Highlights, 2019 World Cup: Starc fifer guides Aussies to comfortable 86-run win over Kiwis

2019 World Cup, NZ vs AUS: Peaking at the right time, Australia will resume their Trans-Tasman rivalry at the World Cup stage when they take on a New Zealand side low on confidence after its first defeat of the tournament against Pakistan. Barring the defeat against India, defending champions Australia have done nothing wrong in this tournament, becoming the first team to qualify for the semifinals. The Aaron Finch-led side is in roaring form and would look to continue the winning momentum at the hallowed Lord's. New Zealand go into the match after suffering a defeat against Pakistan, which snapped their unbeaten streak in the tournament. The Black Caps -- who have amazingly retained the same side for all their seven matches -- have secured 11 points and need at least a win from their remaining two outings -- against Australia and England (July 3) -- to be assured of a fourth straight World Cup semifinals berth. (When and Where to watch - NZ vs AUS) (Scorecard - NZ vs AUS)

Highlights, World Cup 2019: Australia beat New Zealand by 86 runs

* A walk in the park for Australia. At the halfway mark, probably felt that 243 was 20 runs shy but the bowling just stepped up a notch. The Kiwis barely got going and leave aside a brief half-century stand between Taylor and Williamson, they were never in the chase.

01.21 IST: Mitchell Starc to Mitchell Santner, OUT! CAUGHT! A huge smile on Starc's face and why not? He has picked a fifer. Second in this World Cup and his 7th in ODIs. He bangs it short and down the leg side. Santner helps it on its way but does not keep it down and the ball ends up landing into the hands of Behrendorff at fine leg. AUSTRALIA WIN BY 86 RUNS!

01.16 IST: Nathan Lyon to Mitchell Santner, FOUR BYES! Flatter and down the leg side, Santner looks to pull but misses it goes past the keeper and into the fine leg fence.

01.15 IST: Nathan Lyon to Mitchell Santner, SIX! Santner will probably look to have some fun now! He shuffles in and brings in the slog sweep, hits it right off the middle and it goes into the stands at the mid-wicket region.

01.11 IST: Mitchell Starc to Trent Boult, Boult keeps it out! Not hat-trick! On the stumps, Boult blocks it.

* Trent Boult is the last man in. Can he save the hat-trick?

01.09 IST: Mitchell Starc to Lockie Ferguson, OUT! TIMBER! Starc gets his fourth! This is trademark Mitchell Starc. He comes running in from around the wicket, bowls it slightly fuller on middle and off. It pitches and straightens. Also skids through. Ferguson is not only late in bringing his bat down but also plays down the wrong line. The furniture behind is disturbed. Can he take a fifer in this over? Also, he is on a hat-trick, we have already seen one today, will we see another?

01.02 IST: Mitchell Starc to Ish Sodhi, OUT! Ball Tracker shows it to be clipping the top middle which means it is umpire's call and Sodhi has to continue walking. He does not take the review with him though.

00.56 IST: Nathan Lyon to Ish Sodhi, FOUR! Nice way to get off the mark! A half-tracker and it is down the leg side. Sodhi pulls it over short fine leg and bags a boundary.

* Ish Sodhi walks out to the middle.

00.52 IST: Nathan Lyon to Jimmy Neesham, OUT! Caught and bowled! Another one bites the dust! Australia are into the bowling all-rounders now. This was always going to be a risky shot. Lyon tosses it up outside off, it is turning away. Neesham looks to hit it against the turn as he tries to slog sweep. The ball takes the top edge and goes up in the air towards the bowler. Lyon calls for it and takes it.

00.44 IST: Nathan Lyon to Mitchell Santner, Almost! This is flatter and around off, it skids through and keeps coming in with the angle. Santner at the very end gets his bat down and ends up chopping it to the keeper.

* Mitchell Santner walks in at number 8, replacing Latham. New Zealand need a partnership. A big one.

00.38 IST: Mitchell Starc to Tom Latham, OUT! Caught! Steve Smith, you beauty! Boy, he has plucked out an absolute blinder here. Full and on the pads, Latham flicks it uppishly. For a second, it seems like the ball is travelling to the mid-wicket fence. But there is someone else also travelling. In fact, he is flying.

