Hamilton: Mitchell Johnson tore through New Zealand's lineup with six wickets and ten for the match to decimate New Zealand as Australia swept the two-match series with a convincing 177-run victory at Hamilton. The pacy left-armer made short work of New Zealand, who briefly rallied in an 87-run stand for the sixth wicket before the loss.
Brendan McCullum and Martin Guptill were the usual culprits in a defiant surge, with the wicketkeeper lashing three consecutive fours off Johnson, caning nine fours and a six while Guptill batted cautiously and discreetly to reach his fifty off 143 balls (six fours). Australia looked slightly ragged early on, as two of the side's more valuable performers shared a handy partnership.
But the new ball worked a treat, as McCullum (51) steered Doug Bollinger straight to gully before Ricky Ponting removed Guptill with a stinging catch off Johnson (273 for 8). The crowd were entertained with a cracking Tim Southee assault on Bollinger; he hooked the left-arm quickie for six and then bashed four consecutive fours, three of them caned down the ground, to race to 45 off 25 balls before Johnson ended the damage to complete a fine ten-wicket match haul. Along with Simon Katich's obdurate display, it helped seal a memorable victory for Australia.
© Cricdb
No comments:
Post a Comment