SPORT

New Zealand beat Australia to win T20 Series

Martin Guptill and Devon Conway made a century opening stand as New Zealand beat Australia by seven wickets to win the Twenty20 series decider.

Australia, who had been 2-0 down in the series before levelling, posted 142-8 with Matthew Wade making 44 and leg-spinner Ish Sodhi taking 3-24.

Guptill (71 off 46) and Conway (36 off 28) broke the back of the chase, sharing 106 in less than 12 overs.

Glenn Phillips (34) hit a six to seal a 3-2 series win with 27 balls to spare.

Australia opted to bat first on a used pitch and promoted Josh Philippe to the top of the order but he fell lbw to Trent Boult for just two in the third over.

Captain Aaron Finch (36 off 32) shared 66 with Wade but fell to Sodhi off the final ball of the 10th over as Australia reached 74-2 at the halfway point.

The back 10 overs saw them lose six wickets for 70 runs with Glenn Maxwell and the promoted Ashton Agar, in an attempt to break up the left-right-hand combinations in the middle order, falling for one and six respectively.

Marcus Stoinis made a run-a-ball 26, and Mitchell Marsh 10, but Australia struggled on a slow pitch with Finch later lamenting that he and Wade were unable to build on their starts.

New Zealand too changed their batting order with Conway opening alongside Guptill, rather than wicketkeeper Tim Seifert.

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