Image Credit- Getty
Australia scored 389 points in Dharamsala, while New
Zealand was just six points away from matching that total. With a James Neesham
who was clearly in the mood, 19 runs were required off the final over. Pat
Cummins walked to Mitchell Starc, who must have been nervous because he went
without a wicket in 24 ODI World Cup matches. Not to mention everyone else that
is witnessing this whole thing. Australia’s skipper, Cummins, felt like one of
these enthralled bystanders in the height of the mayhem.
“That was awesome,” a grinning Cummins said
after the game. “Sometimes, I had to remember I’m in the middle of a
cricket field; it was a fantastic game. They just kept coming at us. It was
fantastic.”
Tom Latham, New Zealand’s captain, echoed Cummins’
sentiments. “It was a fantastic game of cricket, ebbs and flows throughout
the 100 overs, and then, I guess to come so close… obviously hurts but it was
a fantastic game.”
New Zealand needed 13 off five when Starc erred and
handed away five wides on the second ball of the last over. Neesham got the
ball into the outfield three times in a row, but quick fielding made sure none
of those runs were boundaries, especially from Marnus Labuschagne, who
consistently put in the yards at deep midwicket. Cummins was grateful for that.
Travis Head and David Warner’s opening 175-run
partnership put Australia ahead for the majority of the match. Head was making
his comeback to the team after missing Australia’s opening five matches due to
a fractured hand, and he immediately got off to a scorching 109 off 67 balls.
“Love that”, Cummins said of the
partnership. “Especially Trav, who’s been away for five weeks, to just get
back in the game; just their intent – that’s the way we want to play, we want
to take the game on and that led from the front.”
“Not really,” Cummins said when asked if
Head had shown any signs of his being in this sort of form ahead of the game.
“He was close to playing against Netherlands and had a hit [in the nets]
the day before, just didn’t quite feel right. [Then he] managed to have a
couple more [nets] before this one. He surprised all of us.”