Cricket

Australia edge New Zealand by five runs in World Cup epic

Australia are closing in on a World Cup semi-final berth after a pulsating five-run win over New Zealand.

Five-time champions Australia edged out gallant New Zealand by simply five runs in a high-scoring World Cup thriller on Saturday.

Australia piled up 388 all out as Travis Head high scored with 109 and fellow opener David Warner made 81.

New Zealand battled onerous with Rachin Ravindra making 116, Daryl Mitchell including 54 and Jimmy Neesham supplying late fireworks with a 33-ball fifty.

In a dramatic ultimate over performed out in the shadow of the Himalayas, New Zealand wanted 19 to win.

Trent Boult scampered for a single earlier than Mitchell Starc donated five wides.

Neesham, one of many stars of the 2019 ultimate which New Zealand misplaced to England, then took six runs off the subsequent three balls.

However, making an attempt one other two, he was run out from a tremendous throw by Marnus Labuschagne from the fence.

That left Lockie Ferguson, who had injured his Achilles in the sphere, needing to carry out the heroics off the final ball.

Starc fired the ball in on a full size and Ferguson may solely push it to the covers, leaving the Kiwis stranded on 383-9.

The outcome left each side with 4 wins and two defeats every and well-placed for the semi-finals.

Earlier, Head, enjoying his first match of the event after being sidelined with a damaged hand, reached his fourth one-day worldwide hundred off 59 balls with 10 fours and 6 sixes.

The 29-year-old had introduced up his 50 off 28 balls after which made essentially the most of being dropped on 70 and 75.

He was ultimately clean-bowled by off-spinner Glenn Phillips with Australia reaching 206-2 on the midway stage.

With Warner, Head had placed on 175 in the primary 20 overs earlier than his veteran accomplice was dismissed.

– Head, Warner blitz –

Warner, who turned 37 on Friday, had been on the lookout for a 3rd successive century however ultimately fell for 81 when he chipped a catch again to Phillips.

Phillips then accounted for Steve Smith (18) as he claimed career-best figures of 3-37 earlier than fellow spinner Mitchell Santner obtained in on the act.

Santner beat the defences of Mitchell Marsh (36) and the left-armer then dismissed Labuschagne (18) after the batsman had been dropped on one.

Neesham had middle-order dangerman Glenn Maxwell caught at long-off by Trent Boult for a 24-ball 41.

Maxwell had come into the match contemporary from a World Cup file 40-ball hundred towards the Netherlands.

Josh Inglis raced to a 28-ball 38, placing on 62 for the seventh wicket with skipper Pat Cummins (37).

In reply, New Zealand, runners-up in the final two World Cups, noticed Will Young (32) and Devon Conway (28) placed on 61 for the primary wicket earlier than each fell to Josh Hazlewood.

Mitchell hit his third fifty of the event to observe his 130 final outing towards India however fell on 54 when leg-spinner Adam Zampa had him holing out to long-on together with his crew on 168-3 after 24 overs.

Mitchell placed on 96 for the third wicket with Ravindra.

The 23-year-old Ravindra, who scored 123 in the opening win over England, reached three figures from 77 balls with seven fours and five sixes.

But with New Zealand needing 97 to win off 60 balls, Ravindra was caught in the deep off Australian skipper Pat Cummins for a tremendous 116.

That left the Kiwis on 293-6 however they battled onerous to take the sport to the ultimate over thriller.


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