00.35 IST: Glenn Maxwell to Jimmy Neesham, Fires it on the stumps, Neesham pushes it back to the bowler who quickly picks the ball up and rushes to his mark to bowl the next ball quickly.

* Jimmy Neesham is the new man in. He played a brilliant knock in New Zealand's last game. Need something similar here.

0027 IST: Steve Smith to Colin de Grandhomme, OUT c Usman Khawaja b Steve Smith. New Zealand have lost their fifth wicket.

00.22 IST: Pat Cummins to Ross Taylor, OUT! In the air... Carey does not look confident under it, he though takes it in the end. End of Ross Taylor and New Zealand's chances of chasing this down has been dented big time.

00.20 IST: Pat Cummins to Ross Taylor, FOUR.

00.11 IST: Nathan Lyon to Ross Taylor, NOT OUT! Latham's dive has saved him. This is floated up on off, Taylor works it towards mid-wicket and wants a single. Latham obliges. Maxwell gets to the ball quickly and hits bull's eye at the striker's end. An appeal and it is taken upstairs. Replays show that Latham's dive ensure he made his ground.

00.05 IST: Mitchell Starc to Tom Latham, Another soft leading edge! This is angled into the pads, Latham looks to flick but closes the face of the bat early. It goes off the leading edge to mid off.

00.03 IST: Nathan Lyon to Tom Latham, Leading edge! Causes problems straight away! This lands on middle, straightens. Latham looks to play it against the turn but gets a soft leading edge through covers for one.

* Tom Latham walks in at number 5, replacing Williamson.

23.57 IST: Mitchell Starc to Kane Williamson, OUT! Caught behind! Finch gets Starc back for a wicket and a wicket is what he gets. A big one at that. Kane Williamson.

* Mitchell Starc is back on. 3-0-12-0 so far. Australia need a wicket.

23.54 IST: Glenn Maxwell to Kane Williamson, FOUR! Runs starting to come now for New Zealand. A little too full this time on off, Williamson leans into it and lofts it over mid off for a boundary.

23.49 IST: Marcus Stoinis to Kane Williamson, SIX! Top shot to release a lot of pressure! First six of the game! Williamson shuffles across and this is bowled on the pads. Williamson flicks it and it sails into the mid-wicket stands.

23.45 IST: Glenn Maxwell to Ross Taylor, A couple to end but still a good over for Australia! This is on middle, Taylor works it through mid-wicket, it is in the gap and two is taken.

* Glenn Maxwell is on now! So just the over by Finch too.

23.41 IST: Marcus Stoinis to Kane Williamson, Good running! This is worked to the right of mid-wicket. The fielder dives but pushes it away. The batters take one more.

* Marcus Stoinis is on now! He has a knack of picking important wickets. Got Buttler in the last game, can he get Williamson or Taylor here?

23.39 IST: Aaron Finch to Ross Taylor, FOUR! Much-needed boundary! A gift to release a little pressure. A full toss down the leg side, Taylor sweeps it through backward square leg and the ball races away.

23.37 IST: The Kiwis are dealing it in singles and doubles. Ross and Kane are the best bets for New Zealand to chase the total here, and they know it as well.

Australia will surely be the happier side at the moment. They have gotten the openers and have not let New Zealand score freely too. In fact, New Zealand are going at just 2.94 per over. Yes, that can be covered up but they need a partnership. They have their best two batters out there and a lot of hopes will be on them. Australia on the other hand, know they need to get rid of the two as soon as possible.

23.07 IST: Jason Behrendorff to Martin Guptill, OUT! OUT! LBW! Jason Behrendorff gets another! He is making a name for himself in this World Cup. Once again, the ball coming back in causes problems for Guptill. It is fuller and around middle, tails back in. Guptill looks to drive but misses to get hit on the pads. An appeal and the umpire raises his finger after giving it a thought. Guptill straightaway starts walking. He could have probably taken a review there as it seemed to be going down leg. Replays still not shown though and Australia won't care. An uncharacteristic innings from MG comes to an end. He scored 20 from 43 balls. Australia on top at the moment. 202 needed in 221 balls. Hawk Eye though confirms, it would not have mattered had Guptill reviewed as it shows to be clipping leg pole.

