Australia beat New Zealand by 86 runs in the Cricket World Cup at Lord’s on Saturday to stretch their lead at the top of the table.
Aaron Finch’s side, who have now won seven out of their eight matches and have already qualified for the semi-finals, scored 243-9 in their 50 overs and New Zealand were bowled out for 157 in reply.
New Zealand, third in the 10-team table with one match to go, have still not secured their place in the knockout phase.
Earlier report
New Zealand’s Trent Boult celebrates a wicket during the 2019 Cricket World Cup match against Australia at Lords in London on June 29, 2019.
| Photo Credit:
Reuters
Australia’s Jason Behrendorff carried on from where he left off at Lord’s by removing both New Zealand openers.
Behrendorff took a career-best 5-44 as reigning champions Australia beat England by 64 runs at the London ground on Tuesday.
And the 29-year-old left-arm quick was in the wickets again as New Zealand reached 97-3 in the 26th over as they chased a target of 244 for a win that would see them join Australia in the semi-finals.
Behrendorff had the unlucky Henry Nicholls, selected in place of dropped opener Colin Munro, caught behind down the legside for eight and then had Martin Guptill lbw for 20.
But Australia missed a chance to dismiss New Zealand captain and star batsman Kane Williamson for just 11 when slip Steve Smith could not hold a rebound from wicketkeeper Alex Carey’s leg following an edge off spinner Nathan Lyon.
Williamson was eventually dismissed for 40, caught by Carey off the bowling of Mitchell Starc.
Earlier, Usman Khawaja anchored Australia’s recovery following a top-order collapse with a composed 88 to take the score to 243-9 before becoming a victim of Trent Boult as the New Zealander completed a hat-trick.
Australia, who beat New Zealand in the 2015 final, slumped to 92-5 before Khawaja and Carey (71) revived the innings with a stand of 107 to give their powerful attack a defendable total on a used pitch proving difficult for batsmen.
Khawaja was bowled in the final over by left-arm quick Boult to end a 129-ball innings featuring just five fours.
Boult then bowled Starc and dismissed Behrendorff lbw with a yorker, although his hat-trick celebrations were delayed by a desperate review.
It was the first hat-trick by a New Zealander at a World Cup and the second of the tournament after India’s Mohammed Shami achieved the feat against Afghanistan.
Boult finished with 4-51 at a sun-drenched Lord’s after he had earlier removed Australia captain Aaron Finch, who won the toss.
Australia’s first-wicket pair have been central to their success at this World Cup, with Finch and David Warner having scored 657 runs together in eight matches, including Saturday’s fixture, at an average of 82.12.
