Aaron Finch’s unbeaten half-century, which included four sixes in one over, has propelled Australia to a series-levelling 50-run victory over New Zealand in the fourth men’s Twenty20 international in Wellington.
Key points:
- Finch scored a staggering 26 runs in the last over of Australia’s innings to finish on 79 not out
- The Black Caps could only manage 106 in reply
- Kane Richardson starred with the ball for Australia via bowling figures of 3-19
Finch’s knock of 79 off 55 deliveries, iced by his astonishing flurry of sixes in the final over of Australia’s innings, saw the visitors reach a modest total of 6-156 behind closed doors at the Wellington Regional Stadium on Friday night.
But any doubts the total could not be defended quickly diminished as the Black Caps limped their way through their reply, eventually finishing all out for 106.
Kane Richardson was the most productive of the Australian bowlers with figures of 3-19.
Three of his teammates claimed two wickets each, with Ashton Agar (2-11), Glenn Maxwell (2-14) and Adam Zampa (2-24) impressing with the ball.
The series is now level at 2-2, with the final match to be played in Wellington on Sunday.
Finch was plodding for most of his innings, reaching his half-century off a pedestrian 47 balls.
At 6-130, he unloaded in the final over, bowled by Kyle Jamieson, crunching two sixes over extra cover, another over long-on and putting the final ball of the innings into the stands over midwicket.
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His half-century followed his fine innings of 69 in Australia’s 64-run triumph over the Black Caps on Wednesday night.
Finch’s final over brought more runs than every partnership he shared with Australia’s established batters, as Matthew Wade (14), Josh Philippe (13), Maxwell (18) and Marcus Stoinis (19) all struck out trying to up the run rate.
AP: John Cowpland
)Agar, batting at six ahead of Mitch Marsh, looked at sea and was bowled for a third-ball duck, with Marsh following shortly after for 6.
At that point, Finch realised the innings was on his bat, upping his strike rate beyond 100.
He also moved past the absent Dave Warner to become Australia’s all-time leading T20 international run scorer and just the fifth man to clock 100 international T20 sixes.
Fresh from his Australian men’s T20 record 6-30, Agar opened the bowling as Finch kept the ball in his tweakers’ hands for nine of the opening 13 overs.
Agar had Martin Guptill (7) caught in the deep early, while Maxwell lured Kane Williamson (8) into an errant sweep.
Under pressure to up the run rate, Glenn Phillips (1) ran himself out to leave the Black Caps stranded at 4-41 after 10 overs.
From that point, the Black Caps were effectively out of the contest, ruing a loose finish with the ball that turned the match.
The series will be decided at the same venue, with spectators allowed back in the stands after the easing of New Zealand’s COVID-19 restrictions.
AAP/ABC