23.03 IST: Nathan Lyon to Martin Guptill, Short ball, outside off, pulled through square leg for a run.

23.01 IST: Jason Behrendorff to Kane Williamson, A little too straight, Williamson works it through mid-wicket for one. A good over for New Zealand, 7 from it.

23.00 IST: Jason Behrendorff to Martin Guptill, On off, Guptill guides it towards point. Maxwell fails to stop it cleanly and the batters take one easily.

22.57 IST: Jason Behrendorff to Kane Williamson, FOUR! A welcome, welcome boundary for New Zealand. This is short and slightly outside off, Williamson stands tall and pushes it through cover-point for a boundary.

22.54 IST: Pat Cummins to Kane Williamson, Williamson this time waits for the ball to come to him and then guides it down to third man for one.

22.51 IST: Jason Behrendorff to Kane Williamson, A dot to end a successful over for Australia and good Powerplay 1 for them too. New Zealand 31 for 1. Another delivery outside off, Williamson lets it be.

* Kane Williamson walks out to bat. He has been brilliant in the tournament so far and his team needs another good innings from him here.

22.48 IST: Jason Behrendorff to Henry Nicholls, OUT! Caught down the leg side! Nicholls should be very, very disappointed with himself. That is probably the worst ball you could get out too, also one of the rare bad balls Australia have bowled today. It is short and down the leg side. Nicholls looks to pull but the ball hits the glove and goes into Carey's mitts.

22.45 IST: Pat Cummins to Martin Guptill, This is brilliant stuff! The Aussies are giving nothing away at the moment. Cummins bowls it on a length and attacks the off pole again. Guptill blocks it out. Will this be a maiden?

22.38 IST: Jason Behrendorff to Martin Guptill, And the change of ends almost worked! He gets the ball to swing also. The line is a little too straight, it is around middle and then tailing back in. Guptill looks to flick but misses to get hit on the pads. A huge shout but the umpire turns it down. Looked close. Hawk-Eye shows it would have clipped the leg pole.

22.35 IST: Pat Cummins to Henry Nicholls, A stifled appeal but nothing! This is around leg, Nicholls looks to flick but misses to get hit high on the pads.

22.30 IST: Mitchell Starc to Henry Nicholls, FOUR! Consecutive boundaries! This is on the leg side. A little too straight, Henry Nicholls goes back and works it through square leg.

22.28 IST: Mitchell Starc to Henry Nicholls, FOUR! Good shot to get off the mark! Just used the pace of the bowler. Full and on middle, Nicholls puts bat to ball and strokes it past mid on. Finch does give it a chase from that position but he finishes second best.

22.26 IST: Pat Cummins to Martin Guptill, Good fielding! On the shorter side and around off, Guptill stands tall and pushes it towards cover. Stoinis there dives to his left and stops it.

22.24 IST: Pat Cummins to Martin Guptill, FOUR! A loosener to begin with! On the pads, Guptill says thank you very much and works it fine on the leg side for a boundary.

22.21 IST: Jason Behrendorff to Martin Guptill, The extra ball produces three runs! A little too straight this time, Guptill works it through wide mid on for three.

22.19 IST: Jason Behrendorff to Martin Guptill, FOUR! In the gap! First boundary of the run chase! Full and width on offer. Guptill carves it through cover-point and the ball races away.

22.17 IST: Mitchell Starc to Martin Guptill, Good running! This is around off, Guptill plays it with soft hands towards Smith at slip. The batters go for one.

* Mitchell Starc to bowl with the second new ball.

22.14 IST: Jason Behrendorff to Henry Nicholls, Just the single from the first over! A good one by Jason! Back of a length again on off, this is blocked.

* We are back for the chase! The Australian players make their way out to the middle. They are followed by a new opening partnership for New Zealand, Martin Guptill and Henry Nicholls. Jason Behrendorff to start proceedings for Australia with the first new ball. He was brilliant in his last game and Australia need him to step up here. Here we go...

