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After a quick start, Australia failed in their T20 series opener against New Zealand, leaving 53 short runs in their pursuit in Christchurch. Devon Conway was the hero for the hosts, registering 99 unbeaten against 59 balls, narrowly missing a chance for a last hundred balls when New Zealand was 184-5.
In response, the higher order of the visitors collapsed as Australia limped to 131, starting the five-game series with a disappointing loss. Out of form captain Aaron Finch (1), first player Josh Philippe (2), Matthew Wade (12) and Glenn Maxwell (1) were caught in the first five overs.
Veteran fast bowlers Trent Boult (2-22) and Tim Southee (2-10) passed a wrecking ball through Australia, leaving them at 19-4. Mitch Marsh (45) posted his best T20 score and Ashton Agar (23) found some success but couldn’t make up lost ground. Ish Sodhi cleaned up when Australia tried to make a fist, finishing 4-28.
Compounding the loss was the feeling that it could have been so different for Australia. Finch’s team showed no signs of slowing down after the quarantine, winning the draw and putting New Zealand at 19-3 early. Daniel Sams claimed Martin Guptill and Kane Williamson in just his third T20 international outing, with bowling starter Jhye Richardson Tim Seifert.
Enter Conway and get out of the hopes of Australia. The South African-born batsman stabilized the boat, continuing his excellent domestic form by becoming the first Kiwi to score five consecutive T20 half centuries. He then took off, sharing a 74-race position with Glenn Phillips (30) and a quick 47-race partnership with Jimmy Neesham (26).
Conway enjoyed a pair of pardons, dropped by Marcus Stoinis on the edge before Wade missed a chance to get him out. The 29-year-old finished the innings with a series of efforts, standing up the crowd of 9,093 for the last ball only to finish one less than a century.
The match was the first of Australia’s T20 tour of New Zealand, and a significant occasion in Christchurch. On Monday, the city marked 10 years since the devastating 2011 earthquake that killed 185 people. A minute’s silence was observed before the game, the first under lights in the newly developed Hagley Oval.
The series now moves to Dunedin’s Otago Oval University for a clash on Thursday afternoon.
