Australia have swept the Black Caps 3-0 in the T20 international series after winning by 27 runs at Eden Park this afternoon.
It means the tourists will go into the highly-anticipated two-Test series, which starts at the Basin Reserve next Thursday, with plenty of confidence.
They were always in control today despite losing the toss and the several rain disruptions which limited the contest in terms of overs.
Their bowling and fielding was a class above New Zealand’s, the home side dropping three catches to make it seven for the series and their power hitters had the luxury of time and space denied the home side.
Always aware the weather was likely to be a factor, New Zealand captain Mitch Santner elected to bowl first, the Aussies posting 118-4 off 10.4 overs before the rain stopped play again, the DLS equation deciding the Black Caps needing to score 126 off 10 overs for the win.
In reply, Will Young was out for 14 off seven balls in the second over, the opener attempting to continue his attack on offspinner Matthew Short but slicing a catch into the off side.
Finn Allen continued where Young picked off, however, with another six over square leg, the second over going for 18 runs.
Tim Seifert, in for the injured Devon Conway (broken thumb) was out for 2, left-arm fast bowler Spencer Johnson giving him the hurry up.
Glenn Phillips put leg spinner Adam Zampa into the top tier of the east stand but while he finished unbeaten on 40 off 24 balls, he was guilty of standing too far outside leg stump and missing too many.
At the halfway stage of their response, New Zealand were 51-2 but were quickly three down after Finn Allen (13) sliced a catch off Zampa.
The equation was too difficult for Phillips and Mark Chapman, who needed 50 runs off the last 10 balls and 43 off the final over, New Zealand limping to 98-3, with Zampa, Johnson and Nathan Ellis all bowling to a high standard.
The Black Caps lost a last-ball thriller in Wellington before being soundly beaten in the final two at Eden Park, skipper Santner telling broadcaster TVNZ afterwards: “I guess the first one was a close one but we got outplayed in the last two.”
The portents were not good when Trent Boult was hit for 12 off the first over, and they didn’t get any better when Josh Clarkson dropped Travis Head off Ben Sears’ bowling, with Ish Sodhi also dropping Head off Sears.
Short (27 off 11 balls) did the main damage for the Aussies, with Head scoring 33 and Glenn Maxwell 20 off nine.
A highlight was Clarkson’s first T20 international wicket – the prized scalp of Maxwell.
Fast bowler Lachie Ferguson, one of the better performers for New Zealand last Friday at Eden Park, was “rested’ for the game and replaced by Sodhi.
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