3rd T20I: Ton-up Marsh powers Australia to win over NZ
What's the story
In a thrilling third T20I at Mount Maunganui's Bay Oval, Australia defeated New Zealand by three wickets. The victory sealed a 2-0 series win for the visitors. Captain Mitchell Marsh played a pivotal role in Australia's triumph, scoring an unbeaten 103 runs off just 52 balls. His stellar performance included eight boundaries and seven sixes, leading his team to chase down New Zealand's 157-run target in the 18th over.
Match details
New Zealand post a below-par total
New Zealand, after losing the toss and being asked to bat, managed only 156/9 in their allotted 20 overs. Tim Seifert was the top scorer for the Kiwis with a modest 48 off 35 balls. However, his innings was characterized by difficulty in rotating the strike and forming partnerships. Jimmy Neesham's four-wicket haul (4/26) in his first appearance of the series was a highlight for New Zealand, but it wasn't enough to defend their total against Marsh's onslaught.
Chase highlights
Marsh powers Australia's chase
Australia's chase started on a shaky note as Jacob Duffy dismissed opener Travis Head for just eight. However, Ben Sears's first ball was sent over long-on by Marsh, bringing up Australia's 50 in just 34 balls. Despite losing wickets at regular intervals, Marsh contributed significantly to the innings with back-to-back sixes off Ish Sodhi. He reached his half-century in just 21 balls with nearly half of his runs coming from boundaries.
Key moments
Marsh weathers the storm
Neesham's wickets of Matt Short and Alex Carey kept New Zealand in the contest as Australia slipped from 61/1 to 85/4. However, Marsh remained unbeaten on 64 at the halfway mark. Neesham struck again after drinks, dismissing Marcus Stoinis and leaving him on a hat-trick after Carey's wicket in the previous over. Despite these setbacks, Marsh stood tall for Australia, scoring six more over deep square leg to take his team closer to victory.
Final moments
A historic ton for the Aussie skipper
With six runs needed to win, Marsh pulled two to fine leg for his first international century in the shortest format. He then guided his team home, securing a 2-0 series victory over New Zealand. The Black Caps will now regroup and announce their squad for next week's three T20Is against England.
Seifert
Seifert misses out on a fifty
Seifert, who made 48 off 35 balls, slammed five fours and three sixes during his stay. In 74 T20Is, he has racked up 1,788 runs at an average of 29.31. He has a strike rate of 142.13 in the format (50s: 12). Against Australia, he now owns 104 runs at a paltry average of 11.55 from 10 innings. This was his best score against the Aussies.
Abbott
Three-fer for Sean Abbott
Fast-bowling all-rounder Sean Abbott was the pick of the Aussie bowlers, claiming 3/25 from his four overs. This spell has taken his T20I tally to 33 wickets from 27 games at 23.21 (ER: 8.99). He went wicket-less in his only other previous T20I against NZ. Abott was well complimented by fellow pacers Josh Hazlewood (2/26 from 4 overs) and Xavier Bartlett (2/25 from 4 overs).
Marsh
Maiden T20I ton for Marsh
Marsh hammered seven sixes besides eight fours en route to his unbeaten 52-ball 103. Across 76 T20Is, he has raced to 1,996 runs at a strike rate of 139.97. While this was his maiden ton, his tally also includes 11 half-centuries. This was his fourth T20 50-plus score versus the Kiwis, which has taken his tally to 479 runs at 59.87. Notably, Marsh made a 85 off 43 balls in the opener of the recently-concluded series.
Elite lists
Marsh joins these names
As per Cricbuzz, Marsh became the third Aussie after Aaron Finch and Shane Watson to score a T20I ton while leading the team. Meanwhile, Pakistan's Babar Azam is the only other captain of a full-member team with a hundred in T20I run chases. He has accomplished this feat twice. Marsh is also the third batter to register a T20I hundred in a run-chase for Australia after Glenn Maxwell (thrice) and Tim David.
Information
100 sixes in T20Is
Marsh, who overall smashed his third hundred in the 20-over format, has raced to 101 T20I sixes. He became the fourth Aussie with a century of T20I sixes, having joined Glenn Maxwell (148), Aaron Finch (125), and David Warner (122).
Neesham
Four-fer for Neesham
Neesham was the pick of the Kiwi, bowlers having claimed 4/26 from four overs. With this spell, the all-rounder became the eighth Kiwi player with 50 T20I scalps. Playing his 86th T20I, Neesham has raced to 51 wickets at an average of 23.60, with his economy rate being 8.88. This was the second instance of Neesham taking at least four wickets in a T20I. Earlier this year, Neesham took a fifer against Pakistan in Wellington.
DYK
Nearly 1,000 runs with the bat
Neesham had earlier scored an 18-ball 25 with the help of two fours and as many sixes. He now owns 980 T20I runs at an average of 20.85. He is yet to score a fifty in the format, as his best score reads 48*. The dasher, however, boasts a 150-plus strike rate (SR: 151.46). Neesham, who has also tallied 53 T20I sixes, can soon become the first NZ all-rounder with the T20I double of 1,000 runs and 50 wickets.