Australia survived a brave New Zealand to register their fourth win of the ongoing ICC Men's Cricket World Cup on the bounce in Dharamsala on Saturday, October 28. 388 played 383 as, despite a flurry of wickets in the end, the stubborn New Zealand side just didn't give up even when the required rate reached in the range of 14-15. Jimmy Neesham, who found himself at the receiving end of a 27-run over with Australian skipper Pat Cummins going great guns, played out of his skin to nearly get his side home, but it wasn't to be as the five-time champions prevailed by five runs while the Kiwis suffered their second loss on the trot.
It was a terrific start from the openers David Warner and Travis Head, who seemed like came prepared to play a T20. They scored 118 runs in the powerplay after racing off to a fifty-run stand off just 25 balls. Head, who was making his World Cup debut, was returning after a month-long gap following an injury. It looked like he never went away as he was smashing all the bowlers and utilised the small ground of Dharamsala and flat pitch to the fullest.
Warner too wasn't much behind as both of them kept hitting even after the powerplay. The 175-run partnership ended in the 20th over as Glenn Phillips dismissed Warner for 81, who missed out on equalling Kumar Sangakkara and Rohit Sharma's record of three consecutive World Cup tons. Head completed his century off 59 deliveries and he too got out immediately to Phillips only. Mitchell Marsh and Marnus Labuschagne then took the game forward with a 36-run partnership.
Josh Inglis and Glenn Maxwell played cameos of 38 and 41 respectively to take Australia's score near 350 before skipper Pat Cummins blasted 37 off 14 to take their team's score to 388, which seemed like a bridge too far. But not for New Zealand.
New Zealand scrap as Kane Williamson famously said. They don't give up and it started from the top with Devon Conway starting in fine fashion. Will Young played a few good shots before Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell continued their outstanding forms. The 96-run stand seemed to take New Zealand to safer shores before Mitchell got out immediately after his half-century.
Ravindra continued his golden run as he smashed his second century of the tournament in just 77 balls, which is the fastest by a New Zealander in World Cup history as he bettered his own record. New Zealand lost a few wickets quickly with Phillips, Ravindra and Santner going cheaply. However, Jimmy Neesham still kept his side in the game.
Matt Henry did his bit and Trent Boult did his bit, however, the half-centurion Jimmy Neesham's majestic knock was cut short by a run-out as New Zealand fell agonisingly short of the target by just five runs. New Zealand did a world of good to their NRR by taking the game to the last over and Australia will be happy with two points as both teams now have eight points after six games.
Australia next take on England while New Zealand will be up against South Africa as the race for the playoffs heats up.