* Australia, after winning the toss and opting to bat, got off to the worst possible starts. They lost their best batters, Finch, Smith and Warner within Powerplay 1. Stoinis and Khawaja then did try to steady the ship but the former perished after getting off to a start. Maxwell then did not deliver when his team needed him too. At 92 for 5 and with Australia's batting not that deep, 150 is what everybody felt they would have been bundled out for. That was not the case though as Carey and Khawaja put up a brilliant 100-plus run stand. The former played an extremely fluent innings. He counter-attacked right from the outset and scored a brilliant half ton. He was the mainstay of that partnership and Khawaja played as the perfect foil to him. When the two were batting, it seemed Australia would get past 250. However, once Carey perished, it was time for Khawaja to step on the gas but he failed to do so and hardly any contributions from the bowling all-rounder saw them fall short of 250.

* WHAT A RECOVERY FROM AUSTRALIA! At 92 for 5, if you would have given them 250, they would have taken it with both hands. They have ended up with a total which is more than competitive on this wicket and they have two people to thank, Usman Khawaja and Alex Carey.

21.36 IST: Trent Boult to Nathan Lyon, A dot on the final ball. Almost another yorker, but this is outside off. Lyon gets across to paddle but misses. Cummins wants a single but Lyon is not aware. Then he turns to look to Cummins but then by that time, Latham has under-armed his throw. Would have been out had he hit but he misses. Boult then tries to come forward and knock the bails off but Lyon gets back in. AUSTRALIA FINISH ON 243/9!

21.34 IST: Trent Boult to Jason Behrendorff, OUT! LBW! IT IS A HAT-TRICK! History has been created by Trent Boult. He becomes the first Kiwi to take a hat-trick in an ODI World Cup. What a ball to get the hat-trick. It is an inswinger, not exactly a yorker, but right on the full.

* Jason Behrendorff comes out to face the hat-trick ball. Can Boult emulate Shami?

21.30 IST: Trent Boult to Mitchell Starc, OUT! BOWLED! That has gone right under! Forget the boundary, he cannot even stay for more than a ball!

* Mitchell Starc comes in at number 9, with 3 balls left. Can he get a boundary or two?

21.29 IST: Trent Boult to Usman Khawaja, OUT! BOWLED AROUND HIS LEGS! Khawaja has been playing fine shots all through the day but this time he is beaten. Full and straight at the pads, Usman gets across and looks to help it fine but misses.

21.28 IST: Lockie Ferguson to Pat Cummins, FOUR! THUNDEROUS! Cummins gets a boundary at last. And in some fashion. A length ball outside off, slightly slower in pace, Cummins picks that, backs away a touch and crashes it over cover for a boundary! Ferguson is down for the day - 10-0-49-2.

21.26 IST: Trent Boult to Pat Cummins, Clever from Cummins and well done by Lockie Ferguson. A length ball outside off, Pat backs away and ramps it over the vacant slip cordon. The ball nearly trickles away to the fence but Ferguson quickly gets to his left from third man, slides and stops the ball. Two runs taken. They check for the boundary but replays show that he is fine.

21.24 IST: Lockie Ferguson to Pat Cummins, FOUR!  Off the inside edge! A yorker, around leg, Khawaja looks to dig it out but the ball takes the inside edge and scoots past the leg stump and then the keeper to the fine leg fence!

21.20 IST: Trent Boult to Usman Khawaja, FOUR! Off the inside edge!

* Trent Boult returns. 8-1-41-1 so far.

21.15 IST: Ish Sodhi to Pat Cummins, Terrific stop in the deep! A short ball, outside off, Cummins pulls this over mid-wicket. Jimmy Neesham runs to his left and dives full stretch to save the boundary. Fumbles while returning the ball but no extra run conceded. Two overall.

21.13 IST: Lockie Ferguson to Pat Cummins, Outside off, Pat looks to run it down to third man but is beaten. He has been dismissed trying to play that shot a few times of late.

21.11 IST: Lockie Ferguson to Usman Khawaja, FOUR! Two boundaries in three balls for Khawaja. Is he planning to cut loose?

21.08 IST: Ish Sodhi to Usman Khawaja, FOUR! Full and outside off, Khawaja gets down and reverse sweeps it over point for a boundary!

