Super Over Twenty20 thriller
NEW Zealand won a thrilling Twenty20 against Australia in Christchurch after the Super Over was required to split the two sides
With both tied on 214 runs at the end of 40 fascinating overs the match headed for the sudden-death tie-break and Tim Southee, who bowled superbly at the death for the hosts, stepped up and delivered.
He restricted Australia, who used Cameron White, David Warner and Brad Haddin, to six for one off his six deliveries and then watched as the pressure got to visiting fast bowler Shaun Tait who fired down two wides as man-of-the-match Brendon McCullum and Martin Guptill made nine for no loss in New Zealand’s over to give them the win to level the series 1-1.
McCullum was simply outstanding from start to finish at AMI Stadium. His unbeaten 116 spearheaded New Zealand’s innings as they looked to rebound from the disappointing display in Wellington two days ago.
For a while the target of 215 looked as though it would be too much for Australia but 47 from Brad Haddin and half-centuries from Michael Clarke (67) and the big-hitting Cameron White (64 not out) left the game in the balance with three overs to go.
But Southee produced a fine spell of bowling at the death with White and Clarke unable to get the 12 runs required from the final over, sending the match into an elimination over finale.
The highlight of the match though was McCullum’s maiden Twenty20 century.
He attacked from the off and smacked the ball to all parts of the ground and such was his skill that he was scooping sixes and boundaries behind the wicket off express paceman Tait at the end.
His 100 in 50 balls (six sixes and 12 boundaries) matched Chris Gayle’s record effort against South Africa in September 2007 but the New Zealand wicket-keeper could not knock the West Indian off the top of the highest Twenty20 scores list, finishing unbeaten on 116, one run shy of Gayle’s total.
But his eight huge sixes were the most by a New Zealander in an innings – surpassing Jacob Oram’s six against Australia in 2007 – and third on the all-time list behind Gayle (10) and Loots Bosman (nine). (Eurosport)