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.

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

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