21.05 IST: Lockie Ferguson to Usman Khawaja, Full and outside off, UK leans and drives it past cover, to keep the strike with one. Just 3 from the over. 6 more to go.

* Australia down to their bowlers now. Pat Cummins is the first of them. He can hold the willow alright but has not done much in this tournament.

21.00 IST: Kane Williamson to Alex Carey, OUT! Caught! A wicket out of nowhere and Williamson has his first. Beautiful loop from Williamson, outside off, Carey stays leg side of the ball and looks to go inside out.

20.55 IST: Trent Boult to Alex Carey, 100-RUN STAND IS UP! Fantastic recovery by Australia. Though, this can be also viewed as the pitch getting better for batting. It has taken 120 balls and now, the Aussies will be looking to explode. But can they? There is not much batting left. Landed outside off, Alex lofts it over covers and comes back for the second.

* POWERPLAY 3 time.

20.50 IST: Trent Boult to Alex Carey, FOUR! MARVELLOUS! Carey has gone past Khawaja now.

20.46 IST: Kane Williamson to Alex Carey, DROPPED! That should have been taken. Full and outside off, Carey reaches out to drive but the ball spins away and takes the outside edge. Latham reaches out to his left but puts it down.

20.43 IST: Lockie Ferguson to Alex Carey, FOUR! That is a terrific shot. A length ball, around off, Carey just plays short-arm jab over mid-wicket. The ball races away!

* Lockie Ferguson is back on. 6-0-25-2 so far. New Zealand need a wicket desperately.

20.38 IST: Kane Williamson to Usman Khawaja, Landed outside off, a touch slower, this time Usman looks to run it down to third man but misses due to lack of pace.

20.35 IST: Jimmy Neesham to Alex Carey, FOUR! Fortuitous but Carey will take it. His THIRD HALF CENTURY IN ODIS. Second in this tournament. And I daresay, probably his best knock so far.

20.34 IST: Jimmy Neesham to Alex Carey, FOUR! THUMP! This bloke is a real talent. Short and outside off, Carey welcome Neesham in style, by pulling this one over mid-wicket!

20.32 IST: Kane Williamson to Usman Khawaja, RUN OUT MISSED! Khawaja was gone for all money. Outside off, Usman punches it through the covers and sets off for a single. Martin Guptill dives to his right and makes a spectacular stop. He gets up in a flash and has a shy at the bowler's end but misses. Had he hit, Khawaja would have been gone!

20.30 IST: Kane Williamson to Usman Khawaja, Landed outside off, cut towards point. There is a slight misfield and Khawaja wants the single but is sent back.

20.27 IST: Colin de Grandhomme to Alex Carey, FOUR! What a shot. A fraction short around off, Carey whips it between mid-on and mid-wicket, finding the wide long on fence!

20.25 IST: Kane Williamson to Alex Carey, Full and outside off, Alex reaches out and drives it through the covers for one.

20.18 IST: Colin de Grandhomme to Usman Khawaja, 50 FOR KHAWAJA, 50-STAND UP AS WELL! Australia are slowly trying to rebuild. A length ball, down the leg side, Usman flicks it through mid-wicket and comes back for the second. It has been a gritty knock and the team will hope that he stays till the end.

* Another bowler! Kane Williamson into the attack now.

20.15 IST: Colin de Grandhomme to Alex Carey, FOUR! Up and over! Another cracking shot by Carey. This is slightly full and on off, Carey leans into it and hits it uppishly but well wide of mid off for another boundary. His 6th boundary in the 31 he has scored.

20.11 IST: Lockie Ferguson to Alex Carey, FOUR! Easy pickings for Carey! This is on the pads, Carey flicks it behind square and bags another boundary. He has raced onto 27.

20.07 IST: Colin de Grandhomme to Alex Carey, Another one on the stumps, Carey pushes it back to the bowler. Just the two runs from the over. Another good one from Colin.

20.03 IST: Lockie Ferguson to Alex Carey, FOUR! Like I said early on, you keep bowling there to him and he will keep driving you. Ferguson goes full and outside off, Carey says thank you very much and hits it through covers for a boundary.

