Top 5 Australia-New Zealand ODIs of all time

It has been a month-and-a-half of carnival, and as the climax of cricket’s showpiece tournament, we have a fight-out for the World Cup title between the two nations who have jointly hosted the 2015 edition – Australia and New Zealand.Australia have an 85-35 win record against their neighbours in ODIs, and also have the advantage of having played 6 World Cup finals before, having turned out victors on 4 of those occasions.New Zealand have entered every World Cup with the perennial reputation of the ‘dark horse’, but have bowed out modestly each time – with the exception of the 1992 edition, also held in the Australian continent, where a valiant unit led by Martin Crowe had been deposed in the last over of the semi-final by eventual champions Pakistan.As a gauge to what we are in store for on Sunday, or just as a celebration for the famous and infamous moments served up in meetings between them, here is a look at the most exciting ODI matches played out between the two nations:

#1 2015 World Cup, Auckland - NZ

New Zealand’s Corey Anderson and Australia’s Mitchell Starc

Australia and New Zealand have already had an encounter in this World Cup, a Pool A encounter which New Zealand pipped by 1 wicket, courtesy which they topped the group and consigned Australia to fighting for the runners-up spot.

The match was played on a stinging Auckland pitch which offered pace and bounce, and both sets of quicks were being successful in giving vicous swing to the ball, to produce a classic low-scoring encounter which left the audience on the edge of their seats till the last run was scored.

Australia batted first and looked to get on to a positive start. Trent Boult tore into the batting order, announcing his arrival on the biggest stage of international cricket, finishing his 10 overs with figures of 5-27.

Wicketkeeper Brad Haddin came in at 97-6 to top score with 43 and give the score some respectability.

In the second innings, Brendon McCullum and Kane Williamson got off to a solid start, but after the captain’s departure with the score at 78-2, New Zealand collapsed under pressure from Mitchell Starc’s persistent inswingers.

Things went down to the last wicket, as first-innings hero Boult was called upon to stay at the crease long enough for Williamson to take the Kiwis home. No.11 stood his ground for 2 breath-stopping balls, and Williamson hit the winning runs in style.Result – New Zealand win by 1 wicket, 161 balls remaining

Man of the Match – Trent Boult (New Zealand)

#2 Commonwealth Bank Series 2007, Perth - AUS

Daniel Vettori, Brendon McCullum and Jacob Oram

The 2007 series was a high scoring tournament in general, and on this match on the hard WACA wicket at Perth, Matthew Hayden and Ricky Ponting got stuck in – resulting in some fun for the boundary-loving neutral. Hayden and Ponting took their time to settle, but blitzed into the bowlers once they had their measure.

Hayden scored 117 with 15 fours, while Ponting scored 111 with 8 fours and one six. There was also a late flurry in the innings with big hitters Andrew Symonds, Mike Hussey and Cameron White ensuring the top order’s efforts were given a fitting follow-up.

New Zealand managed to keep within touching distance of the required run rate in the chase, but were always heading for trouble losing wickets as regularly as they were.

In stepped Jacob Oram, ‘poor man’s Chris Cairns’, as dubbed by an Australian newspaper prior to the match. With New Zealand chasing the improbable target of 146 from 14 overs with 5 wickets in hand, Oram and McCullum combined to send all 6 Australian bowlers to all parts of the park.

It was a mighty scare Oram (101 off 72) and McCullum (46 off 39) gave the host nation, who had prematurely assumed the match had been pocketed, but the Kiwis fell 8 runs short in the end.

Result – Australia won by 8 runs

Man of the Match – Ricky Ponting

#3 Benson & Hedges Cup 1981, Melbourne - AUS

Trevor Chappell bowling the underarm delivery

The 1981 World Series is best remembered for the underarm bowling incident, a ground-breaking moment in the history of the game – a controversial moment the stench of which has still not left Australia-New Zealand encounters.

For the 2015 World Cup final, we return to the fateful MCG – where Greg Chappell almost 35 years ago had so infamously killed a little bit of the spirit of what is often called the ‘gentleman’s game’.

The match was the third final in a best-of-5 series, with Australia leading the tie 2-1.

Earlier in the day Greg Chappell, when 52, had refused to walk when deep midwicket had claimed what appeared to be a low but fair catch off Lance Cairns; as neither umpire was watching the incident - they said they were looking for short runs - New Zealand's impassioned appeals for a catch were in vain. Chappell went on to score 90.

John Wright and Bruce Elgar got off the run chase to a solid start, raising hopes of Kiwi victory, but then came the infamous incident which has overshadowed all previous events in the match.

Trevor Chappell, the captain’s younger brother, came on to bowl the last over with 15 still needed and four wickets left. Richard Hadlee straight drove the first ball for 4 and was lbw to the second. Ian Smith then hit two 2s before being bowled, swinging at the fifth ball, leaving New Zealand with 6 to tie off the last ball.

Greg Chappell instructed his brother Trevor to bowl the final ball underarm, rolling along the ground, ruling out the faintest possibility of the match being settled and series kept alive by a sensational last ball 6.

As a direct result of the incident, underarm bowling was banned in limited overs cricket by the ICC as "not within the spirit of the game."

Result – Australia won by 6 runs

Man of the Match – None, DEFINITELY NOT Greg Chappell

#4 Benson & Hedges World Series Cup 1988, Perth - NZ

Dean Jones

In the second match of the 1988 World Series Cup, Jeff Crowe’s New Zealand pulled off an upset victory over hosts Allan Border’s Australia – by 1 run and 2 balls left to be bowled in the match – classic edge-of-seat stuff.

Andrew Jones and Martin Crowe starred with the bat for New Zealand who chose to bat first. However, after the dismissal of the two batsmen, the middle order could not add much more to the total, leaving Australia a target of 233.

Richard Hadlee was the star in the second innings, taking 3 wickets for 35 runs.

Dean Jones was the anchor in the Australian run chase, but was run out on 92 – thus throwing the cogs off the Australian innings at the very death. When Jones was ninth out, Australia needed 12 runs for victory from ten balls, but with just 2 runs required No.11 Mike Whitney lofted the fourth ball of the final over to wide mid-off.

Incidentally, this was the only defeat of the season for the Australian team.

Result – New Zealand won by 1 run

Man of the Match – Andrew Jones

#5 Chappell-Hadlee Trophy 2009, Perth - NZ

Kyle Mills celebrates against Australia, 2009

The first match of the Chappell-Hadlee trophy in 2009 was played on the ill-famed Perth pitch where it was the visiting team which trumped Australia to get off to a 1-0 series lead.

Australia chose to bat first, but Kiwi pacers Kyle Mills and Tim Southee, both of whom are in the 2015 squad, stole the spotlight. None of the Aussie batsmen were allowed to settle at the crease.

It was again wicketkeeper Brad Haddin who came in at 54-5, and played a solid hand to assist Michael Hussey to take Australia to 181.

The Aussie bowlers made early inroads in the second innings, but could not find a way to Ross Taylor’s stumps. Taylor built a patient innings of 64 off 97 balls, as partners changed at the other end. He showed great composure to steer the visiting team to a tight victory.

In the end it came down to the last ball, as New Zealand claimed victory in the last ball of the match, by 2 wickets.

Result – New Zealand won by 2 wickets with 0 balls remaining

Man of the Match – Kyle Mills