Finch, bowlers star as Australia level series with big win

For most of Australia's innings earlier in the day, it looked like they were the team on the back foot, but they ended up completing a comfortable win in the end. In another must-win contest, the visitors defeated New Zealand by 50 runs at the Sky Stadium in Wellington on Friday (5 March 2021) and, with the series level at 2-2, there's everything to play for in the final T20I on Sunday (7 March 2021).

SPINNERS, BOULT SHINE FOR NEW ZEALAND

After Australia opted to bat first, Matthew Wade didn't take much time to show his attacking intentions as he hit a boundary off the first delivery of the match before launching a huge six just three balls later. But his stay in the middle didn't last long. Despite a left-handed batsman in Wade being at the crease, Blackcaps skipper Kane Williamson decided to bring left-arm orthodox spinner Mitchell Santner into the bowling attack as early as the third over and the move proved to be a masterstroke.

On just his third delivery, Santner dismissed Wade for 14. Interesting, in his T20I career so far, the Australian wicketkeeper-batsman has been dismissed thrice in 10 innings by slow left-arm orthodox at an average of 14.3 and a strike rate of 116.2. Santner began superbly, conceding just six runs off his two overs in the Powerplay and there were signs that it won’t be smooth sailing for the batters on this pitch.

Ish Sodhi had done well in Wellington in T20Is in the past and he didn't take much time to get a breakthrough in this game. After a slow start to his innings, Josh Philippe decided to take the attack to Sodhi, but it only resulted in his dismissal. While the ball went high in the air after Philippe miscued a pull shot, it must be said that Tim Southee made a difficult catch look quite routine.

Glenn Maxwell finally seemed to have got some momentum going for Australia with a four and then a six off a switch hit from two consecutive deliveries in Sodhi's next over. But the aggressive right-handed batsman had to head back to the pavillion soon as once again a bowling change brought about a wicket for New Zealand, with Trent Boult returning to dismiss Maxwell for a 9-ball 18.

Marcus Stoinis was another batsman who got a start but couldn't kick on as he became Sodhi's second wicket of the innings, with Williamson taking an excellent diving catch at short cover. Boult then returned for his third over and bowled Ashton Agar for a duck with a brilliant yorker.

FINCH PROPELS AUSTRALIA TO 156

With wickets falling around him, Aaron Finch had to play a patient knock and it took him 47 deliveries to reach his fifty. In fact, he did not hit a single six until the completion of 19 overs in the innings. Then, in the final over, he went up a few gears, hitting as many as four sixes against the bowling of Kyle Jamieson. Considering how the other batsmen from both teams fared in this match, it was an outstanding knock – 79 not out from 55 deliveries – from the Australian captain.

The spin duo of Sodhi and Santner played a big role in New Zealand restricting Australia to 156/6 in their 20 overs. While Sodhi was the chief wicket-taker, accounting for three dismissals, Santner took one wicket and was incredibly economical – conceding just 16 runs from his four overs. 

NEW ZEALAND’S INNINGS NEVER GETS GOING

With New Zealand's spinners having done well earlier in the match, Australia decided to give as many as three overs to Agar in the Powerplay and the move paid off with the left-arm bowler getting the key wicket of Martin Guptill.

The Blackcaps openers had got off to a slow start with only 21 runs coming off the first four overs and, as a result, Guptill decided to take on Agar. This only resulted in him offering a catch to Maxwell who had to cover some distance from long-off. Maxwell did well to ensure that he threw the ball in the air when his momentum had taken him behind the boundary cushions before coming back in and completing the catch.

New Zealand simply weren’t able to get any momentum going in their innings, with wickets falling regularly. Runs hadn't come by easily during the Powerplay and things didn't improve after the fielding restrictions were lifted either as Tim Seifert and Williamson were dismissed by Kane Richardson and Maxwell respectively. The fact that Seifert took 28 deliveries to score 19 showed how difficult the conditions were for batting.

Then, a huge mix-up between Glenn Phillips and Devon Conway saw the former dismissed for 1 and, with an ever-increasing required run-rate, the game was drifting away from New Zealand. The procession of wickets carried on as James Neesham and Santner had to head back to the pavillion without making notable contributions with the bat as well.

The struggles of New Zealand's batsmen were underlined by the fact that their first (and only) six came in the 14th over. It was Tim Southee who hit the maximum, but he was dismissed a delivery later while going for another big shot and was caught by Matthew Wade off the bowling of Kane Richardson. It was a mere formality from thereon.

While Jamieson's bowling hasn't been at its best in this series, he top-scored for New Zealand here, scoring 30 from 18 deliveries, before the Blackcaps were bowled out for 106.

Kane Richardson took three wickets for Australia, while Agar, Adam Zampa and Maxwell accounted for two dismissals each.