New Zealand v Australia second T20 scorecard, highlights

Mitch Marsh hailed Adam Zampa as the main man in Australia’s T20 side after he spun the Aussies to a series-clinching victory over New Zealand at Eden Park.

Australia’s bowlers sliced through some reckless New Zealand batting on Friday to win the second Twenty20 international by 72 runs in Auckland and clinch the three-match series.

Leg-spinner Adam Zampa knocked over the middle order to finish with 4-34 as the home side were skittled for 102 in 17 overs at Eden Park.

New Zealand lost early wickets and always looked unlikely to match the visitors, who were dismissed for 174 in the final over.

Only Glenn Phillips provided resistance with 42 but New Zealand’s hopes were buried when he was caught at long-on off Zampa in the 14th over.

Australia captain Mitchell Marsh said he was worried his team hadn’t scored enough but was delighted with their bowling, with the T20 World Cup coming up in June.

Adam Zampa was one of Australia’s matchwinners. Picture: Michael Bradley/AFP

Mitch Marsh gets in on the act with a wicket. Picture: Hannah Peters/Getty Images

“A great win for Australia. Our backs were against the wall, I thought we were probably 50 short but the way our bowlers performed was outstanding,” said Marsh, who praised the match-winning prowess of Zampa.

“I’ve said it so many times before — he’s probably the most important player in this team. He was brilliant again.”

The Black Caps’ cause wasn’t helped by a thumb injury suffered in the field by Devon Conway, which prevented the opener from batting.

The injury, sustained while he was wicket-keeping, may place Conway in doubt for Sunday’s third match in Auckland.

Captain Mitchell Santner said X-rays showed Conway hadn’t suffered a fracture and he hoped the experienced batsman would be available for the two-Test series starting next week in Wellington.

The Kiwi bowlers had earlier put their side in a strong position. Picture: Michael Bradley

Santner praised his bowlers but said the batting effort lacked discipline. He promoted himself up the order but that experiment failed and he was one of eight New Zealand batsmen who didn’t go past 10 as they fell to a succession of loose shots.

“We were pretty happy at halfway but they bowled extremely well,” he said.

Earlier, opener Travis Head blazed 45 runs off 22 balls after Australia were sent in but they stumbled through the middle stages in the face of brilliant bowling from paceman Lockie Ferguson.

Ferguson claimed 4-12 from 3.5 overs as Head’s dismissal sparked the loss of five quick wickets after Australia had been 84-1 in the seventh over.

Other notable scores were 26 from Marsh and a late 28 from player of the match Pat Cummins.

Santner, Adam Milne and Ben Sears all took two wickets each for the hosts

SECRET MEANING BEHIND KIWI CROWDS’ WARNER ABUSE

Robert Craddock

David Warner copped heaps from a rowdy crowd as he walked off after the first T20 in Wellington this week, but at least there was no sign of a flying toilet seat.

Or a flying fish. Or a sauce bottle.

All of those three have been thrown in the direction of Australian outfielders during colourful, turbulent confrontations with New Zealand on Kiwi soil.

Darren Lehmann once recalled having said toilet seat and fish thrown at him while fielding in New Zealand, while Stuart Law copped the sauce bottle.

Matthew Hayden was spat at.

David Warner was heavily booed after leaving the field in Wellington this week. Picture: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images.

It’s been heavy weather at times but Australia cannot complain because over the years Australia’s behaviour towards touring teams – admittedly more England than New Zealand – has been patchy to say the least.

Some touring teams consider Australian crowds to be the most challenging in the world.

Former New Zealand captain Ken Rutherford believes the abuse directed at Warner should be seen as a “reverse Richard Hadlee’’ and is actually a sign of hidden respect.

Rutherford toured Australia with the great paceman Hadlee in the mid-1980s when the “Hadlee’s a wanker’’ chant deeply affected the fast bowler to the point where he wrote a column questioning the parenting performance of those responsible for raising people who joined in the chant.

“In a way it is actually a compliment for Warner because I think Kiwi crowds quite like the type of player he is,’’ Rutherford said.

“It was like the day (Australian rugby hooker) Phil Kearns got stuck in (with a two fingered salute to the All Blacks after scoring a try). People actually enjoyed that because Kearns showed some fight and spirit.’’

Warner blew a kiss to the crowd at Wellington and Rutherford, now based in Brisbane as the boss of the Albion Park Harness Racing Club, believes that was the best way to handle it.

Hadlee’s nerves settled after a chat with Greg Chappell who told him to calm down and stop poking the bear.

“You are part of the problem the way you just keep talking about it and firing back – just let and it and it will go away,’’ Chappell told Hadlee.

Originally published as New Zealand v Australia second T20 scorecard, highlights