How would you feel when you take a hat-trick in the World Cup game and still lose the game because batsmen didn’t put their best effort to win the match? The same has happened with Trent Boult in the match against Australia.
Despite being at the top of the points table, Australia looked more eager to win the match than the Kiwis. After winning the toss, Australia decided to bat first. They had a horrendous start as they lost both the openers, Warne and Finch in the first ten overs. The over-dependence on these two batsmen got Australia in trouble, and Kiwis bowlers rattled the Australian middle order.
At 92 for 5, Alex Carey joined Usman Khawaja, and then they both started building the innings. Carey looked positive from ball one and counter-attacked the Kiwis, he made 71 off 72 balls and added 107 runs for the 6th wicket with Khawaja.
Boult bowled Khawaja (88) who was set to score the hundred in the final over of the innings, Boult then bowled Starc and dismissed Behrendorff in consecutive balls to earn his maiden ODI hat-trick. Australia ended their innings at 243.
New Zealand started the innings as they thought they couldn’t chase the target. None of the batsmen looked positive, and all of them were scoring at 50 or less strike rate, except Williamson, who had a slightly better strike rate. The pressure kept creeping up due to slow batting and wickets started falling at regular intervals. The team bundled out for just 157 runs in 44 overs. Starc was again at his freaking best, he took five wickets, his third in World Cup, more than anyone in the history of World Cup. Alex Carey got Man of the Match for his 71 runs and three catches. Especial mention for Guptill and Smith who took catches of the tournament.
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STATS
- Starc took third five wickets haul in World Cup; he is the only bowler to take that many five-fer in World Cup history.
- Starc has now 46 wickets, the second most by any Australian. Only McGrath (71) has more wickets than in the World Cup,
