Maxwell 4-fer restricts New Zealand to 232

Glenn Maxwell took a four-wicket haul as Australia restricted New Zealand to a below par 232 for 9 in their allotted 50 overs in the opening ODI of the three-match Chappell-Hadlee series in Cairns. Devon Conway, Kane Williamson and Tom Latham got starts for the visitors but couldn’t convert them into big scores.

New Zealand, who were inserted into bat, started on the wrong note with Martin Guptill pushing at an away-seamer from Mitchell Starc towards backward point, with Maxwell pouching a stunning catch. Williamson then joined forces with Conway, as the pair shared a stand of 81 for the second wicket. Just that the duo struggled a bit to accelerate the scoring rate, taking more than 18 overs to put on the partnership. Conway was relatively more aggressive of the two, punching and lofting the likes of Josh Hazlewood, Cameron Green and the spinners as he finished with four boundaries and a six to his name.

Eventually, Conway was trapped LBW while attempting a sweep off Zampa. Williamson then tried to up the ante by crunching Green for a four and a six in the 27th over. However, he soon fell to Maxwell. Daryl Mitchell and Tom Latham then strung together another useful stand of 52 before the former fell to a soft dismissal caught at mid wicket of Maxwell. In the same over, Latham couldn’t clear the fielder at short fine and ended up giving Maxwell his third wicket.

Maxwell continued to run through New Zealand’s batting order with Michael Bracewell spooning a catch to Steve Smith at covers. In the slog overs, Mitchell Santner and Jimmy Neesham played the occasional forceful shot but Hazlewood bagged three wickets in his last two overs to ensure Australia would maintain their control over proceedings. Maxwell and Hazlewood combined to pick up seven wickets between them for the cost of only 83 runs in 20 overs.

Brief scores: New Zealand 232/9 in 50 overs (Devon Conway 46, Kane Williamson 45; Glenn Maxwell 4-52) v Australia

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