T20 World Cup 2022 result: New Zealand defeat Australia by 89 runs, video highlights
Australia has woken up from its World Cup nightmare - and now knows just how much damage has been done to their title defence. What happens next - and how can they turn it around?
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Australia will have to win six matches in a row to have any chance of defending its World Cup crown following a disastrous first-up annihilation at the hands of the giant-killing kiwis.
On a horror night for the tournament hosts, Australia not only lost but had their net run rate completely belted out of shape in the 89-run defeat at the SCG and now face a do-or-die clash with tournament favourites England next Friday night in Melbourne.
New Zealand had not beaten big brother for 11 years on Australian soil but were almost perfect in every facet as they ended the hoodoo and exacted stunning revenge for last year’s World Cup final after hammering an eye-watering 200 batting first in front of 34,756 silenced fans.
When David Warner managed to drag the ball onto his stumps off the top of his bat in the second over the writing was on the wall, with Australia’s humiliation sealed when three wickets fell in the power play before Glenn Philips launched himself like an Air New Zealand jet to take one of the greatest outfield catches in World Cup history.
The full stretch grab sent Marcus Stoinis packing and the hosts to the precipice, as Australia only narrowly avoided its biggest ever T20 defeat, bowled out for just 111 in 17 overs.
England has the wood over Australia having won six of its past seven T20s including a resounding clean-sweep in the recent warm-up series, but it’s almost certain Aaron Finch’s side will have to overcome that at the MCG on Friday night to stay alive in the World Cup … and even then they will still have their work cut-out.
Net run-rate is so critical in tournament play, and if England and New Zealand win the matches they’re expected to in Group 1, Australia may have to pound the likes of Sri Lanka, Ireland and Afghanistan into submission to rewrite the damage done at the SCG on opening night.
Australia escaped from a similarly improbable group position to win last year’s World Cup, but pulling off another Houdini in cricket’s most fickle format will be a tough road.
The wisdom of Australia’s unfaltering tactic to win the toss and bowl first is under the microscope, after Black Caps openers Devon Conway (92 not out off 58) and Finn Allen (42 off 16) blew Test cricket’s No.1 bowling attack out of the water in the first five overs to showcase the power that runs on the board can provide in the heavy-duty pressure of a World Cup cauldron.
Already selectors may have to ask themselves the first big question of this campaign: must young-gun all-rounder Cameron Green play?
Finch pummeled nemesis Trent Boult for an early four and six but holed out softly for 13 off 11 balls as Mitchell Marsh (16 off 12) threatened but also submitted in the wake of The Everest Australia had to climb – leaving them wishing the bad weather forecast in Sydney had saved them.
Australian captain Finch admitted his team’s prospects of defending its title have taken a massive hit, but is adamant changes don’t need to be made to the starting XI.
“That’s a big loss in the context of the tournament. We were just totally outplayed in all three facets,” he said.
“New Zealand came at us hard with the bat and their bowling was so disciplined, their fielding is always fantastic. It hurts.
“It hurts our net run rate. But you’ve still got to be positive. We still back ourselves to win four and you need a bit of luck along the way.
“We still feel as though we have the right structure of team and the right players to win the World Cup.
“Obviously it’s taken a big hit today with our net run rate … (but) we’ve still got the right structure of the team, there’s no doubt about that.”
Finch concedes destiny may now be out of his team’s hands.
“T20 is a momentum game at times and it can be brutal at times. To be able to not look that far ahead is important. Because you can’t win the tournament if you can’t win the next game,” he said.
“There’s a lot of big things that can distract you if you allow them.
“The fact we’ve lost one game, yes it’s a heavy loss and it hurts our chances no doubt. But we can’t dwell on that. We can’t change it.
“All we can do is concentrate on the next game and prepare really well for that against Sri Lanka (on Tuesday) and see how we go.
“We’ve taken the fate out of our own hands to a point, we need to be ultra-positive, ultra-aggressive and I’m sure we’ll do that.”
FINN FUN
Brendon McCullum’s first over nightmare against Mitchell Starc in the 2015 ODI World Cup has haunted New Zealand for years, but on Saturday night 23-year-old Allen gained sweet revenge for his countrymen.
Allen charged Josh Hazlewood from ball two and in smashing the No.1 T20 bowler in the world for two fours and a six sent the exact message McCullum tried and failed to deliver seven years ago.
The tactics rattled Australia, with few batters possessing the courage to charge down the wicket at a bowler like Hazlewood who can execute his length better than just anyone in the game.
Knocking veteran T20 gunslinger Martin Guptill from the New Zealand XI, Allen announced himself as one of the next big things in world cricket with his game-shaping knock which catapulted the Black Caps to 0-56 off the first four overs.
