Cricket: NZ win Chappell-Hadlee

New Zealand celebrate with the trophy after beating Australia. Photo: Getty Images
New Zealand celebrate with the trophy after beating Australia. Photo: Getty Images

New Zealand have won the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy, beating Australia by 55 runs in Hamilton to claim a 2-1 series victory.


Chasing 246, Australia got off to a fast start, but a superb bowling performance saw New Zealand fight back and bowl Australia out for 191.
 
Matt Henry took three wickets, including two key ones through the middle of George Bailey and Mitchell Marsh.

The scalp of Marsh came in controversial circumstances after an umpire review. Marsh appeared to hit the ball into his foot, before it carried through to Henry on the full, who caught it. Henry gave a half appeal and after a lengthy discussion the umpires went to the third umpire, sent Marsh on his way for 41. 

Earlier Ish Sodhi and Doug Bracewell brought New Zealand right back into the match. 

After the bowling attack was knocked around early, Sodhi took two quick wickets and Bracewell one, slowing the run rate and having Australia at 94 for four.

Sodhi claimed the wicket of Steve Smith, after Smith unsuccessfully appealed an lbw decision, before Glenn Maxwell was caught two balls later. He finished with figures of two for 31 from eight overs.

Corey Anderson took two wickets, while Adam Milne and Bracewell claimed one each.

Usman Khawaja was the danger man early, scoring 44 runs off 36 balls, before being dismissed in the 12th over. Earlier David Warner was caught off the bowling of Matt Henry after scoring 16 off 14.

New Zealand were bowled out for 246 in 45.2 overs.

Brendon McCullum gave New Zealand a fast start, blasting his way to 47 off 27 balls in his final one-day international. He was caught at mid-off after getting under a ball, leaving New Zealand at 84 for one at the fall of the first wicket.

McCullum was given a guard of honour by the Australians and was characteristically aggressive, hitting three sixes and six fours. The three sixes saw him bring up 200 sixes for his ODI career.

Martin Guptill and Kane Williamson then added 39 runs, before Williamson, looking to cut, played a ball onto the stumps. He was followed shortly afterwards by Guptill, who was caught at backward square leg after top-edging a sweep. 

That had New Zealand at 131 for three, with the Australians fighting back.

The fourth- and fifth-wicket partnerships saw the Black Caps look to consolidate and got them through to 223 when Corey Anderson fell in the 41st over.

The tail failed to wag though. Grant Elliott was caught in the deep for 50, a ball after Luke Ronchi was caught also trying to take the aerial route. That spelt the beginning of the end for New Zealand, who lost its last five wickets in five overs.

The wickets were shared around the Australian bowlers. Mitchell Marsh claimed three for 34, while Josh Hazlewood, John Hastings and Scott Boland all grabbed two. Spinner Adam Zampa took one, the key scalp of Guptill. 

Earlier McCullum had lost the toss and Australia sent New Zealand in to bat.

The Black Caps are without Trent Boult, who is sick, and Mitchell Santner, who was ruled out with a foot injury. They were replaced by Doug Bracewell and Ish Sodhi. Australia have named an unchanged line-up. 

The Chappell-Hadlee Trophy is on the line, as the Black Caps look to send McCullum out a winner in the deciding fixture of the currently level three-match series.

McCullum has had a memorable career, at times dashing and characterised by his aggressive play. After filling the wicketkeeper-batsman role for the early part of his career, more recently he has focused on batting, while taking over the New Zealand captaincy in 2012.

Known for his tendency to try to get his team off to fast starts while opening the innings, he averages 30.33 with the bat at a strike-rate of 96.03. With 6036 runs, only Stephen Fleming and Nathan Astle have scored more than him in ODIs for New Zealand. He was also the first captain to lead the country to the World Cup final.

While the upcoming test series will be his last hurrah, this will be the last time he represents the country in coloured clothing.

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