Head smashes hundred on his comeback as Australia win thriller against New Zealand

28.10.2023 - 15:01 thenationalnews.com

Travis Head's rapid hundred trumped Rachin Ravindra's gallant 116 as Australia beat New Zealand by five runs in the highest-scoring match in World Cup history to stay on course for a semi-final slot in the 50-overs tournament on Saturday.

Head, who missed the first five matches of the tournament with a broken hand, smashed 109 off 67 balls and forged a breakneck 175-run opening stand with David Warner (81) to propel Australia to a commanding 388 all out at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium.

Glenn Maxwell (41), Josh Inglis (38) and skipper Pat Cummins (37) provided breezy cameos down the order before Australia were all out in 49.2 overs.

Glenn Phillips was the pick of the bowlers, picking up 3-37, while Trent Boult took 3-77 and Mitchell Santner 2-80. Ravindra led New Zealand's spirited reply with his second hundred of the tournament and Daryl Mitchell made 54 to steady their innings.

Australia Cricket cricket world cup 2023 comeback on as David Warner Pat Cummins Glenn Maxwell Josh Hazlewood Josh Inglis Adam Zampa Trent Boult Daryl Mitchell Glenn Phillips James Neesham Australia New Zealand county Travis county Mitchell

MUMBAI : New Zealand batsman Daryl Mitchell has rejected criticism of the Black Caps for coming to the aid of India's Virat Kohli during Wednesday's World Cup semi-final loss, saying the team took great pride in the way they went about the game.

Head to the fore as Australia set up World Cup final against India

KOLKATA: Travis Head starred with bat and ball as Australia set up a World Cup final clash with India after a tense three-wicket win over South Africa in Kolkata on Thursday. Chasing a tricky 213 for victory, Australia wobbled after Head hit 62 but Steve Smith (30) and Josh Inglis (28) helped the five-time champions reach their target with 16 balls to spare in the second semifinal in Kolkata. As Australia reached an eighth World Cup final, South Africa were left to rue a fifth semifinal loss despite David Miller’s 101. Australia slipped to 137-5 and then 193-7 before Mitchell Starc (16) and skipper Pat Cummins (14) kept their nerve to steer the team home. Left-hand batsman and part-time off-spinner Head stood out after taking two wickets and then with his 48-ball innings laced with nine fours and two sixes. Australia were in trouble when they were five down as spinners Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi struck in quick succession to rattle the middle-order. Maharaj bowled Head, who was dropped on 40 and 57, and Shamsi, a left-arm wrist spinner, trapped Marnus Labuschagne lbw for 18 and bowled Glenn Maxwell for one in his next over. Australia started the tournament with two losses but registered their eighth straight win. Starc led the bowling charge with figures of 3-34 and Cummins also picked three wickets to bowl out South Africa for 212 in 49.4 overs. Left-arm quick Starc struck in the first over to send back South Africa captain Temba Bavuma, who had said he was not “100 percent fit” at the toss, for a fourth-ball duck. Josh Hazlewood claimed the wicket of in-form Quinton de Kock for three as Cummins took a stunning catch. De Kock, who will quit one-day international after the World Cup, ended with 594 runs including

New Zealand confident about future after semi-final exit

MUMBAI: New Zealand are confident they have the foundations in place to continue to compete with the elite at the World Cup even if they could be without Kane Williamson and a few other generational talents when the next edition comes around.