A cricket match that took place in the foothills of high mountains saw teams piling up another mountain of runs with Australia overcoming New Zealand by 5 runs in Dharamshala. The match saw records tumble one after the other, as Australia first wreaked havoc against the New Zealand bowlers only for Tom Latham and co. to give them a taste of their own medicine when the Kiwis came into bat. A century from a returning Travis Head and an initial onslaught from David Warner helped Australia pile up 388 in 50 overs.
New Zealand hit back in a similar fashion thanks to a gritty hundred from Rachin Ravindra and a late flourish from James Neesham took them close to the target. However, Neesham was runout in the penultimate delivery trying to keep the strike giving everyone a deja vu moment from the 2019 World Cup. The match broke the record for the most number of runs scored in a World Cup game as Dharamshala saw 771 runs being plundered by batters from both sides.
Tom Latham called it right at the toss and asked Australia to bat first, who had a new opening pair with Travis Head returning to the side after injury. The southpaw opening pair announced their intentions early as the ball flew to all parts of the ground. Australia brought up their 100 in just the 9th over, with there being no sign of stopping as they clobbered 118 runs in the powerplay. The batting savagery was so brutal that a boundary was scored off every over until the 14th.
New Zealand managed to apply some breaks with the part-time spin of Rachin Ravindra and Glenn Philips, who finally broke the opening partnership of 175 runs by dismissing David Warner. Travis Head announced his return in fine fashion getting to his hundred in just 59 deliveries. Head soon departed to the golden arm of Glenn Philips. A short period of sanity prevailed as the New Zealand spinners pulled things back with the scoring rate dropping.
Australian middle-order seemed to let the start they got go to the drains with a collapse until Glenn Maxwell, Josh Inglis, and skipper Pat Cummins did their part with blitz innings’ towards the end. Glenn Maxwell smashed a quickfire 41 off just 24 deliveries along with Josh Inglis who made 38 off 28. Skipper Cummins applied the finishing touches with a 37 run consisting of 4 sixes. Australia seemed to race towards 400 at 386-6, but a 3-wicket over from Trent Boult applied breaks to the innings and Australia was bundled out for 387.
New Zealand openers gave their team a decent start, but nowhere near the Australian start. Josh Hazlewood scalped both the openers inside the powerplay. Daryl Mitchell and Rachin Ravindra got together yet again, with Ravindra batting for rhythm and Mitchell being the aggressor initially. Mitchell completed his fifty off 42 balls but departed soon after miscuing a ball. Rachin Ravindra finally found his rhythm as he stitched a fifty partnership with skipper Tom Latham.
Tom Latham perished to the spin of Adam Zampa, but Rachin Ravindra continued his fine form in the World Cup scoring his hundred of 74 balls, getting to the milestone with a six. Ravindra and Neesham seemed to take the game away from the Aussies with 10 overs to go, until Ravindra was dismissed by Pat Cummins.
James Neesham kept his cool and rampaged the Australian pace bowlers in the death overs. The tail enders salvaged whatever runs they could with Neesham doing the bulk of the scoring. New Zealand required 19 in the last over but some brilliant captaincy of Pat Cummins and smart bowling from Mitchell Starc avoided a Kiwi victory.
They put us on the back foot straightaway and at that point and it was about containing them and keep taking wickets – Tom Latham
“Fantastic game of cricket, ebbed and flowed throughout the 100 overs. To come so close obviously hurts, but a fantastic game. They put us on the back foot straightaway and at that point and it was about containing them and keep taking wickets. He (Phillips) bowled well under pressure, to come and bowl 10 overs and pick up 3 wickets it was really crucial,” said Tom Latham.
“Great to see the work he is putting in and it is paying off. The openers got us off to a fantastic start and Rachin played a fantastic knock, one of the better ones you will see chasing. It was a great effort and proud of the guys. It (Dharamsala) is a fantastic place to play cricket. Just want to say all the best All Blacks (New Zealand rugby team) can’t wait to watch the final and hopefully they bring the World Cup home,” he added.