Player of the Match
Player of the Match

Australia win by five wickets with the highest T20 chase in history. What an extraordinary match, even with the short boundaries. That winning six was the 32nd of the match and equals the most in a single game. Phew, I need to catch by breath! And, amid all this, the result means England are still alive in the tri-series. They played New Zealand at Hamilton on Sunday. In a match of 488 runs, did the way Australia finished with the ball win that?

Satish kumar: "This match was more like highlights of that Johannesburg match b/w Aus and SAF"

Jigar: "Finch is a silent contributor of this Aus team. his score of 36* of 14 ball is a clear difference between two team. While NZ middle order failed to accelerate Finch doing it without any fuzz. He can be long term no. 4 for Aus in ODI too."

Peter: "32 sixes in 39 overs..... I guess that is what the T20 crowds want, and hopefully there's not the thinking to make this the norm rather than the exception. But you never know what money can deliver."

Burli: "Can someone crunch the numbers for what extent England need to be New Zealand by on Sunday to get through to the final?" Being worked on now

Man of the match is D'Arcy Short. "Great run chase by the boys. We knew we had the firepower to do it."

Kane Williamson. "It was a very good surface, small ground. We've sometimes seen scores on the lower side here. At the halfway point you feel you have a fairly good score on the board. It's a very tough one, Australia played very nicely. Hard to be too critical of the bowlers. Half hits would go 20 rows back. Any time Mitch plays he's outstanding, you want to have him but injuries happen. All the bowlers will feel it today, tough to swallow, but we need to bounce back. Hamilton will be a different surface."

David Warner "Fantastic effort from the guys, you just have to take the scoreboard out of it. We brought it back slightly [with the ball], a fantastic knock by New Zealand as well. I said from day one to have a lot of energy, keep a smile on your face. Was a fantastic surface. 240 might not be enough in the final! We'll need to think about it. Early wickets are the key."

Well, what an evening that was. I'll wrap things up there. There'll be more reaction on the site over the next few hours. But for now, from Alan and Gnasher, it's goodbye and see you on Sunday.

18.5
6
de Grandhomme to Finch, SIX, that's the match! Finished, aptly, with another six...a full toss is drilled way back into the crowd at long-on
18.4
1
de Grandhomme to Carey, 1 run, full, wide outside off, carved over point to the sweeper
18.3
W
de Grandhomme to Stoinis, 1 run, OUT, steers a full delivery through point, as he made it back for the second? No, he hasn't! A few inches short. Seifert did well to gather the ball and get it back to the stumps

MP Stoinis run out 4 (9m 5b 0x4 0x6) SR: 80.00

Karthik K: "I remember reading an article in Cricinfo regarding how to build a T20 team, looks like AUS selectors hv read that, packed top 7 with 4 power hitters and with couple of accumulators (openers) and an allrounder (Stoinis) and 4 bowlers who cn hit some runs at the end." Here's that piece by Jarrod Kimber

18.2
1
de Grandhomme to Finch, 1 run, goes full, driven in the air into the leg side, lands between long-on and deep midwicket
18.2
1w
de Grandhomme to Finch, 1 wide, a slower short ball, allows it to loop through to the keeper and gets the wide call
18.1
1
de Grandhomme to Stoinis, 1 run, full, wide outside off, driven to deep cover

END OF OVER:
18 | 7 Runs | AUS: 234/4 (10 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 13.00, RRR: 5.00)

  • Aaron Finch29 (12b)
  • Marcus Stoinis2 (3b)
  • Tim Southee4-0-48-1
  • Trent Boult3.5-0-42-1
17.6
0
Southee to Finch, no run, beaten this time as he tries to ramp a short ball to third man
17.5
4
Southee to Finch, FOUR, excellent placement, back of a length outside off, chopped down to third man...the fielder was inside the circle
17.4
1
Southee to Stoinis, 1 run, gets underneath this pull but it lands well short of fine leg
17.3
1
Southee to Finch, 1 run, paddles another short delivery down to fine leg
17.2
1
Southee to Stoinis, 1 run, short of a length, helped behind square on the leg side
17.1
0
Southee to Stoinis, no run, back of a length, misses an attempt pull and gets smack in the stomach

Less than a run-a-ball needed. Mind-boggling.

