Australia survived a tense chase to beat New Zealand by two wickets in the first ODI cricket match at Cazaly's Stadium, Cairns on Tuesday. The second match is scheduled for Thursd🤡ay (September 8) at the💮 same venue.
Chasing a target of 233 runs, the Aussies were 44/5 in 12 overs, but Alex Carey (85 off 99) and Cameron Green (89 not out off 92) fought back with 🉐a match-winning stand. Green eventually won the player of the award.
For the Kiwis, Trent Boult got four wickets for 40 runs in his spell of ten overs🗹. Fellow pacers Matt Henry (2/50) and Lockie Ferguson (2/60) got a brace each.
Earlier, Australia restricted New Zealand to 232/9 with Glenn Maxwell and Josh Hazlewood taking four and three wickets respectively.
Devon Conway (46), Kane Williamson (45) and Tom Latham (43) got s💜tarts but none managed to build on a goౠod enough innings to test a resolute-looking Aussie attack.
Australia skipper Aaron Finch won the toss and elected to bowl first. Australia are coming off a series win over Zimbabwe. They recalled batter Marnus Labuschagne at the expense of spinner Ashton Agar, while New Zealand named pacer Lockie Ferguson in the playing XI.
Playing XIs
Australia: Aaron Finch (c), David Warner, Steven Smith, Alex Carey (wk), Marn🃏us Labuschagne, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Green, M🐟itchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood.
New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson (c), Tom Latham (wk), Daryl Mitchell, Michael Bracewell, James Neesham, Mitchell Sant🎀ner, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult.
This was th🔯e 139th ODI meeting between the tw൩o teams. Australia lead New Zealand 93-39 in the head-to-head meetings, with seven matches ending in no results. Australia won the last two meetings. New Zealand's last win against the Aussies was in 2017.
The Trans-Tasman rivals will play three day-night matches in Cairns♔.
