Usman Khawaja, Mitchell Starc and Alex Carey inspire Australia to heavy defeat of New Zealand

Australia's top order failed, but Usman Khawaja and Alex Carey delivered to rescue a potentially disastrous batting collapse - before New Zealand's batsmen crumbled as Mitchell Starc created more World Cup history.

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Justin Langer sat on the Lord’s balcony and scribbled something in his wearing notebook. Seated next to him was Ricky Ponting.

Australia’s brains trust looked calm, and with good reason. Steve Smith was just seconds away from taking a flying catch to remove New Zealand keeper Tom Latham, leaving the Kiwis 6/125.

It was obvious at that point that the biggest turnaround in world sport was about to roll on. The planet has awoken to the fact that Australia is on course for a sixth World Cup.

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Gone are the doubters who couldn’t see captain Aaron Finch celebrating on that balcony on July 14, lifting the trophy.

But rewind just five months and you would’ve been laughed at for suggesting that.

All smiles for Australia after another convincing World Cup win, this time against New Zealand.

This team had lost 22 out of 26 ODIs and was a mess. Langer’s boys were world cricket’s 50-over cricket’s comedy act.Since then Australia has won 15 out of 16 ODIs, and 20 out of 22 matches when you count the warm ups.

They sit on top of the World Cup table with a 7-1 record and will enter an eighth semi-final with a 7-0 record.

It is a ridiculous turnaround. Against New Zealand last night, Australia fought back from 5/92 to post 9/243 on a used wicket at Lord’s.

In the end it was enough to secure a 84-run win, after choking Kane Williamson’s men with a mixture of tight bowling and clever captaincy.

The Kiwis now require victory against England in their final group game to be assured of a place in the semi-finals. Australia had already qualified, and if it can finish on top of the table, its next two games – against South Africa and the first semi-final – will both be in Manchester.

A win against New Zealand was at long odds early. After winning the toss and batting in 30-degree heat, unmovable openers Aaron Finch and David Warner were both gone in the power-play while Smith (five runs) and Glenn Maxwell (duck) also missed out with the bat.

Usman Khawaja was in the runs again for Australia.

But, as has been the theme throughout the tournament, enough Aussies stepped up to squash the Kiwis.

This time it was under-fire No.3 Usman Khawaja (88 off 129) and, for the second time in a row, Jason Behrendorff (2/31), who took care of both openers.

At 5/79 against West Indies it was Smith (73 off 103), Nathan Coulter-Nile (92 off 60) and Mitchell Starc (5/46) who refused to lay down. Against Bangladesh it was Warner (166 off 147).

Against Sri Lanka it was Finch (153 off 132) with the bat and Maxwell (0/46) with the ball, with the sole spinner’s tidy spell building pressure and delivering wickets for the quicks.

The New Zealand win was one dripping in substance.

Lower order runs propelled Alex Carey to a man of the match award.

Khawaja was dropped by Martin Guptill on naught and then he dug in. It was, at times, more scrappy than stylish, but they were tough runs, and they ultimately proved the difference.

Khawaja rode his luck and Australia rode his runs. Victorian great Cameron White declared on Thursday that the Aussies should drop Khawaja, lock Steve Smith in at No.3 and bat Shaun Marsh at No.4.

The left-hander has been dismissed five times between 10-23 runs as question marks grew over his ability to adapt further down the order.

A sixth failure against New Zealand would’ve grown the temptation to play Marsh against South Africa next week. But Khawaja has now made scores of 88 and 89 in his past three games and looks certain to see out the World Cup.

That spells trouble for reserve batsman Marsh, who, barring injury, is unlikely to play a third game.

Khawaja’s 88 (129) ended with the start of a Trent Boult hat-trick in the final over, which reaped 3/2 as Australia finished 9/243.

It was the left-arm superstar’s second ODI hat-trick as he finished with 4/51, also trapping Australian captain Aaron Finch (eight off 15) with all four of Boult’s wickets attacking the stumps.

Updates

5:57 am June 30, 2019 Highlight

ALL OVER: Australia win by 86 runs

Joe Barton

Starc finishes things off with a short ball, as Trent Boult hooks to Behrendorff at fine leg.

Starc becomes the first man to take three five-wicket hauls in World Cup history.

In the end, a comprehensive victory for Australia and that cements their place alongside India as the heavy favourites at this World Cup.

Who saw that coming six months ago?

Starc finishes with 5-26, stunning figures as New Zealand are rolled for 157 in response to Australia's target of 244.

