New Zealand 152 for 9 (McCullum 50, Williamson 45*, Starc 6-28) beat Australia 151 (Haddin 43, Boult 5-27, Southee 2-65, Vettori 2-41) by one wicket
The most anticipated match of the World Cup thus far lived up to the hype surrounding the match in its own unique way.
New Zealand and Australia, the two host-countries were expected to put on a show with runs flowing and stumps flying. 300 runs were scored as expected, yet these 300 were combined for 19 wickets. Once Australia were bowled out for 151, the game seemed done and dusted. However, the low scoring match turned out to be a World Cup classic with New Zealand completing the run chase with just one wicket left via a Kane Williamson six.
Australia came out all guns flying, racing to 30 off the first 13 balls with Aaron Finch lofting Tim Southee deep into the Eden Park stands before being bowled through the gate next ball to send the Auckland crowd into raptures.
Brendon McCullum, often praised for his innovative captaincy, then took a risk by bringing Daniel Vettori on in the 6th over of the powerplay with only two men allowed outside the fielding circle against the big-hitting David Warner. The tactic was effective as the runs dried up and Warner and partner Shane Watson hit just one boundary in the subsequent seven overs before Watson looked to break the shackles. The Australian number three could only pull a short delivery from Vettori to deep mid-wicket where Southee took a simple catch.
Southee was involved the very next ball as he trapped Warner LBW for 34 with a review confirming the umpires decision correct.
The returning Michael Clarke combined at the crease with the new Test captain Steve Smith to attempt to steady the Australian innings. However, they only combined for 15 runs before Smith edged Vettori behind to former Australian wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi to give Vettori a second wicket. The collapse was now underway.
From 95-4, Australia slumped to 106-9 as they were struck by a lightning Boult.
In the space of three overs, Boult figures had moved from 5-0-24-0 to 8-2-25-5. Glenn Maxwell and Mitchell Marsh both dragged delivieries outside their off stump back onto their stumps in the 18th over to fall for one and a duck respectively before Clarke attempted a drive that lobbed slowly to Kane Williamson at short extra-cover in the 20th over.
In the 22nd over, Boult took his next two wickets to complete an outstanding five-for as Mitchell Johnson drove on the up to Williamson again at short extra-cover before Mitchell Starc saw his middle-stump dislodged as an outswinging delivery beat his nervous defensive prod.
Only some trademark lower-order hitting from Brad Haddin who hit an attacking 43 pushed the Australians over 150. Haddin was the last wicket to fall as he hit Corey Anderson's first ball for six and then attempted an expansive cover-drive but a thick outside-edge could only find short third-man where subsitute fielder Tom Latham held a smart catch.
151 seemed routine. Even more so when Martin Guptill took ten off the first two Mitchell Johnson deliveries. Johnson would ultimately bowl six overs for 68 by the end of the game.
Somewhere Steve Finn would have been watching gleefully as McCullum demonstrated his explosive power and proved that it's not just the England bowler that can be ruthlessly dismantled. McCullum bludgeoned his way to a 24-ball 50 either side of Guptill being dismissed by Mitchell Starc for 11. McCullum departed with over the total achieved when he lofted a catch to mid-off where Starc was waiting to take an easy catch. 78 runs had been scored but Starc was on the prowl.
Starc took six wickets, four of them bowled, as the New Zealand middle-order did their best Australia impression by allowing the middle and lower-order to vanish without trace.
Ross Taylor and Grant Elliott were both bowled in consecutive deliveries for one and a duck respectively before Williamson and Corey Anderson combined for a crucial 52-run partnership that edged New Zealand closer to victory before Anderson slog-swept a Maxwell delivery to Pat Cummins on the boundary to leave New Zealand requiring 20 runs with five wickets left.
Once Cummins had swiftly removed Vettori with a low-full toss chipped to mid-on, Starc took aim on the New Zealand lower-order. Luke Ronchi was dismissed attempting to evade a vicious bouncer that he could only glove to wicketkeeper Haddin. In his next over, Starc was on a hat-trick as two full, inswinging deliveries were too good for Adam Milne and Tim Southee who were both removed for ducks. Six were still needed and Starc had two deliveries at number 11 Trent Boult. Boult survived to leave Cummins to bowl at Kane Williamson.
Williamson had looked assured amidst the chaos of falling wickets and he kept his nerve to loft Cummins first-ball down the ground and into the sightscreen for six to give New Zealand the tightest of victories in an exceptional match. Williamson finished on 45 not out whilst Starc claimed 6-28 and was unlucky to be on the losing side.