London: Australia have strengthened their hold on top spot of the World Cup table and sent a message to another prospective semi-finalist with an 86-run win over a go-slow New Zealand this morning.
On a dry Lord's pitch that unusually had no grass and had deteriorated from the Australia and England clash last week, Usman Khawaja (88 off 129 balls) and Alex Carey (71 off 72) were instrumental in the Australians making 9-243, having collapsed to 5-92 in the 22nd over.
As the umbrellas came out at on a 33-degree day, New Zealand spearhead Trent Boult turned up the heat in the 50th over when he completed the 11th hat-trick in World Cup history, ending Khawaja's patient hand by bowling him and firing out Mitchell Starc and Jason Behrendorff.
In response, the Black Caps – a likely semi-finalist – were rolled for 157 in 43.4 overs. They were far too subdued for their own good and left many bewildered by their perplexing tactics, where they finished with 172 dot balls from 262 deliveries faced.
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When they began to hit out late in the innings, former captain Jeremy Coney, now a BBC commentator, said: "If they wanted to play the big shots, why not play it much earlier?"
Mitchell Starc (5-26 off 9.4 overs) was again superb, becoming the second man behind Glenn McGrath to have at least 20 wickets in successive World Cups. It was second five-wicket haul of this tournament.
Australia's Mitchell Starc, centre, celebrates after Australia defeated New Zealand by 86 runs.Credit:AP
The Australians, with only one loss from eight matches, now have a week-long break before facing South Africa in their final pool-group match in Manchester on Saturday, which could determine their semi-final opponent.
The focus at the home of cricket shifted briefly to Leeds, where England's hopes of making the finals were pushed to the brink after Pakistan celebrated a bizarre final-over victory against Afghanistan.
This means the host nation almost certainly must defeat India in Birmingham tonight and New Zealand on Wednesday to reach the knock out stages, having initially been the pre-tournament favourite.
The Black Caps had a clear plan to build a platform but lost Martin Guptill (20 off 43), caught down the leg side, and Henry Nicholls (8 off 20), trapped LBW, both to Behrendorff, who has become a Lord's specialist after his heroics against England.
The Caps were so sluggish that a whopping 49 of the 60 deliveries in the opening power play were dot balls. They were held to 46 runs off 15 overs, their slowest rate of the tournament, at a time when they needed to find momentum. The pitch took turn, and skipper Aaron Finch even turned to Steve Smith and his leg-spinners.
It was the first time he had bowled in a one-day international since January, 2016, and he had the dangerous Colin de Grandhomme caught at long off – his first wicket since 2014, having managed only six overs since that game against South Africa. He could yet be the wicket-taking second spinner Australia needs alongside Nathan Lyon.
Finch, as he has done all tournament, pulled the right lever when he reintroduced Starc for his second spell. And Starc, as he had done all tournament, delivered a key scalp, this time Kane Williamson (40 off 51), the Black Caps skipper and talisman.
The Australians had privately admitted that Williamson could be too cautious for his own good, and he certainly was here. As the pressure rose, he plonked a Marcus Stoinis delivery for six over mid-wicket for the first six of the match. But Starc would end his stay, inducing a dab from a delivery angled across the right hander that provided a thin edge and regulation catch for Carey.
New Zealand's Ross Taylor hits 4 runs off the bowling of Australia's Pat Cummins.Credit:AP
When Pat Cummins claimed his first wicket in three matches, having veteran strokemaker Ross Taylor (30 off 54) caught off a skied short ball, leaving the Black Caps at 4-118 in the 32nd over, this contest was as good as over.
The Australians had Khawaja and Carey to thank for rescuing their innings with a sixth-wicket, 107-run stand off 129 balls.
Finch won the toss but that Australians soon slipped to 2-40 off 10 overs – their least productive opening power play of the tournament.
David Warner and Finch failed as a partnership for only the second time in eigRead More – Source
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