Australia continue to have just the one stumble at this tournament, the early defeat to India, but since then they've grown and improved and heading to the pointy end of the tournament they have as much momentum as anyone.

Today it was Usman Khawaja (88) and Alex Carey (71) who helped them scrape to a competitive total.

And it looks as though they've found their bowling lineup to take through to the knockout games – Starc, Cummins (1-14) and Behrendorff (2-31) started things off, while Nathan Lyon has also found a home as the team's frontline spinner.

Steve Smith (1-6) even chipped in as New Zealand slumped to a disappointing defeat.

Elsewhere overnight, Pakistan scraped home against the winless Afghanistan to apply the blowtorch to England.

England plays India tomorrow night in a match they need to win to keep their destiny in their own hands.

5:39 am June 30, 2019 Highlight

WICKET: Starc has four as he skittles Ferguson

Joe Barton

Straight and fast. Starc lines up the off stump and sends the zing bails flying.

Lockie Ferguson departs for a three-ball duck.

Another 5fer incoming for Starc?

Trent Boult to the crease with five balls to negotiate…

5:38 am June 30, 2019

Joe Barton

MITCHELL STARC

2015 World Cup:
22 wickets
8 matches
10.18 average
17.4 strike rate

2019 World Cup:
22 wickets
8 matches
16.95 average
19.8 strike rate

— Geoff Lemon Sport (@GeoffLemonSport) June 29, 2019

5:36 am June 30, 2019

Joe Barton

Oh my! Warner has nearly taken the best of the lot – but he just can't quite hang on.

Santner lobbed one over him at mid on and Warner timed his jump to perfection… but couldn't quite get the fingers around it.

Almost truly amazing stuff. Two wickets still required. Nine overs to go.

7:19 am July 29, 2019

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Billy Freeman

One ball after a huge appeal for caught behind was turned down (quite rightly, too, given it appeared to hit the back leg), Ish Sodhi is given out LBW to Mitchell Starc.

He opts to review but it is thudding into the top of middle stump.

He's on his way for 5.

Mitchell Starc has a third, and New Zealand have crumbled to 8-141.

The end is nigh.

5:31 am June 30, 2019 Highlight

WICKET! Starc grabs a third as Sodhi goes LBW

Joe Barton

One ball after a huge appeal for caught behind was turned down (quite rightly, too, given it appeared to hit the back leg), Ish Sodhi is given out LBW to Mitchell Starc.

He opts to review but it is thudding into the top of middle stump.

He's on his way for 5.

Mitchell Starc has a third, and New Zealand have crumbled to 8-141.

The end is nigh.

7:03 am July 29, 2019

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Billy Freeman

Jimmy Neesham departs, the last of the recognised batsmen. He goes for 9 from 22, skying Nathan Lyon while trying to take him to midwicket.

The Aussie spinner doesn't want to take any chances and gets under his own catch, snaffling it.

Three wickets to go for Australia who are closing in on a big, big win over their trans-Tasman rivals.

Ish Sodhi comes to the crease.

5:22 am June 30, 2019 Highlight

WICKET! Lyon claims first World Cup wicket

Joe Barton

Jimmy Neesham departs, the last of the recognised batsmen. He goes for 9 from 22, skying Nathan Lyon while trying to take him to midwicket.

The Aussie spinner doesn't want to take any chances and gets under his own catch, snaffling it.

Three wickets to go for Australia who are closing in on a big, big win over their trans-Tasman rivals.

Ish Sodhi comes to the crease.

6:52 am July 29, 2019

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Billy Freeman

My oh my. This game has had some absolutely incredible catches and that's as good as they come.

Latham smokes one back to Smith at short midwicket off Starc. That's absolutely flying, but there's no worry for Smith who reaches behind himself to pluck it out of the air.

That is unbelievably casual and classy.

Smith has, quietly, had a fairly big influence on this New Zealand innings.

Latham goes for 14.

New Zealand are now 6-125. This chase has fallen in a heap.

5:08 am June 30, 2019 Highlight

WICKET! Smith takes stunner to dismiss Latham

Joe Barton

My oh my. This game has had some absolutely incredible catches and that's as good as they come.

Latham smokes one back to Smith at short midwicket off Starc. That's absolutely flying, but there's no worry for Smith who reaches behind himself to pluck it out of the air.

That is unbelievably casual and classy.

Smith has, quietly, had a fairly big influence on this New Zealand innings.

Latham goes for 14.

New Zealand are now 6-125. This chase has fallen in a heap.