A beleaguered team needs things from every possible quarter to come back to life. It was time Australia found those. They did, after some stunning turn of events and nerve-racking moments, in a match full of highlights. The Dhauladhar range of the Himalayas overlooking the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala witnessed a magnificent game.
Who thought that this outing in such serene surroundings would see so much of violence, friction and so many ups and downs? Australia came out full of intent. Playing his first match of the tournament, Travis Head stood up. So did David Warner. Then they found those vital contributions lower down the order that make the difference between a good total and an insurmountable one like 388.
The shocker of the day was obviously New Zealand’s shambolic fielding. They are one of the best sides when it comes to this. What they displayed on this day may not do their World Cup chances too much harm, but it was bizarre. Letting the opponents off to an excellent start, effecting a mid-innings meltdown and then letting it slip through those proverbial butterfingers. It was unbelievable.
It’s difficult to choose a performer of the day when a number of players come up with stellar shows, from both sides. Rachin Ravindra and James Neesham with the bat, and Daryll Mitchell with the ball for New Zealand. Those were stupendous contributions, comparable only with Mitchell Santner’s sublime left-arm spin.
If you are forced to choose? What do you do? Pick Warner and Pat Cummins. Lion-hearted is an overused word in sports. These signs were seen against Sri Lanka, when after losing two games and starting badly in the initial stages of that match, Cummins brought himself back into the attack and took crucial wickets. Warner was instrumental with his manning of the outfield and catching.
They rose to the occasion again. Warner was the fulcrum of the crazy Australian start. It was insane to see him and Head go hammer and tongs in that manner. It set a platform which was ominous for New Zealand, who fought back. Australia lost their way significantly in mid-innings. Then came the skipper. Along with the brisk knocks by Glenn Maxwell and Josh Inglis, the blows struck from the bat of Cummins made a huge difference.
New Zealand fought. Ravindra established himself as the upcoming player of the tournament. It was very close until the end. But, the job done by the Australian late order was telling. They kept themselves very much alive in this competition. So do New Zealand, despite ending up on the wrong side of an epic duel.