T20 World Cup 2022, Gr 1, Aus v NZ: Conway 92*, Southee 3-6, Santner 3-31 help NZ smother Aus at SCG

ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2022, Super 12, Group 1, Australia v New Zealand: Devon Conway's 92*, Tim Southee's 3-6 and Mitchell Santner's 3-31 are top performances. New Zealand beat Australia by 89 runs in Super 12 opener.

New Zealand beat Australia in Group 1 opening game (Photo: ©Getty)

Brief Scores: Australia 111 (Maxwell 28, Santner 3/31, Southee 3/6) lost to New Zealand 200/3 (Conway 92*, Allen 42, Hazlewood 2/41) by 89 runs

Player of the Match: Devon Conway (92* from 58 & 2 catches)

Hosts Australia took on the Kane Williamson-led New Zealand in the opening Group 1 clash at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Saturday. This marks the start of the Super 12 Stage of ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 after a thrilling first week of riveting cricketing action in the first round.

Australia skipper Aaron Finch, like on most occasions, called correct at the time of toss and as expectedly elected to field under the overcast conditions at the SCG. The usual suspects played for Australia as 10 of the 11 took field in the 2021 T20 World Cup final game as well, with Tim David coming in for Steven Smith. Martin Guptill was surprisingly left out of the New Zealand line-up with the duo of Finn Allen & Devon Conway opening the innings.

Kiwis produce a complete performance to demoralise the hosts in Super 12 opener

The major taking point from the game has to be the spirited and disciplined team performance by the Kiwis in all departments of the game. They had a major concern regarding the form of their opening combination and took a big call in benching their talismanic batter Martin Guptill from this fixture. But it proved to be right as the Aussies weren’t quite ready for the Finn Allen show in the powerplays and on the whole an organised effort by New Zealand saw them emerge victors as they continue to impress in ICC events.

Allen, Conway added 56 off 25 balls for first wicket (Photo: ©ICC/Getty)

It was all New Zealand in the first half of the game

After being put in to bat by Australia, New Zealand openers Finn Allen and Devon Conway gave the Kiwis the best possible start with the former launching an assault on the Australia’s famed bowling trio of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood. They went for 46 runs the first 3 overs of the game and New Zealand reached 65 for the loss of Finn Allen’s wicket (42 off 16) in the powerplay.

After that it was all New Zealand whose skipper Kane Williamson (23 from 23) played second fiddle to a more confident Devon Conway in their stand of 69 off just 53 deliveries. With the start the Kiwis had, a relatively slow middle-phase didn’t dent their hopes of posting a solid total on the board. With a final flourish from James Neesham who made a 13-ball 26, New Zealand reached the 200-run mark on the back of a glorious unbeaten 92 from the opener Devon Conway.

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Australia batters left clueless against a dominant Kiwi bowling attack

Chasing a huge total in this high-profile clash, Australia lost their 2021 edition’s highest-run getter David Warner for 5 in an unlucky way before losing their way entirely in the powerplay. With the first six overs, the Kiwis sent back Mitchell Marsh and Aaron Finch to the hut.

Mitchell Santner was the major wrecker-in-chief taking the wickets of dangerous Marcus Stoinis and Tim David to go along with the scalp of Finch earlier. Though Maxwell played some shots for his 28, it was the New Zealand bowlers who had a ball in this fixture. New Zealand eventually won by a whopping margin of 89 runs and secured their first points in the Super 12 stage.

Let’s scan the top three performances from the game between Australia and New Zealand in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022.

Conway gets POTM for his half century (92*) against Australia (Photo: ©Getty)

Devon Conway’s chanceless 92* from 58 balls takes Kiwis to a match-winning total

New Zealand had a problem with respect to their opening combination going into the World Cup and on the back of poor returns, senior batter Martin Guptill was dropped from this clash. Just when it looked Australia can make early inroads taking an advantage, Devon Conway put on a show along with a rampant Finn Allen at the top.

While Allen departed after a whirlwind 42, Devon Conway stayed the entirety of the innings making an outstanding 92* comprising of 7 fours and 2 sixes. He stitched two 50-run stands, first with Allen and then with Kane Williamson, before a final assault along with James Neesham to take the Kiwi total to 200.

Read More: ICC World T20 2022: Australia’s Squad Analysis: Well-balanced and well-poised for title defence

Mitchell Santner's 3-31 helps New Zealand beat Australia (Photo: ©ICC/Getty)

Mitchell Santner dents the hosts with his 3/31

Left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner came in to the bowling attack in the powerplay and quickly made an impact sending back Australia skipper Aaron Finch in the very first over of his spell. With the run flow being restricted to a large extent by the pacers, Australia had to take risk against Santner, eventually perishing in the process. Two of their attacking stroke players Marcus Stoinis and Tim David fell to the spinner’s guile and to some outstanding Kiwi fielding.

Read More: ICC World T20 2022: Inexperience in top order minor worry for NZ; Squad well-balanced overall

Tim Southee bowled a superb spell of 2-6 in powerplay (Photo: ©Getty Images)

Tim Southee bowls superb spell in the powerplay spell

Tim Southee, the top wicket-taker in T20Is, was once again amongst the wickets in this game and he took the most important ones of last years’ heroes for Australia - Mitchell Marsh and David Warner. They both fell cheaply to the experienced bowling arm of Southee who had a spell of 2-6 from his 2 overs in the powerplay.

Tim Southee wraps Australia innings as he gets Pat Cummins in 18th over and finishes with overall figures of 3-6.

Read More: Big Ticket Player Tim David makes it to Australia’s squad for ICC World T20 2022

ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2022 Group 1 Points Table

Group 1 Points Table

What's Next for Australia and New Zealand

New Zealand’s confidence will be sky high after this pounding win over the reigning champions and will face Afghanistan next at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on October 26. Still early to call of course, but Australia will have to put aside this loss and come back stronger in their next fixture against Sri Lanka at the swanky new Perth Stadium in three days time.

Top Twitter Reactions from Australia vs New Zealand, Sydney, Group 1, T20 World Cup 2022:

Glenn Phillips grabs a wonderful catch off Marcus Stoinis in New Zealand vs Australia game.

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