Australia vs New Zealand rivalry is one of the renowned contests in the game of cricket. Both teams comprise star cricketers who demonstrate top skillsets on the field. Furthermore, the neighbors have similar playing conditions. In the past, the venues in Australia and New Zealand used to provide tremendous support to the fast bowler.
However as time has passed, the tracks have become batting keeping the demands of the modern era. But in Australia vs New Zealand 2022 series, we have witnessed the balance between bat and ball. All three games between Australia and New Zealand were not high scoring. Despite having many chances to get advatange, Kiwis could not win a match against Australia. It was a tough outing for the visitors.
Australia vs New Zealand 2022: First ODI
Cazaly’s Stadium hosted the first One Day International between the rivals Australia and New Zealand. The visitors got a chance to bat first against Australia in the contest. Martin Guptill did not live up to the hype and returned to the pavilion on 6 runs. Devon Conway has kept demonstrating his potential on the field. After showing his heroics in the BlackCaps jersey for quite some time, Conway has lived up to the hype in the first One Day International.
He made the opening bowlers Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood frustrated and did not give them his vital wicket. He was looking set on the crease. The captain brought a change and Adam Zampa got him out on 46 runs through the LBW dismissal. Kane Williamson, who is the backbone of New Zealand cricket, tried his best to keep the innings on track. However, he could not make a big score at Cazaly’s Stadium. He got out to a part-timer Glenn Maxwell on 45 runs.
The New Zealand batsmen kept ticking and scored runs in intervals. With the assistance of Tom Latham and Daryl Mitchell on the crease, New Zealand crossed the mark of 200+ runs on the board. But the score was not a great total according to modern-era cricket standards. New Zealand posted a total of 232 runs on the board in the first One Day International.
Chase of 232 Runs, Easy For Australia?
You would expect a team like Australia to chase a total of 232 runs comprehensively in the second innings. That was not the story. The left-handed pacer Trent Boult, who asked to release his name from the central contract, destroyed the core of the Australian batting line-up.
The main batsman returned to the pavilion. Furthermore, the trio of Labuschagne, Smith and Finch did not even enter the double figures. It was looking all dark for the Australian batsmen against the Black Caps. Half of the Australian team was out on 44 runs. Was there any chance of Australia crossing the mark of 100 + marks in the second innings?
There arrived Alex Carey and Cameron Green who started stabilizing things for Australia in the chase. Not only both batsmen saved the wicket from their respective ends but batted with a higher strike rate to keep the scoreboard ticking. Green emerged as a marvel who could bat and bowl. He has a tremendous skillset in both departments of the game.
The partnership of 158 runs made things complicated for Black Caps. Even though New Zealand tried their back to get back in the game taking the wickets of Carey and Maxwell, it was too late. Australia defeated New Zealand by 5 wickets in the first One Day International. On his spectacular performance of 89 runs not-out until the end, Green was awarded the man-of-the-match award.
Second ODI
It has been a time of more than a decade, New Zealand has not won a One Day International game against Australia. The Australia vs New Zealand 2022 ODI series was a perfect opportunity for New Zealand to finally remove the stains. In the second ODI at Cairns, New Zealand again got a chance to bat first against Australia.
The story remained the same for the core of the Australian batting line-up. Australia lost 4 wickets on 26 runs. All the main batsmen like Marnus Labuschagne, Marcus Stoinis, Aaron Finch and David Warner could not produce a notable performance in the second ODI of the Australia vs New Zealand 2022 series.
However, there was one man on the crease who is the backbone of the Australian batting side. Smith started building the innings but could not get fine support from the other end. The wickets were falling from the other end. Australia lost 7 wickets on 111 runs.
Due to the huge pressure, Smith lost his wickets away and Australia was shattered by New Zealand in the third ODI of the Australia vs New Zealand 2022 series. Then came tailenders who started shocking Black Caps. Mitchell Starc demonstrated that he is not only a fine bowler but could provide support to the batsmen in tough times. Despite the contributions by the tailenders, Australia was able to score only 195 runs on the score. The score is below-par according to modern-era standards.