NO MAXI
Forty eight hours after declaring Glenn Maxwell their most valuable bowler at this T20 World Cup, the ‘Big Show’ was the ‘No Show’ at the SCG.
Maxwell didn’t get to bowl a single over despite the carnage being dished out by New Zealand’s barnstorming openers, with Australia preferring to back in just the five bowlers.
Australian great and Fox Cricket expert Adam Gilchrist theorised on the coverage that Finch’s refusal to go to Maxwell was based on the fact left-handed six-hitter batted through the entire innings with right-handers at the other end.
Gilchrist said the presence of a left and right at the crease meant Finch would not have wanted to gamble on Maxwell who would have been a target for a short boundary no matter what end he was bowled from.
CUMMINS COSTLY
Australia may have some serious thinking to do about its bowling attack after Pat Cummins (0-46) was taken to the cleaners for his most expensive T20 international ever.
Axing one of the greatest bowlers to ever play the game would be a massive call and hugely risky – given Cummins’ record for delivering in the big moments on the big stage.
However, T20 specialist Kane Richardson is sitting on the sidelines for Australia and has a unique skill set which must at least be considered.
RELIVE ALL THE ACTION FROM AUSTRALIA’S CALAMITOUS DEFEAT IN OUR BLOG BELOW
9.23pm - AUSTRALIA CRUSHED BY 89 RUNS
And that’s it! New Zealand win by 89 runs as Australia are rolled for just 111.
That is an old-fashioned beat down whichever way you slice it up, and Australia’s World Cup defence is off to a shambolic start.
That’s Australia’s biggest T20 World Cup defeat, and it was just one-way traffic all night - from the opening over when Finn Allen ripped Mitchell Starc to pieces.
Australia’s top order didn’t deliver, and only Glenn Maxwell (28) and Pat Cummins (21) reached 20.
New Zealand put in a stunning performance and have well and truly humiliated their ‘big brother’. They are well and truly among the leading contenders to lift some silverware next month.
9.10pm - AUSSIES DROPPING LIKE FLIES
This has gone about as badly as you could have dreamt for Australia.
Glenn Maxwell is out for 28, attempting one-too-many switch hits as his off (or leg, as a right hander....) stump gets bent back by Ish Sodhi.
Mitchell Starc lasted seven balls before Trent Boult rattled his stumps. Adam Zampa lasted just two, but suffered the same fate as Boult ran through the Aussie tail.
Pat Cummins has steered them past the 100-mark - but the damage to their net run rate is significant.
Questions will be asked about the lineup after a loss this severe. How can Steve Smith not find a spot in the middle order? Can the in-form Cameron Green spark something?
And then there’s the form of the skipper, Aaron Finch.
They have just three sleeps to work it out before they play Sri Lanka in Perth on Tuesday.
8.55pm - AUSSIES CAPITULATE AFTER DAVID DISASTER
This is shaping as a disaster on many fronts for Australia - and not just because of New Zealand ending an 11-year hoodoo on Aussie soil.
Barring a serious turnaround, they’re on track for a considerable flogging which will leave them with a dangerously poor net run rate. And put them on the back foot for qualifying for the next stage.
Another dagger into the heart of the Australian batting lineup comes with Tim David - the newcomer, the X-factor - becoming Mitch Santner’s third victim when he was snared in the outfield by another fine catch to Jimmy Neeshan.
With Matthew Wade departing for just two - bringing the first of the bowlers, Pat Cummins, to the crease - Australia are 6-82. That leaves 119 further runs off just 46 balls. A task too great, no matter how highly you think of Glenn Maxwell.
A reminder: it’s been 11 years since New Zealand beat Australia IN Australia. It’s been a long wait... and they’re doing it in extraordinary fashion.
8.40pm - KIWI TAKES ALL-TIME SCREAMER
That is the catch of the tournament - call off the search NOW!
Marcus Stoinis departs for a mostly disappointing innings of 7 from 14, punctuated by a handful of missed slog sweeps, but he will remembed that dismissal for a long time I’d say.
Because Glenn Phillips has taken an absolutely magical outfield catch - covering considerable ground after Stoinis skied an offering towards extra cover.
The 25-year-old pulled off a Superman dive, and swallowed the chance with two hands before turning to the SCG crowd and raising his arms in celebration.
And fair play, too, because that was as good as they come.
— adi ✨ || haris rauf cheerleader (@adidoescricket2) October 22, 2022
Meanwhile, it has reduced Australia’s innings to rubble. Approaching the halfway mark of their innings Australia are 4-54. They’re in damage control right now.
8.30pm - AUSSIES IN ALL SORTS AS FINCH, MARSH FAIL
Australia are 3-34 in the fifth over, and well and truly facing an enormous effort to get out the hole they’ve dug for themselves.
