With their stalwarts Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja back in the hut, the responsibility to see Australia’s chase through had fallen on Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh’s shoulders with the visitors needing another 241 runs to cross the finish line.
Safe to say, the visitors were on the backfoot and Marsh was going to be one of their rays of hope having counter-attacked his way to a run-a-ball 29. He rode his luck as his fierce cut shot in the second over of the day was put down by Rachin Ravindra at point off the bowling of Tim Southee. His batting partner, Travis Head, wasn’t as lucky though as a similar shot two balls later led to his downfall.
With clouds hanging over his spot in the side Alex Carey scored an unbeaten 98 and shared a 140-run stand with Mitchell Marsh (80) to guide Australia home. By completing the 2-0 series sweep Australia bolstered their dominance over Tasman neighbours New Zealand in the Test format, a lopsided record that now reads a solitary win for the Kiwis in the last 31 years.
🎥 WATCH: Fresh angles and access to a dramatic Australian victory in Christchurch.
Relive all the action from Hagley Oval and come inside the sheds with both the Aussie and Kiwi teams post-match #NZvAUS pic.twitter.com/EdJi5HOmIe
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) March 13, 2024