Finally a Victory For New Zealand After a Decade?
New Zealand walked out to the stadium making the strategy to defeat Australia after many years. The bowling attack of Australia is one of the toughest line-ups but the batting side of New Zealand is no less. Starc delivered a thunderbolt and got the wicket of Martin Guptill in the first over. Devon Conway and Kane Williamson could not settle on the crease.
New Zealand lost quick wickets. From one end, Mitchell Starc was bowling astonishingly. On the other end, Sean Abbott was giving a headache to the New Zealand batting side. As if the fast bowlers were not the problem for Black Caps. Australian captain brought Adam Zampa to the attack against the unsettled New Zealand batsmen. Zampa bowled beautifully and produced the important wickets of the middle order.
Both Williamson and Daryl Mitchell could not face the mystery bowling of Zampa. Half of the New Zealand team returned to the pavilion on 38 runs only. New Zealand expected the all-rounders Michael Bracewell and Jimmy Neesham to make runs to help New Zealand get back in the game. But the attacking cricket of Australia turned out to be too much for Black Caps.
Adam Zampa produced a match-winning performance for the Australians. He took a fifer to demolish Black Caps in the third ODI of Australia vs New Zealand 2022 series. The whole New Zealand team was dismissed on 82 runs. Mitchell Starc got the man-of-the-match for his phenomenal all-round performance. He took two important wickets and scored 38 runs in the first innings. Australia won the second ODI vs New Zealand by 113 and led the series by 2-0 after a wonderful win.
Australia vs New Zealand 2022: Third ODI
The series is the other thing, New Zealand has been failing to win an ODI in Australia for many years. The third ODI gave them another opportunity to finally break the record. In the third ODI, Australia batted first at the same venue. David Warner was given rest in the final game as the game was a dead rubber. It was also the final ODI for Aaron Finch as he announced his retirement earlier. Again, the top-order of Australia failed to make an impact in the innings.
However, both classic batsmen Marnus Labuschagne and Steven Smith took the responsibility of building up the innings for Australia. Smith and Marnus picked gaps and kept the scoreboard running after the earlier collapse. They built a partnership of more than 100+ runs. Despite Australia losing the wicket of Marnus, Smith did not panic and kept himself steady on the crease.
He scored a 100 spectacularly which was his 12 century in the format. Due to the masterclass of Steven Smith, Australia was on the way to putting a respectable total on the board. With the support of Carey, Green and Maxwell in the final phase of the innings, Australia posted 267 runs on the board in the final ODI against New Zealand.
The Whitewash
New Zealand took a promising start against Australia and did not fail to put up a show in the final ODI. The first wicket fell on 49 runs. Following the wicket of Conway, Glenn soon returned to the pavilion. New Zealand was again in deep trouble after half of the team returned to the pavilion on 112 runs. The story of misery continued for the Black Caps. However, the partnership between Philips and Neesham gave New Zealand a chance to get back into the game. Both kept ticking the scoreboard but Neesham failed to remain on the crease.
Santer provided scintillating touch in the final phase of the innings but as soon as the partnership was broken between Santer and Glenn, it was one wicket after another for New Zealand. Australia bowled out Black Caps on 242 runs and whitewashed the visitors at home. It was a disappointing outing for the captain Kane Williamson whose side did not win a single game. Smith scored 167 runs in the series which earned him the man-of-the-series award vs New Zealand. Australia won the 2022 ODI series against New Zealand by 3-0.
The ICC ODI World Cup 2023 is coming next year. New Zealand will try to rectify their combination ahead of the mega event. Australia will like to continue its run to gain momentum in the One Day Internationals. Do you want to find out which team has the highest percentage of chances of winning the upcoming ODI World Cup?
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