20.00 IST: Jimmy Neesham to Alex Carey, FOUR! Beautiful! Full and on off, it is half-volley. Carey creams it through covers and the ball races away to the fence. Carey is dealing in boundaries. Spoils the over somewhat.

19.55 IST: Mitchell Santner to Alex Carey, Another sweep shot by Carey. This time he drags it from outside off through square leg for one.

19.51 IST: Jimmy Neesham to Usman Khawaja, DROPPED! Another one put down by New Zealand. Yes, it is tough but you expect your keeper to take those. Also this is a poor shot from Khawaja. Neesham bowls another one outside off, Khawaja loosely throws his bat at it. The ball flies off the outside edge to the left of Latham who dives and looks to take it with one hand but the ball does not stick in the webbing. Another life for Khawaja. Is it his day today?

19.47 IST: Mitchell Santner to Alex Carey, FOUR! Lovely from Carey! He plays the reverse sweep this time, gets it behind point and away from the man in the deep. There is a dive from that fielder after he runs to his right but fails to stop it.

19.44 IST: Jimmy Neesham to Alex Carey, FOUR! Class, pure class! What a way to get off the mark! This is full and outside off, Carey leans into it and caresses it through covers for a boundary. He loves it there and would hit those for a boundary all day long.

19.42 IST: Jimmy Neesham to Glenn Maxwell, OUT! CAUGHT AND BOWLED! That is some catch! WOW! He is delighted and why not? He has taken a blinder to get rid of Maxwell. The Big Show does not trouble the scorers a lot. This is short and outside off, Maxwell shuffles in and then looks to pull it on the leg side. The ball comes slow off the surface. Maxwell is already into his shot. It goes off the bottom part to the right of the bowler. Neesham gets down low, stretches his left hand out and takes it. Half the side back in the hut for Australia and they haven't even crossed 100.

19.39 IST: Mitchell Santner to Glenn Maxwell, A run to end a good over for Australia. This is fired on the pads, Maxwell looks to flick but gets an inside edge onto the pads. It rolls towards short fine leg for one. Maxwell is off the mark.

19.36 IST: Mitchell Santner to Usman Khawaja, FOUR! Poor ball, it is hit towards the shorter side and there is no chance for the fielder! Shorter and outside off, Khawaja cuts it through point. The fielder in the deep runs to his right, dives but fails to stop it.

* Glenn Maxwell is the new man in. The Big Show needs to put on a show for his team here.

19.32 IST: Jimmy Neesham to Marcus Stoinis, OUT! EDGED AND TAKEN! Neesham gets one! Stoinis fails to make an impact with the bat once again. The budding stand comes to an end. A good delivery this. It lands around off and then straightens. Stoinis lunges and defends but ends up playing inside the line. The ball kisses the outside edge and goes into the hands of the keeper.

19.28 IST: Jimmy Neesham to Usman Khawaja, Walks right across his stumps, Neesham bowls it outside off. Khawaja looks to flick but misses to get hit on the pads. Rolls on the leg side. A leg bye.

* Hamid Hassan cannot continue to bowl as of now.

19.14 IST: Lockie Ferguson to Marcus Stoinis, Just short! Stoinis is flirting with danger here! This is on a length and around off, Stoinis looks to hit it on the up but it does so uppishly, just short of Williamson who dives forward to take it.

19.06 IST: Sodhi to Stoinis, FOUR! Just Over! Stoinis would have surely had his heart in his mouth for a moment there. He has come out with the mind-set of playing his shots here. He sees flight on this delivery, it lands on middle. Stoinis looks to go big, he does not get it right off the middle but hits it just over the outstretched hand of mid on for a boundary. AUS 65/3 in 14.1 overs

19.03 IST: Ferguson to Stoinis, FOUR! That goes to the fence in a jiffy! Fuller and on off, Stoinis creams it through covers and it races away. AUS 60/3 in 13.3 overs

16.54 IST: Lockie Ferguson to Marcus Stoinis, FOUR! Poor fielding! Something New Zealand won't like at the moment, especially when they have their tails up. This is short and outside off, Stoinis cuts it towards third man. Boult runs to his right. The ball bounces just in front of him. He looks to push it back in but the ball hits the higher part of the hand. The momentum takes Boult over the ropes= and it trickles back onto the ropes.

