[ad_1]
Devon Conway has the kind of hitting bunt every cricketer dreams of.
Conway offered another clinic under the bright lights at Hagley Oval when New Zealand got off to a winning start in the trans-Tasman T20 series against Australia.
In front of just over 9,000 fans, Conway pitched 99 undefeated of 59 balls in New Zealand’s dominant 53-run victory on Monday, the first international game played under the new Hagley lights.
SPARK SPORT
Devon Conway starred in the batting area and then on the field when the Black Caps proved too strong for Australia.
This was a moving day in Christchurch on the 10th anniversary of the February 22 earthquake, and Conway served a gift for the Canterbury crowd.
READ MORE:
* Black Caps vs Australia: the burning questions before the return of international cricket
* Quarantine to the bright lights of Hagley – Black Caps expect no rust from Australia
* Black Caps vs Australia: Martin Guptill gets the faith of the selectors, Finn Allen on hold
South African-born Conway, in his first eligible summer to represent New Zealand, is at some point, seeing him as a beach ball.
He pitched and anchored innings with a brilliant 99 no out. He’d looked at the cards for a century, after hitting Kane Richardson six-four on the fourth and fifth balls of the last over, but he could only handle one on the last ball.
John Davidson / Photosport
New Zealand’s Devon Conway plays a sweep shot in his 99 unbeaten runs against Australia on Monday.
His stellar shot was desperately needed after the beige-clad Black Caps collapsed to 19-3, having been dispatched by Australian captain Aaron Finch.
Conway became the first New Zealand hitter to score five consecutive T20 half centuries, having hit four in a row for Wellington in the Super Smash.
That included a stellar 93 that wasn’t in the Super Smash final against Canterbury to guide the Firebirds to the title. Conway’s last five entries in T20 make for pretty reading: 99 *, 93 *, 91 *, 69 *, and 50.
The Australian chase started on a sour note with Finch on the fifth ball and Tim Southee hitting.
Kai Schwoerer / Getty Images
Devon Conway and Trent Boult celebrate after combining to say goodbye to Australian rookie Josh Philippe on Monday.
Conway couldn’t stay out of the game, taking the catch on the spot to fire Finch, then adding another catch on the next over: rookie Josh Philippe from Trent Boult.
Matthew Wade deposited Boult for six on his next over, but it was the next ball, putting New Zealand on top with Australia falling to 16-3, which quickly changed to 19-4.
The old Southee and Boult firm did the initial damage, capturing the first four wickets.
Midway through the chase, Australia was 63-5, needing 12 to win.
Legspinner Ish Sodhi took four wickets in a T20I for the first time, including the dangerous Marcus Stoinis, who went for eight.
After just coming out of administered isolation Sunday night at 8pm, 23 hours before the first ball, Australia will be better for the hit before the second T20 in Dunedin on Thursday.
Conway scores runs for fun, but is the polar opposite for his teammate Martin Guptill, whose position on the T20 side is in grave jeopardy.
Kai Schwoerer / Getty Images
Martin Guptill walks away dejected after a three-ball duck at Hagley Oval.
Guptill’s batting problems went from bad to worse, looking for a three-ball duck.
He dropped the first two installments of former Canterbury importer Daniel Sams and was later fired driving, caught on the spot by Ashton Agar.
A miserable summer continues for Guptill, who coach Gary Stead remarked “was sporting a million dollars” on social media Saturday.
Before Christmas, Guptill hit 6, 21 and 19 in the Pakistan T20 series and 34 and 5 against the West Indies. In four innings for Auckland in the T20 Super Smash, he totaled 46 runs at 11.50 with a high score of 29.
Kai Schwoerer / Getty Images
Australian Daniel Sams celebrates after sacking Martin Guptill for a three-ball duck in the first T20 in Christchurch.
New Zealand’s career leader in T20I races (2,621), Guptill has gone 11 innings since his last half-century international T20, achieved against England in November 2019.
He’s quickly running out of opportunities with the prospect of opening with Conway or Glenn Phillips, and using Mark Chapman at No. 5 later in the series, surely gaining steam.
New Zealand was in trouble at 11-2 in the third when Tim Seifert fell to a yorker from Jhye Richardson, who was so impressive in the Big Bash, taking 29 wickets, the best in the competition.
With patron Kane Williamson and the trusty Conway in the fold, New Zealand was desperate to consolidate.
They did the opposite, capitulating to 19-3 with Williamson passing Wade.
Conway and Phillips began to stabilize the innings and accelerate the score when shots were offered.
Phillips showcased his 50-race partnership in style with a long-time Adam Zampa six in the eleventh.
It looked like the duo might get away in Australia, but Phillips dodged one off Stoinis to end the 74-run 51-ball stop.
Conway then took over, and his efforts in the second half of innings made the difference between the two teams.
TAKE A LOOK:
New Zealand 184-5 (Devon Conway 99th of 59, Glenn Phillips 30 of 20, Jimmy Neesham 26 of 15; Jhye Richardson 2-31, Daniel Sams 2-40) defeat Australia 131 (Mitchell Marsh 45 of 33; Ish Sodhi 4-28, Tim Southee 2-10, Trent Boult 2-22) for 53 runs.
