Cameron Green guides Australia to victory over New Zealand after batting collapses

Australian have toppled New Zealand after an early collapse that saw captain Aaron Finch’s horror run of form reach an ugly low.

Glenn Maxwell takes a blinder.

Australia have survived two collapses in their batting line-up to defeat New Zealand in the first one-day contest of their series.

After setting the Aussies 233 for victory, the Kiwis got off to an electric start thanks to the lethal bowling of Trent Boult.

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Boult wreaked havoc with the new ball as the Aussies fell to 5/44 before Cameron Green strolled to the crease to join Alex Carey.

Green and Carey shifted the tides of momentum as they combined for a 158-run partnership that had them in the drivers seat.

Carey, with the Aussies 31 runs shy of victory, was sent packing after looping a ball into the hands of Matt Henry.

The Aussies went from total command to nervous times as they lost 3/5 before Green battled through severe cramp.

Adam Zampa joined Green and, despite a momentary rain delay, helped get the Aussies home as the celebrations kicked in. Green finished on an unbeaten 89 his highest international score.

Cameron Green you are our hero.

Australia win!!! #AUSvNZpic.twitter.com/ilw4ZXqdwW

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) September 6, 2022

Australian skipper Aaron Finch’s ugly run of form unfortunately continued on Tuesday night as he was trapped on his crease by a brilliant delivery from Boult.

Finch sent the LBW decision upstairs but it only made the situation uglier, showing the ball would have knocked halfway up middle and leg stump.

Australian cricket great Mark Waugh didn’t mince his words when talking about Finch and his recent struggles.

“At some stage, if he keeps failing this series, I think a call has to be made sooner rather than later,” Waugh said.

“It’s tough, but you can’t last forever. Everyone has their use-by date, no matter how good you are.”

The latest failure adds to an ugly run where Finch has failed to score over 20 runs in his previous six innings. Only once in 2022 has he scored a half century while averaging a paltry 14.08.

Australia capitulated to be 5/44 after 12 overs with Finch, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne and Marcus Stoinis combing for 11 runs.

Fans watching on were quick to call for Finch to perhaps step aside as his failings piled up.

It’s time #Finch#AusvNZ

— Mathew Thompson (@MathewJThompson) September 6, 2022

This is bordering on untenable

— Daniel Cherny (@DanielCherny) September 6, 2022

It's not happening for Aaron Finch at the moment. Never nice to see a player go through this. Lovely delivery from Trent Boult. #AUSvNZ

— Andrew McGlashan (@andymcg_cricket) September 6, 2022

Lowest ODI batting average for an Australian opener in a calendar year (minimum 10 innings):

14.08 - Aaron Finch, 2022
16.68 - David Boon, 1989
23.81 - David Boon, 1990
24.16 - Michael Slater, 1994
24.38 - Graeme Wood, 1982#AUSvNZ

— Nic Savage (@nic_savage1) September 6, 2022

The Big Show has done it again.

Maxwell got Australia off to the perfect start at Cazalys Stadium, holding onto an “unbelievable” one-handed catch.

After Finch won the toss and elected to bowl first in Cairns, the Black Caps were 0/10 in the fifth over when Mitchell Starc found the outside edge of Martin Guptill’s bat, with the Kookaburra flying towards the gully region.

Maxwell quickly shifted to his left, catching the ball behind his body with an outstretched arm to send the Queensland crowd into a frenzy.

The Victorian all-rounder has been touted as one of Australia’s best fielders over the past decade, and Tuesday afternoon’s one-handed grab is a worthy addition to his lengthy highlights reel.

“What a catch! What a standard,” former New Zealand wicketkeeper Ian Smith cried on Fox Cricket commentary.

“Maxwell, who else?”

Former Australian spinner Kerry O‘Keeffe continued: “What a weapon he is in the gully. What a talent.”

Australian teammate Nathan Lyon said: “That is a brilliant catch … it’s such a hard position to field to Starcy, especially when he’s bowling full and he’s bowling fast.

“That’s an unbelievable catch.”

Glenn Maxwell that is OUTRAGEOUS!

Great catch at backward point to remove Guptill!

🇳🇿 1-10#AUSvNZpic.twitter.com/yRCtyZseDB

— Lachlan McKirdy (@LMcKirdy7) September 6, 2022

A blinder from Maxwell. #AUSvNZpic.twitter.com/8QAKMRWMDj

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) September 6, 2022

The beauty of @Gmaxi_32 isn’t just that he creates incredible moments on a cricket field, it’s more how incredibly matter-of-fact he makes them look #AusvNZ

— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) September 6, 2022

But Maxwell’s heroics were far from over, with the 33-year-old taking four wickets to help restrict New Zealand to 9/232 from their 50 overs.

The off-spinner removed Williamson for 45 in the 30th over before rolling through the Black Caps middle-order to finish with 4/52, the second-best bowling figures of his ODI career.