END OF OVER:
17 | 25 Runs 1 Wkt | AUS: 227/4 (17 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 13.35, RRR: 5.66)

  • Aaron Finch24 (9b)
  • Marcus Stoinis0 (0b)
  • Trent Boult3.5-0-42-1
  • Tim Southee3-0-41-1
16.6
6
Boult to Finch, SIX, that's just a nudge down the ground, full outside off and help over long-on with barely any fuss...a lot happened in that over
16.5
4
Boult to Finch, FOUR, lovely shot by Finch, Boult came round the wicket, was angling into the pads just a touch and it was flicked past short fine leg

Stoinis with the chance to win the game on the scene of his 146

16.4
W
Boult to Short, OUT, top edge, and taken! A short ball, Short goes for the pull, it goes high in the air and Seifert has plenty of time to get around to short fine leg

DJM Short c †Seifert b Boult 76 (84m 44b 8x4 3x6) SR: 172.72

16.3
1
Boult to Finch, 1 run, round the wicket, a wide yorker outside off, calmly steered down to third man
16.2
1
Boult to Short, 1 run, full at off stump, drilled down to long-on and it's caught but won't count

Wheeler takes his cap, the New Zealanders are looking pretty shellshocked at the moment. Well, Boult is going to bowl. Williamson gambling. Free hit to come

16.2
2nb
Wheeler to Finch, (no ball) 1 run, it's all going badly wrong. Finds deep midwicket where it's taken, is it another no-ball for height?! They are checking it...this will be called again, over waist height. Wheeler is out of the attack after those two full tosses

Those two balls could seal the game

16.1
4
Wheeler to Finch, FOUR, oh dear, a full toss wide outside off, a free swing for Finch and he gets a thick edge past a diving wicketkeeper

Free hit

16.1
7nb
Wheeler to Finch, (no ball) SIX, that's costly! A huge full toss, takes a big top edge as Finch swings across the line and it flies down to fine leg

Wheeler will bowl his last over

END OF OVER:
16 | 7 Runs 1 Wkt | AUS: 202/3 (42 runs required from 24 balls, RR: 12.62, RRR: 10.50)

  • Aaron Finch2 (3b)
  • D'Arcy Short75 (42b)
  • Tim Southee3-0-41-1
  • Ish Sodhi4-0-35-1

Caleb: "After 15.1 NZ were 197 (after Stoinis first ball of the over went for 13), and with the Maxwell wicket there is a glimmer of hope. I didn't think NZ poor finish would have any impact whatsoever on the game... but it has... this could still be interesting!"

15.6
1
Southee to Finch, 1 run, short outside off, pulled to deep midwicket...good over for New Zealand
15.5
1
Southee to Short, 1 run, back of a length at off stump, takes a bottom edge and bobbles to the off side
15.4
1
Southee to Finch, 1 run, driven down the ground to long-on
15.3
0
Southee to Finch, no run, beaten first ball, trying to angle a length delivery down to third man...there is a huge appeal for caught behind by Southee. Seifert less excited. No review
15.2
W
Southee to Maxwell, OUT, chopped on! Southee rolls his fingers across this, Maxwell giving himself some room to open up the off side, into off stump

GJ Maxwell b Southee 31 (18m 14b 3x4 2x6) SR: 221.42

Australia 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st121DA WarnerDJM Short
2nd22DJM ShortCA Lynn
3rd56DJM ShortGJ Maxwell
4th18AJ FinchDJM Short
5th21AJ FinchMP Stoinis
6th7AJ FinchAT Carey