It would be Australia’s highest ever successful chase at a T20 World Cup, but that target of 201 is looking a thousand miles away right now.
And they’ll have to do it without Aaron Finch, whose white-ball struggles continued in Sydney as he picked out Kane Williams when trying to take Mitchell Santner over the covers.
He creamed a 100m six off nemesis Trent Boult, but wasn’t able to make any further impact on the match.
And quickly following him back to the dressing room is Mitchell Marsh who loomed as the biggest threat to the Black Caps.
Marsh thundered a six and two fours, but maintaining that tempo was simply too much. He launched into another long-range bomb, but skied it and was caught by Jimmy Neesham near the midwicket boundary to give Tim Southee a second wicket.
Australia are staring down the barrel of a horror defeat now.
8.10PM - WARNER FALLS IN HORROR START
Oh, yes, it can get worse for Australia!
Chasing 201 for victory, they needed everything to go right - and would’ve loved a firecracker innings from David Warner.
Instead, their biggest T20 star lasted just six deliveries before a desperately unlucky dismissal.
Warner pulled a length ball from Tim Southee into his thigh pad and onto the stumps, ending his night on just five.
Aaron Finch needs a bit of a miracle now. Can he explode out of his form slump?
8PM - KIWIS FAVOURED TO ECLIPSE AUSSIES
- By Ben Horne
New Zealand is in the box seat to end its 11-year hoodoo on Australian soil after openers Finn Allen and Devon Conway exploded to leave the hosts stunned at the SCG.
The Black Caps have set Australia a mammoth target of 201 to win in the World Cup opener, with David Warner, Aaron Finch and Mitchell Marsh to be absolutely crucial at the top of the order.
Australia has shown its preference to bowl first in T20 cricket but it backfired on Saturday night with the newest kiwi star Finn firing out of the gates against Josh Hazlewood, smashing the second ball of the innings for six and not slowing down on his way to 42 off 16 balls.
Conway is one of the world’s best run-machines across all formats and carried his bat to post 92 not out off 98 balls to put the defending champions under enormous pressure.
Jimmy Neesham chimed in with a valuable 26 not out off 13 balls, including a six off the last ball of the innings to get New Zealand to the even 200.
Marcus Stoinis and Mitchell Starc helped Australia slow the bleeding in the middle overs, but Adam Zampa’s lbw dismissal of Kane Williamson (23 off 23) actually hurt the home side because with the kiwi captain in the run rate had slowed.
Surprisingly Glenn Maxwell didn’t bowl a single over, with Australia using only the five bowlers despite the carnage being dished out.
It was New Zealand’s biggest ever total in a T20 World Cup.
7.45PM - NEW ZEALAND POST MONSTER TARGET
What an onslaught that was from New Zealand.
Finn Allen ignited the Super 12 stage of this World Cup with a blistering cameo (42 off 16) at the top of the order, while Devon Conway was the anchorman - who only narrowly misses out on a century.
He finishes on 92 from 58 and New Zealand an even 200 for the loss of just three wickets.
It’s New Zealand’s highest total in a T20 WC match - and the second highest by any side against Australia in a World Cup, bettered only by the West Indies in 2012.
“We wanted to throw the first punch,” says Allen, which he most certainly did.
“We’ve done half the job, so hopefully we can finish it off now.”
Josh Hazlewood had two wickets, Zampa one and no bowler had an economy rate under 9 and over.
That was a bloodbath.
7.30PM - HAZLEWOOD GRABS TWO
Josh Hazlewood has been the sole shining light for Australia tonight, and he bags a second scalp as he has Glenn Phillips caught and bowled following a bit of short-pitched bowling.
Phillips, who goes for 12 off 10, was swinging for the fences and just mistimed a hooker as Hazlewood dug it in a bit shorter.
Four overs to go and New Zealand are rapidly closing in on 200.
7.25PM - MYSTERY AROUND MISSING AUSSIE STAR
Aaron Finch has had plenty on his mind tonight, no question.
From almost the first ball Australia have been under assault tonight - and no matter what rein the skipper pulls, there’s been almost no respite.
But with five overs remaining in New Zealand’s first innings, there’s been a mysterious omission from Australia’s attack.
A player who has bowled at least an over in eight of Australia’s past 10 T20 matches, no less.
Glenn Maxwell is a player who is oft described as Australia’s x-factor in this tournament, but the talented all-rounder has not been called on to try and break this innings open for the World Cup hosts.
“I wonder if that got in Finch’s mind and felt he couldn’t confidently go to Glenn Maxwell (knowing that) with a left-hander and a right-hander there would be a shorter boundary (whatever end he bowled at),” said Adam Gilchrist of the Maxwell mystery.
