Four Aaron Finch sixes in one spectacular over catapulted Australia to a game four victory over New Zealand in their five-game Twenty20 series on Friday night.
The Australian skipper hit 26 runs off Kyle Jamieson’s final over of Australia’s innings to post 79 not out off 55 balls as his side set the Black Caps 157 to win, they could only score 106 all out in response.
Finch has now played two consecutive match-changing innings and both have led to Australian wins, with the series tied 2-2 heading into a deciding game five in Wellington on Sunday.
Blustery conditions in Wellington and a tricky wicket kept causing issues for the batsmen on both sides, so Finch’s decision to knuckle down for much of the innings turned the match in his country’s favour.
Australia’s spinners turned the screws on the Black Caps, who never looked a chance of chasing the total with Aston Agar (2-11), Glenn Maxwell (2-14) and Adam Zampa (2-14) all taking wickets.
For 19 of Australia’s 20 overs with the bat, the Black Caps were in charge.
Finch batted like the leader his nation desperately needed. He didn’t hit a boundary between the fourth over and the 13th over as he hit singles and protected his wicket, setting the stage for his last over flurry.
Left-arm seamer Trent Boult (2-27) was good value in his overs claiming the dangerous Maxwell and Agar while spinner Mitchell Santner (1-16) cast a shadow over the visiting batsman with stingy bowling.
Then in the final over Finch took to towering quick Jamieson and in the process turned a low score of 130 into a highly competitive total of 6-156.
