Cameron Green led Australia to two-wicket win over New Zealand in first ODI

• Cameron Green batted brilliantly for 89 not out in Australia’s exciting two-wicket triumph over New Zealand in the opening ODI.
• Australia won the first match of the three-match Chappell-Hadlee series

Cameron Green batted brilliantly for 89 not out in Australia’s exciting two-wicket triumph over New Zealand in the opening one-day international on Tuesday in Cairns.

After Glenn Maxwell sparkled with four wickets and a sensational catch to limit New Zealand to 232-9, Australia collapsed to 44-5 under lights against superb new ball bowling from Trent Boult and Matt Henry.

With a stunning 158-run partnership, Green and Alex Carey (85) flipped the match on its head, overwhelming an increasingly ragged New Zealand attack.

However, Carey’s dismissal in the 40th over prompted a late twist, with Australia slumping to 207-8 and still needing 26 runs, a target made more difficult by Green’s cramps.

Green, on the other hand, would not be denied as Australia sealed victory with a wide delivery from fast Lockie Ferguson to begin the 46th over.

Australia won the first match of the three-match Chappell-Hadlee series, which continues on Thursday at the same location.

“It was an amazing effort in his 11th (ODI) game to play a match-winning knock,” Australia skipper Aaron Finch said of 23-year-old Green.

After being bowled for 141 in a dramatic three-wicket loss to underdog Zimbabwe on Saturday, Australia’s batting order appeared primed for another embarrassing display.

Their chase began disastrously as Finch was caught lbw by Boult for five.

The 35-year-old opener failed to appeal the decision and trudged out, his ODI career obviously in jeopardy, having scored only 26 runs in his last six matches.

Quick left arm Boult was on a roll when he dismissed in-form Steve Smith and returned Marnus Labuschagne, leaving Australia on the verge of collapse until Green and Carey set a record sixth-wicket partnership for Australia versus New Zealand in One-Day Internationals.

“It ebbed and flowed. We weren’t able to get that extra breakthrough after they were five down early,” said captain Kane Williamson as New Zealand’s 13-year drought in ODIs against the home team in Australia continued.

Maxwell’s part-time off-spin stole the show after Finch won the toss and elected to bowl, as New Zealand’s batters failed to convert starts, with Devon Conway (46), Williamson (45), and Tom Latham (43) all falling short of half-centuries.

Maxwell’s purple patch began in the fifth over, when he expertly captured experienced opener Martin Guptill one-handed in the gully before taking over with the ball.

The day-night match broke Cairns’ 18-year international cricket drought.

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