Marcus Stoinis was preferred early, including in the powerplay, conceding 29 runs from three overs as Australia attempted to weather Hurricane Allen.
7.10pm - ZAMPA HITS BACK AFTER ‘BAFFLING’ DRS DISASTER
There’s no taking that one off him - Adam Zampa has bounced back from his wasted DRS review, and prompted one from the New Zealand captain.
Kane Williamson departs from a run-a-ball 23, out attempting a reverse sweep which traps him in front, but not before using up one of New Zealand’s reviews.
There was some suggestion he may have got an edge - but that was nowhere to be found on replays.
“Williamson just got stuck there. They really needed to continue that flying start,” Shane Watson says of Williamson’s more sedate innings.
6.55pm - ‘BAFFLED’ ZAMPA CRUELLED BY DRS
Australia are getting to the point where they need something to go their way.
But DRS has other ideas.
With Devon Conway on 37, Adam Zampa felt he had trapped the big Kiwi dead to rights in front of the stumps - with the ball just rapping the pads before it reached Conway’s bat.
There was no interest from the umpire, or any other Australian fielder, but Zampa was adamant - and managed to convince captain Aaron Finch to throw a referral at it.
But it despite replays confirming it hit the pads first, they also showed the ball sailing over the top of the stumps.
“He’s a bit baffled about that Adam Zampa... and he’s not alone,” says commentator Ian Smith.
“But the fact of the matter it was clearly going over the stumps and it had to hit a decent chunk to be overturned.”
At the halfway mark of their innings, New Zealand are 1-97 and well and truly in cruise control.
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6.40PM - PONTING’S HUGE DAVID PREDICTION
- By Ben Horne
Ricky Ponting has doubled down on his claim Tim David could deliver Australia World Cup history this month.
No team has ever won back-to-back T20 titles, nor has a host nation ever lifted the coveted trophy.
But Australian all-time great Ponting believes power hitting dynamo David – replacing Steve Smith from last year’s World Cup – has the potential to be the difference that wins his side the World Cup at the MCG.
“I’ve watched him really closely. Obviously, he’s been at the Hurricanes for a couple of years now. And all the other domestic tournaments he’s played around the world in the last couple of years, he’s dominated and he’s done it in that in the same role, that five or six finishing role, which is where I felt Australia has always been a little bit deficient,” said Ponting.
“… He’s just the sort of guy, I thought could win them a World Cup.
“He’s fearless. He’s strong. He’s only trained one way for about four years, which is to get bigger and stronger and be able to hit the ball harder. And he knows what his role is.
“We’ve seen glimpses of that over the last couple of weeks how dangerous he can be.
“I just think he’s the right guy to be in that Australian team now because he’s a chance of winning a tournament for you.”
6.25pm - HAZLEWOOD SNARES CRUCIAL FIRST SCALP
Another bowling change - and it delivers a wicket Australia has been desperate for since the opening over when Finn Allen started going bananas.
Josh Hazlewood - who conceded 15 in his opening over - sticks to the formula that has made him the No.1 bowler in the world in this format, and knocks over Allen’s stumps with a fuller delivery.
But much of the damage is done. Allen departs with 42 from just 16 in an explosive opening for New Zealand who are 1-56 in the fifth over.
6.15PM - NEW ZEALAND OFF TO A FLYER
Mitchell Starc is something of a World Cup specialist - boasting an extraordinary record whether it be 50-over or T20 formats - but he was handed a rude shock by New Zealand youngster Finn Allen in the opening over.
Allen thumped Starc for two boundaries and a six as he conceded 14 runs in the opening over of the match.
Starc was replaced in the attack after that one over.
Compounding the pain for Australia, Allen was dropped on 19 - with Adam Zampa grassing a tough chance off Pat Cummins’ bowling.
After just three overs, New Zealand had raced to 0-46 - with Allen a terrifying 35 from 13.
6pm - FINCH VICTORY DELAYS BRUTAL BOULT BATTLE
The anthems are done and dusted - which means we are ready to play cricket under only moderately ominous skies.
And the best news for Aaron Finch is that having won the toss, he’s delayed his battle with Kiwi paceman Trent Boult - who would be licking his lips at the prospect of bowling under lights at a gloomy SCG.
Finch revealed yesterday he employed the artificial left arm of New Zealand’s greatest wicket-taker to try and avoid being humbled by Boult on the World Cup launching pad.
Finch admits Black Cap quick Boult has dominated him over the years but revealed focused sessions with kiwi great and now Aussie assistant coach Daniel Vettori has mimicked the left-arm destroyer ahead of tonight’s clash.
Boult nailed Finch lbw in the third over of last month’s series in Cairns to effectively draw the curtains on the Aussie captain’s stellar ODI career, and the winner of the gripping new ball clash at the SCG could be game-defining.
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