Australia roll through New Zealand to secure ODI series victory

Australia have sealed the Chappell-Hadlee one-day international series against New Zealand with a game to spare after a 113-run win in Cairns.

Defending only 195 at Cazalys Stadium, the hosts looked as if they could suffer a first loss to the Black Caps on home soil across three formats for the first time since 2011. But a combination of stellar bowling and a nightmare batting display from the tourists, dismissed for a paltry 82, means Australia can calmly walk into Sunday’s final ODI with the series locked up.

The Kiwis were primed to end their trans-Tasman hoodoo when the Aussies were 111 for seven at one stage, before stellar tail-end cameos by Adam Zampa (16), Mitchell Starc (38 not out) and Josh Hazlewood (23 not out) added valuable runs.

Kane Williamson’s team started their innings in shaky fashion. Martin Guptill was dropped by Marnus Labuschagne before going next ball for two, and a mix-up between the wickets almost saw the captain walk inside the first over. It did not get much better from there.

Sean Abbott’s injection in the ninth over paid immediate dividends, snaring a two-wicket maiden, and his next three overs also went for no runs. At 34 for three in the 19th over, Williamson missed a full toss from the leg-spinner Zampa and he was out lbw for 17.

Zampa (five for 35) cleaned up the New Zealand tail to register his first five-wicket ODI haul while Starc (two for 12), Abbott (two for one) and Marcus Stoinis (one for 14) claimed the other wickets.

Earlier, Williamson won the toss and sent the hosts in with Trent Boult (four for 38) and Matt Henry (three for 33) ripping through Australia’s top order just as they did in game one. Aaron Finch’s woes with the bat continued, falling for his fifth duck of 2022 –