is the big game, so do join us in the live coverage. Till then, goodbye and goodnight!
43.1 Starc to Santner, DOT, backs away looking to hit through covers, and it goes over the stumps
43.2 Starc to Santner, DOT, yorker down leg, helped to fine leg, and he refuses the single
43.3 Starc to Santner, DOT, backs away and drives this low full toss to mid off
43.4 Starc to Santner, OUT, fifer for Mitch and it is all over. Length ball down leg, helped away into the hands of fine leg
Santner c Behrendorff b Starc 12(29)
42.1 Lyon to Santner, DOT, that kept low
42.2 Lyon to Santner, SIX, wow that is some hit! Gets down low after shuffling across and slog sweeps this into the square leg stands
They cannot seem to find the ball, seems like someone has kept it in their pocket. Davey Warner finds it eventually
42.3 Lyon to Santner, FOUR byes, backs away to slog/cut, misses it, as does Carey and it runs away behind the them to the ropes
42.4 Lyon to Santner, 1 run, short and spinning away, hit to deep extra cover
42.5 Lyon to Boult, 2 runs, comes down the track and glances it to fine leg
42.6 Lyon to Boult, DOT.
41.1 Starc to Ferguson, OUT, not a yorker but he is bowled nonetheless. Comes round the wicket, angles it in on a length, and gets it to straighten enough to beat the bat
Ferguson b Starc 0(3)
Trent Boult is the last man in and ironically, he is facing a hat-trick ball. Will it come full circle for him and can Starc take revenge against him? You bet he will go for the yorker
41.2 Starc to Boult, DOT, and he survives! No yorker, it is a length ball and Trent defends. Mitch has a laugh about it
41.3 Starc to Boult, DOT, backs away and looks to slog, misses it completely
41.4 Starc to Boult, DOT, dances in the crease, shuffles first and then backs away, plays it back to Mitch finally
41.5 Starc to Boult, DOT, low full toss following him as he backed away, somehow played towards point
41.6 Starc to Boult, DOT. Wicket maiden