Trent Boult registered career-best figures as New Zealand beat Australia by 24 runs at Hamilton to win the three-match series 2-0. Boult disturbed the Aussie middle-order to make the chase tougher and then cleaned up the tail to help New Zealand get their hands back on the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy.
Earlier, Ross Taylor equalled the New Zealand record for most tons in ODIs as he helped New Zealand to 281. Dean Brownlie, playing his first game since 2014 and Mitchell Santner gave him good support on a decent batting strip.
Despite Aaron Finch and Travis Head helping themselves to half-centuries, Australia never got the chase going although Stoinis scared the Kiwis by starting his innings in a promising manner. However, he was dismissed for 42 and some late order hitting by Starc and Cummins could not match Boult's accurate bowling at the death.
Extra Cover: Stats: Australia vs New Zealand 3rd ODI: Ross Taylor equals Nathan Astle's record as NZ seal series
Brief Scores: New Zealand 281/9 in 50 overs (Taylor 107, Brownlie 63, Faulkner 3/59) beat Australia 257/10 in 47 overs (Finch 56, Head 53, Boult 6/33)
Result: New Zealand won by 24 runs
Here is a look at the talking points from the final ODI at Hamilton.
#5 Ross Taylor equals New Zealand record in ODIs
Ross Taylor slammed his 16th ODI ton to equal the Kiwi record for most hundreds in One Day Internationals. The middle order batsman came in with the team at 76/2 in the 15th over.
He and Brownlie put on a 100 run partnership from thereon and Taylor continued to revel even after the opener was dismissed. He handled Hazlewood with aplomb, smashing him for pulls and using his wrists to great effect to counter his straight balls.
Taylor helped himself to a ton even though he kept losing company at the other end. Santner, however, lent a stable hand down the order and helped New Zealand to a winning total.
#4 Starc shows all-round skills
Australia are never short of all-rounders and Mitchell Starc chose the right time to put up his hand with some all-round skills. Starc is known for his big hitting abilities and has even scored a 99 in a Test in India.
Starc started out brilliantly with the ball, dismissing Tom Latham with a fullish delivery. He returned to pick out two more in the final over of the game to close off the Kiwis innings.
He then put on a display with the willow in hand, walking in with Australia needing 84 to win. Cummins was playing a cameo himself and Starc took cue from him to hit some lusty blows off Santner. Unfortunately, he ran out of partners and remained stranded on 29.
#3 Dean Brownlie makes his comeback count
Dean Brownlie was a forgotten man in International Cricket after 2014, when he last represented the Black Caps. Replacing the injured Martin Guptill, Brownlie went on to make his first ODI fifty.
After losing Latham and Williamson, Brownlie found some able company in Ross Taylor with whom he put on a century partnership. However, on 63, he tried to drive Faulkner only to nick behind to the keeper.
With the Champions Trophy coming up, New Zealand could use a backup opener and Brownlie, with his prior experience could fit the bill as the reserve batsman. He is also capable of batting in the middle-order, where he normally plays and could become play a role similar to Grant Elliott in the 2015 World Cup.
#2 Australia find another reliable hand in Travis Head
Travis Head has been a formidable opening partner to David Warner in ODIs of late. With Finch and Shaun Marsh available, Head was shifted to no.4 but the runs did not stop coming.
He made yet another half-century, his 5th in ODIs as he tried in vain to help Aussies scale the target. Head had finished the Pakistan series with a superb hundred opening the innings but shifted gears easily coming in the middle order.
Although he did not bowl in this game, his bowling is also turning out to be a valuable asset to Australia. He can be the floater in the batting line-up if Australia decide to take Finch to the Champions Trophy to partner Warner.
Also Read: New Zealand vs Australia 2017: Who said What to New Zealand's win in the third ODI
#1 Trent Boult registers career best figures
New Zealand have two reliable opening bowlers in Tim Southee and Trent Boult and one of them inevitably delivers. It was Boult's turn today as he scripted a Kiwi victory by continuously chipping away at the Aussie line-up.
The left arm seamer picked his first by cleaning up Peter Handscomb, the no.3 in the absence of Steven Smith. He then proceeded to remove Travis Head and James Faulkner in the same over to trigger a middle-order collapse.
When Cummins and Starc launched a late order scurry towards the target, Boult stalled the Aussies by dismissing Cummins and then removed Zampa and Hazlewood to finish the game and series for New Zealand.
Brand-new app in a brand-new avatar! Download CricRocket for fast cricket scores, rocket flicks, super notifications and much more! 🚀☄️