18.52 IST: Ferguson to Smith, OUT! WHAT A CATCH! An absolute blinder! It is Guptill. The man who dropped two early on has picked one out from thin air. A huge wicket this as Smith could have batted for a long time. New Zealand all over Australia at the moment. The short ball once again does the trick for Ferguson but credit here has to be given to Guptill. It is on the body, Smith pulls it hard but does not keep it down. Guptill at backward square leg dives to his left, sticks one hand out and the ball stays in.

18.48 IST: Lockie Ferguson to Steve Smith, Another one on a length and around off, SS defends it. A successful first over by Ferguson. New Zealand's Powerplay. Australia are 40 for 2 after the first 10.

* Steve Smith walks out to bat next.

18.39 IST: Lockie Ferguson to David Warner, OUT! Warner is a goner! Ferguson strikes on his first ball. What a bowling change by Williamson. Australia's openers, who have been so influential in the tournament so far, have been dismissed within Powerplay 1. New Zealand on top at the moment. This is bowled at 142 KPH. It is short and on middle, Warner shuffles and then looks to leave it but he does so with an angled bat. The ball kisses the gloves and goes into the hands of the keeper. AUS 38/2 in 9.1 overs

*Lockie Ferguson replaces Colin de Grandhomme

18.34 IST: Trent Boult to Usman Khawaja, FOUR! On the pads and flicked it towards the on-side. Boult is looking to swing the ball away from the leg pole but the swing seems to have disappeared.

18.33 IST: Colin de Grandhomme to David Warner, FOUR! Powered! Too full and around off, first ball probably which de Grandhomme has overpitched and Warner makes his pay. He smashes it past mid off and bags a boundary.

18.26 IST: Trent Boult to David Warner, FOUR! Short from Boult this time. A half-tracker, bounces at a good height for the batsman. Warner goes back and drags it through mid-wicket.

*Usman Khawaja is the new man in.

18.17 IST: Trent Boult to Aaron Finch, OUT! THAT IS PLUMB IN FRONT! Boult has his revenge! Massive wicket this as Finch was in real good in-form.

18.16 IST: Trent Boult to Aaron Finch, FOUR! Lovely timing! You need not run for those! Full and around middle, Finch plays it with a straight bat and hits it past mid on for Finch's first boundary.

18.10 IST: Trent Boult to David Warner, FOUR! No swing and Boult ends up bowling it on the pads! He starts from leg hoping for the ball to swing away. It does not and Warner flicks it through mid-wicket for a boundary. Expensive second over from Boult.

18.08 IST: Trent Boult to David Warner, first runs for Australia. Warner pushes it towards the on-side.

18.07 IST: ANOTHER MAIDEN! Tight bowling from both the bowlers here.

*Colin de Grandhomme bowls from the other end.

18.03 IST: MAIDEN! Good start from Trent Boult. 

18.00 IST: We're ready for the action to begin! Warner and Finch are out on the crease. Trent Boult to bowl the first over.

17.56 IST: The players are out for the national anthems.

17.42 IST: Two changes for New Zealand. Colin Munro sits out for Henry Nicholls and Ish Sodhi is in for Matt Henry.

Playing XIs

Australia: Aaron Finch(c), David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Steven Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey(w), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Jason Behrendorff

New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Henry Nicholls, Kane Williamson(c), Ross Taylor, Tom Latham(w), James Neesham, Colin de Grandhomme, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult

17.33 IST: TOSS! Australia has won the toss and opted to bat against New Zealand in London.

17.28 IST: Good evening! Welcome to the live blog for the game between New Zealand and Australia. A crucial game for the Kiwis, and even for Australia, as they face key threats in India, and New Zealand themselves, for the top position in the points tally.

Brief Preview: New Zealand will aim to secure the semifinal spot in the game as they renew their Trans-Tasman rivalry against Australia. Aaron Finch's side has already qualified for the tournament, and is still the only team do so. With India already in pole position and the likes of Pakistan, Bangladesh, England and Sri Lanka all in fray for qualification, the Kiwis would need to bring their A-game up to seal the World Cup semifinal place. (FULL PREVIEW)