Auckland: New Zealand paceman Trent Boult took five wickets for just one run in the space of 18 balls as Australia collapsed to their second-lowest World Cup total of 151 all out in Auckland on Saturday.
Boult’s career-best five for 27 triggered Australia’s slump in the key Pool A game as they declined to 106 for nine, having been well-set at 80 for one, after they won the toss and batted on a flat Eden Park pitch.
It was only thanks to a last-wicket stand of 45 between Brad Haddin (43) and Pat Cummins (seven not out) that Australia got past thei lowest World Cup total of 129 against India at Chelmsford in 1983.
Haddin was the last man out, caught of Corey Anderson after hitting four boundaries and two sixes off 41 balls.
Tim Southee took two for 65 while left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori finished with 2-41 as New Zealand’s attack carried on from where they left off in dismissing England for 123 last time out in Wellington.
Australia’s batting was in a state of chaos as they lost eight wickets for 26 runs in nine overs, with left-arm seamer Boult taking three for five in his second five-over spell.
David Warner, who made 34, gave Australia a confident start in an opening stand of 30 with Aaron Finch (14).
But once Warner and Shane Watson (23) fell off successive deliveries, the innings fell apart.
Warner and Watson looked well set during their 50-run stand for the second wicket but Watson holed out off Vettori’s last ball of the 13 over.
Southee removed Warner leg-before off the first ball of the next over as Australia lost their next five wickets in the space of 29 balls.
Vettori had Steven Smith caught behind for four before Boult took over.
Boult, who had figures of 5-0-24-0 in his first spell, removed Glen Maxwell (one) off the inside inside edge and then, two balls later, had Mitchell Marsh playing on for a second-ball duck.
Australia captain Michael Clarke, playing his first international since December following a hamstring injury, drove stright into the hands of short cover in Boult’s next over and was out for 12.
Boult then bowled Mitchell Johnson and Mitchell Starc in his next over to better his previous ODI best of four for 44 against Sri Lanka at Dunedin last month. (AFP)
