Australia end tough home season on winning note

SYDNEY, Feb 15: Adam Voges took a dramatic outfield catch as Australia ended their tough home summer on a positive note with a one-run Twenty20 International triumph over New Zealand at the Sydney Cricket Ground here on Sunday.

With Brendon McCullum (61 off 47 balls) blasting the Black Caps towards the victory target of 151, Voges was more tightrope walker than cricketer on the boundary in the second last over.

McCullum cracked a Ben Hilfenhaus delivery straight to Voges at deep mid-on. The West Australian caught the ball but was overbalancing and feared going over the rope, so he threw it back in the field of play.

In his desperation to get the ball on the full, he tripped on the boundary rope before crawling his way and diving to catch the ball.

The Kiwis never completely recovered from the setback and finished up at 5-149 with Brendon McCullum’s big brother Nathan hitting a four and six off the last two balls.

With Australia flying out to South Africa on Monday morning, skipper Ricky Ponting, Mike Hussey and Mitchell Johnson were all rested and Michael Clarke sat out the clash with a back injury.

The Kiwis were missing Ross Taylor (hamstring) but looked like they didn’t need him for most of their innings.

In New Zealand’s response to Australia’s 150-7, paceman Peter Siddle (2-24 off four overs) warmed up for the tour of South Africa by trapping Martin Guptill in front for a second ball duck and dismissing Peter Fulton for 1.

At the other end Man-of-the-Match Nathan Bracken (0-16 off four overs) turned up the pressure with the Kiwis not scoring a run against him until his 11th ball of the innings.

At 2-27 after five overs, Brendon McCullum took matters into his own hands by cracking a lofted cover drive that despite landing before the rope was signalled as six.

Neil Broom (36 off 26 balls) rejuvenated the Black Caps with his lusty hitting before McCullum started bamboozling Australian fielders.

The spin off his reverse sweep sent Voges the wrong direction but Voges was to end up getting his man.

The wicket-keeper enjoyed a life on 39 with David Hussey dropping a tough caught and bowled chance and the home side paid in the 17th over bowled by James Hopes with 20 coming off it.

That left the Kiwis needing 25 off the last three overs but Bracken allowed just five off the next six balls.

McCullum then smashed a ball to Voges who produced a theatrical effort to take the catch.

New Zealand needed 14 runs off the final over and James Franklin was run out off the first ball of that over by a delighted Haddin.

The Kiwis were just out of the hunt before the older McCullum brother made it the smallest of wins for Australia.

David Hussey (41 off 39 balls) earlier was the top-scorer for the Australians with Kiwi skipper Daniel Vettori (1-23 off four overs) proving as difficult as ever to get away.

Moises Henriques (1) had his first bat for Australia but that didn’t last long, he was run out second ball following a mix up.

Scoreboard

AUSTRALIA:

D.A. Warner c Vettori b O’Brien 23

B.J. Haddin c and b Southee 15

C.J. Ferguson b Butler 8

D.J. Hussey c Broom b Vettori 41

A.C. Voges lbw b Elliott 26

C.L. White c Vettori b O’Brien 16

J.R. Hopes not out 16

M.C. Henriques run out 1

P.M. Siddle not out 1

EXTRAS (LB-1, W-1, NB-1) 3

TOTAL (for seven wkts, 20 overs) 150

FALL OF WKTS: 1-34, 2-38, 3-52, 4-104, 5-128, 6-135, 7-138.

DID NOT BAT: N.W. Bracken, B.W Hilfenhaus.

BOWLING: Franklin 1-0-6-0; Southee 4-0-31-1 (1nb); O’Brien 4-0-34-2; Butler 4-0-30-1 (1w); Vettori 4-0-23-1; N.L. McCullum 2-0-14-0; Elliott 1-0-11-1.

NEW ZEALAND:

B.B. McCullum c Voges b Hilfenhaus 61

M.J. Guptill lbw b Siddle 0

P.G. Fulton c Haddin b Siddle 1

N.T. Broom c Ferguson b Hopes 36

G.D. Elliott not out 23

J.E.C. Franklin run out 3

N.L. McCullum not out 10

EXTRAS (B-3, LB-10, W-2) 15

TOTAL (for five wkts, 20 overs) 149

FALL OF WKTS: 1-5, 2-12, 3-73, 4-131, 5-137.

DID NOT BAT: D.L. Vettori, T.G. Southee, I.G. Butler, I.E. O’Brien.