T20I tri-series: Australia vs New Zealand, 5 talking points 

The first match of the T20I tri-series, featuring England, Australia and New Zealand, held between the two Tasmanian nations ended with Australia romping home to a 7-wicket win.

Sending New Zealand to bat first, the Kiwis were never really able to gather momentum and could manage just 117/9 in their allotted overs. Chasing 95 to win in 15 overs, after rain thrashed the Sydney Cricket Ground in the innings break, Australia faced early hiccups but eventually got to the target with 21 balls to spare.

Here are the 5 talking points from the match.

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#1 Billy Stanlake thwarts the Kiwi openers

With Martin Guptill and Colin Munro in roaring form, much was expected from the Kiwi openers in the first match of the tri-series. However, they were never really able to garner momentum once Billy Stanlake came out to bowl. In the first delivery that he bowled in the innings, he dismissed Munro, who was unable to detect the pace on the short ball. The batsman went for a pull but edged it to wicket-keeper Alex Carey, as Stanlake picked up his first T20I wicket.

The very next delivery he got Guptill, who remained caught up in the crease while defending a ball that nipped away and Stanlake was on a hat-trick! He later picked up Tom Bruce as well with a delivery that was sent down at 143 kmph, and with New Zealand struggling at 16/3, the hosts seemed in deep trouble.

#2 An effort by Colin de Grandhomme to get New Zealand back in the game

Colin de Grandhomme came out to bat with the scoreline reading 60/5. Along with Ross Taylor, who made 24 in 35 deliveries, de Grandhomme took the score to 90, before Taylor perished to Ashton Agar. Left all alone with the tough responsibility of guiding his team to a competitive total, de Grandhomme raced away to an unbeaten 38 in just 24 deliveries, with a boundary and three maximums.

But with wickets falling at the other end, he could do but little and eventually his team could only manage 117, which hardly proved a challenge for the hosts.

#3 Andrew Tye cleans up the New Zealand tail

Even as de Grandhomme was trying desperately to bring respectability to the Kiwi innings, he failed to get adequate support from the other end. After Stanlake had ripped through the top-order, Andrew Tye emerged to wipe out the tail and thus eradicate any hopes of a late flourish.

He dismissed Kane Williamson in the second ball of his spell and returned to send back Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee and Ish Sodhi in the span of 11 deliveries.

Even though de Grandhomme smashed him for a six it barely affected his concentration, as he ended the game with figures of 23/4 in his quota of overs.

#4 Loss of early wickets causes flutters in the Aussie camp

The target of 95 in 15 overs, revised according to the D/L method, was not nearly enough to challenge the strong Australian batting line-up, but the fall of D'Arcy Short and David Warner in the space of two deliveries, with the scorecard reading just 10, did send shockwaves through the Australian dressing room.

While Tim Southee dismissed Short, Boult had the wicket of Warner and murmurs of a tight encounter started doing the rounds.

#5 Chris Lynn and Glenn Maxwell take the side home

Glenn Maxwell came together with Chris Lynn to rescue Australia from a jittery position, with the scoreboard at 10/2. The duo put on 77 runs in just 53 deliveries, and was particularly harsh on the spinners, Sodhi and Santner. While Lynn scored 44 in 33 deliveries, Maxwell remained unbeaten on 40, which was scored in just 24 balls.

Not only did they display why they are regarded as such brutal players in the format, but they also showed maturity whilst guiding the team from an uncomfortable situation towards safety.