Australia climbed another step closer to booking a place in the World Cup semi final with a nail-biting five-run victory over New Zealand at Dharamsala in India after openers David Warner and Travis Head lambasted the bowlers in sheer butchery in a stand of 175 runs that paved the way for a whopping and match-winning total of 388 that the Kiwis failed to chase down.
The Australian pair of Travis Head (left) and David Warner react during their record 175-run opening stand
New Zealand however stretched the outcome into the last over as they chased down the target and fell short by six runs ending at 383 for 9 in the 50 overs after their last crusader Jimmy Neesham was run out in the fifth ball of the innings with the Kiwis needing seven runs off the last two balls.
The third wicket pair of Rachin Ravindra (116) and Daryl Mitchell (54) kept New Zealand in the hunt with a stand of 96 runs taking the score from 72 for 2. But with the dismissal of both batters New Zealand were put on the back foot that left Neesham to get on with the job.
Neesham held the fort striking some lusty blows to be dismissed for 58 in 39 balls that had three fours and three sixes.
Warner (81) and Head (109) set the course for Australia by plundering 118 runs in the first 10 overs while reaching a century partnership in just 8.5 overs after New Zealand decided to bowl first winning the toss.
Head was playing in his first match of the current World Cup and surpassed Warner in shot-making as he reached 50 in just 25 balls.
He was fortunate at the start of his innings when he faced two free-hit balls from Matt Henry that he smashed for sixes and then got into top gear that propelled him to reach a score of 109 with 10 fours and seven towering sixes.
Head had just one blemish with his score of 71 when Mitchell Santner failed to grasp a catch off his own bowling with the total on 143.
But the damage had already being done as Warner and Head secured a run rate of more than 10 runs an over with New Zealand facing an obvious defeat.
A dejected James Neesham out for 58
New Zealand had just a moment of relief when Warner was dismissed in the first ball of the 20th over with the total at 175, but the misery for the Kiwis continued with the lower order batting piling on the runs.
