World Cup: Australia beat NZ, claim their fourth successive win
Australia have defeated New Zealand by five runs in a high-scoring thriller to register their fourth successive win in the ongoing 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup. Travis Head smoked a fiery hundred on return as Rachin Ravindra's ton went in vain. Chasing a massive 389, NZ were restricted to 383/9. Both teams now have four wins and two defeats in the ongoing event.
Australia post a massive total
Australia were off to a flier as Head and David Warner attacked from the outset. Notably, Head warmed the benches in the initial half of the competition due to a fractured left hand. NZ managed to do significant damage control in the middle overs as Glenn Phillips claimed three wickets. Nevertheless, cameos from Glenn Maxwell and Pat Cummins helped Australia post a strong total.
NZ showed character in historic run-chase
Chasing the mountainous total, NZ were off to a brilliant start with openers Devon Conway and Will Young adding 61 runs in quick time. The baton was then passed to Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell, who scored a hundred and a half-century, respectively. The Kiwis, however, lost momentum toward the end and were restricted to 383/9. Adam Zampa claimed three wickets.
Joint-highest powerplay score in ODIs
Warner and Head added 118 runs in the first 10 overs. This is now the highest powerplay score in World Cup history and overall, the joint-highest powerplay score in ODIs. New Zealand also added as many runs against Sri Lanka without the loss of any wicket in the 2015 Christchurch ODI. Notably, Head ended up scoring a 67-ball 109 (10 fours, 7 sixes).
Warner and Head script these partnership records
Warner and Head's 175-run stand is now the second-highest opening partnership for Australia against NZ in ODIs. Only Adam Gilchrist and Mark Waugh are ahead of the duo, having added 189 runs against NZ in the 2000 Christchurch ODI. This is also now Australia's fourth-highest opening partnership in World Cup history.
A brilliant 81 from Warner
Warner, who was eyeing his third successive hundred, ended up scoring a 65-ball 81 (5 fours, 6 sixes). He now owns 6,810 runs in 156 games at 46.01. This was his 32nd ODI fifty as the tally includes 22 tons. The opener now owns 1,405 WC runs at 63.86. Against NZ, he has now raced to 720 runs at 45 (100s: 2, 50s: 3).
Warner goes past Ponting
Warner has now completed 36 maximums in 24 WC games as he has displaced Ricky Ponting (31) as the Australian batter with the most WC sixes. 19 of Warner's maximums have come in the ongoing edition, most for any player. Overall, Warner has raced to 125 maximums in 156 ODIs. Warner's tally of 36 WC sixes is now the fourth-most for any batter.
Joint-fastest fifty of the competition
Head reached his fifty off just 25 balls, the joint-fastest in the ongoing tournament, equaling Sri Lanka's Kusal Mendis. Overall, Head smoked the second-fastest WC fifty by an Aussie batter. Only Glenn Maxwell is ahead of him, having smoked a 21-ball fifty versus Afghanistan in 2015. Head fell prey to Glenn Phillips after scoring a 67-ball 109 (10 fours, 7 sixes).
Fourth-fastest ton by an Aussie batter
Head reached his hundred off 59 balls. This is now the fourth-fastest ODI hundred by an Aussie batter. He also became the fifth Australian batter to smoke a ton on his WC debut. Head, who smoked his fourth ODI ton, has now raced to 2,173 ODI runs at 42.60 (50s: 15). Against NZ, he has completed 313 runs at 52.16 (50s: 3, 100: 1).
Career-best figures for Phillips
Phillips led NZ's comeback with the ball with career-best figures worth 3/37 in 10 overs. Notably, he dismissed three of Australia's top-four batters as the scoring drastically came down. The off-spinning all-rounder has now raced to 12 wickets in 26 ODIs at an economy of 5.78. He also boasts 576 runs at 33.18.
Three-fer for Boult
Boult, who was expensive early on, took three wickets in the back end of the innings (3/77 in 10 overs). The pacer has now raced to 206 ODI wickets at 23.90. He has surpassed Chris Harris (203) to become NZ's fourth-highest wicket-taker in ODIs. 48 of his wickets have come in 25 WC games at 23.58. Against Australia, he has completed 42 ODI wickets.
Highest WC total against NZ
Though NZ managed to pull things back in the end overs, Australia still managed to hammer the highest WC total against New Zealand. The previous highest score against NZ also belonged to the Aussies as they compiled 348/6 against them in the 2007 edition. Overall, the Aussies now have nine totals of 350 or more in World Cups, most for any team.
A fiery 54 from Mitchell
Daryl Mitchell played well for his 51-ball 54 (6 fours, 1 six). This was his third fifty-plus score in the ongoing event as the tally includes a ton. He has now raced to 322 runs in the competition at 80.50. Overall, Mitchell has completed 1,347 ODI runs at 51.80. This was his fifth ODI fifty as the tally includes as many tons.
Second World Cup ton for Ravindra
Ravindra ended up scoring an 89-ball 116. The all-rounder has raced to 595 runs in 18 ODIs at an impressive average of 45.77. Besides two tons, he has hammered three fifties. The 23-year-old has claimed 15 ODI wickets at 46.80. He has raced to 406 runs in the ongoing event. Only Warner (413) and Quinton de Kock (431) have more runs in this edition.
Do you know?
As per statistician Bharath Seervi, the 23-year-old Ravindra became just the second batter to score multiple centuries in a WC edition before turning 24. He has joined the legendary Sachin Tendulkar (2 tons in 1996) on this elite list.
Third NZ batter with a WC ton versus Australia
Ravindra became just the third Kiwi batter to smoke a World Cup ton against the Aussies. He has now joined greats like Chris Harris (130 in 1996) and Martin Crowe (100* in 1992). Meanwhile, he also became the fourth NZ player to slam two tons in a WC edition. Ravindra has joined Kane Williamson (2019), Martin Guptill (2015), and Glenn Turner (1975).
Zampa shines yet again
Zampa, who returned with four-wicket hauls in his last three outings, bowled well yet again. He bowled exceptionally well and returned with 3/77 in 10 overs this time. With 16 scalps at 19.06, he is now the highest wicket-taker of the 2023 WC. He has overall raced to 158 ODI wickets at 28.05. Zampa has 16 ODI wickets against NZ.
A valiant fifty from Neesham
Jimmy Neesham played a valiant knock and ended up scoring 58 off 39 balls. This was his seventh ODI fifty as he has now raced to 1,495 runs at 28.75. This was his second ODI fifty against Australia and also the second in ODI WCs. Neesham, who also took a wicket in the game, boasts 70 ODI wickets at 35.52.
Highest run aggregated in WC match
A total of 771 runs were scored in the game. This is now the highest run aggregated in an ODI World Cup match. The South Africa-Sri Lanka match in the ongoing edition is the only other WC game to aggregate over 750 runs (754). Overall, the AUS-NZ game aggregated the fourth-most runs in an ODI match.
