NZ vs AUS | Mitchell Marsh leads from front as Australia kickstart New Zealand tour with thumping win

‌Australia began the three-match T20I series against New Zealand with a dominant six-wicket win in Mount Maunganui on Wednesday. Skipper Mitchell Marsh headlined a clinical show from the visitors with a match-winning fifty to overshadow Tim Robinson’s maiden T20I century, earlier in the game.

The Kiwis had a forgettable start to the game after being put in to bat, under windy conditions, by Aussie skipper Mitchell Marsh at Bay Oval. Opener Tim Seifert was dismissed by pacer Josh Hazlewood in the second ball of the game, while Ben Dwarshuis uprooted the stumps of the other opener Devon Conway. The left-arm seamer made it two in two balls as Mark Chapman departed for a first-ball duck to make it 6/3 inside two overs. But new batter Daryl Mitchell did not back down as he hit a four and six in Dwarshuis’ second over, which cost 14 runs. Soon, Tim Robinson also repeated the feat against Marcus Stoinis as the Black Caps ended the powerplay at 49/3. The pair continued to find boundaries, even after the introduction of spin from both ends, with Tim Robinson completing a 31-ball fifty in the ninth over. But Mitchell (34) holed out in the deep, against the run of play, as off-spinner Matthew Short ended the 92-run fourth-wicket partnership. That slowed down proceedings as the home side could manage just 43 runs in the six overs between 10 and 16. But Robinson peaked at the right time to power the Kiwis to 181/6 in their allotted 20 overs. He smashed five sixes and six fours to remain unbeaten on 106 off 66 balls, while Dwarshuis ended with 2/40 in four overs.

Marsh started the visitors’ pursuit in perfect fashion, scoring two fours each in the first two overs from Matt Henry and Jacob Duffy. From the other end, Travis Head welcomed Kyle Jamieson into the attack with three boundaries in a 14-run over. Two more big overs followed as Australia ended the powerplay at a commanding score of 68, despite losing Head (31 off 18) in the sixth. The Aussies continued the surge even after the fielding restrictions were lifted, with new batter Matthew Short tonking Jamieson for a four and six in his second over. Meanwhile, Marsh brought up his fifty in 23 balls, with back-to-back sixes off Zakary Foulkes as the Aussies went past the 100-run mark in just the ninth over. Marsh continued to haunt the Kiwis with his big hits before making his way back in the 15th over. He tonked five sixes and nine fours during his 43-ball 85 as the visitors were left with a target of 25 in last 34 balls. From then on, it was a mere formality as Tim David and Marcus Stoinis took the side to 185/4 with 21 balls to spare. All the Kiwi bowlers except captain Michael Bracewell went above 10 runs an over, with Henry picking up 2/43 in his four overs.