Live Updates: Blackcaps vs Australia – Tri-series final

Kia ora and welcome to live updates of the Blackcaps taking on old foes Australia in a bid to claim the title of T20 tri-series champion.

Last time out at The Garden we were treated to a masterful display of boundary-hitting from both sides as world records tumbled. Is Eden Park a postage stamp? Yes. Should we care? Not if we're seeing this many sixes.

Here's to another fully-fledged assault on the fences. Let's get amongst it.

We bring you live streaming written commentary, video highlights (be sure to refresh your browser) and all the action. 

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The umpires have called it, the match has been abandoned - Australia wins by 19 runs via Duckworth-Lewis method and complete a perfect tri-series sweep.

Stay tuned for video highlights.

Australia 121/3 (Target 151) (Maxwell - 20, Finch - 18)

15th over - Chapman makes a spectacular catch on the boundary rope, throwing it back into the field of play to complete the take but the ball was above waist height by Santner. They get off lightly with the ensuing free hit. Finch nails an effortless on-drive long and deep for six, and the rain is back. Out come the covers. Hopefully this is another brief break. The equation reads 30 off 33 balls, and Australia are comfortably ahead should things go the Duckworth-Lewis route.

The rain has really picked up in intensity now, falling much heavier. 

The umpires have had a chat and the covers look to be coming off as the rain eases. We should be back in action shortly.

14th over - Sodhi takes the ball, and Maxwell gives himself room and sends one back into the second tier for six. Great comeback as the wrong'un bamboozles 'The Big Show', and a dot ball to finish. Ssohi finishes his excellent spell with 1/21.

13th over - Sublime outfielding from Spithee saves a four, and Boult follows up with a perfect dot-ball yorker. The Eden Park faithful are into this one now, the claps go back as Boult makes his way to the crease. Williamson scrambles to his right and almost pulls off a sliding save and run out all in the one motion. De Grandhomme next up in this stellar display of fielding by the Kiwis, cutting off another boundary.

12th over - Munro back into the attack. Miserly stuff from the opener as he puts the ball right on the spot.

11th over - WICKET - Seifert immediately redeems himself with some slick work on a wide ball from Santer, Agar gets nowehere near it and the third umpire confirms the stumping. Maxwell splices one high and three fielders chase it back towards point but neither can get there in time as Eden Park sighs as one. It's all go!

Agar st Seifert b Santner 2 (5)

10th over - WICKET - Sodhi's got him again! The spinner beats Warners bat with a quicker ball and collects the top of off-stump, much to the Aussie's confusion. Two new batsmen at the crease now a huge opportunity for NZ to apply some pressure. Missed sumping! Maxwell swings hard and doesn't pick the leggy, but neither does Seifert. That one could come back to haunt them.

Warner b Sodhi 25 (23)

9th over - Santner to Agar now, who's been moved up the order. Warner misses on the reverse sweep and Seifert does some tidy work behind the stumps to whip the bails off. They'll take another look but Warner's comfortably safe.

8th over - Munro gets his wish, he's up for a bowl. First one races away for four, second goes for two, and the third is saved from the rope by a stunning De Grandhomme divings save. He doesn't get as lucky with the next one, fine for another four. WICKET - Munro gets his man! Short skies one to third man and that's a crucial one for NZ. Another superb innings from the Aussie opener, nonetheless.

Short - c Chapman b Munro 50 (30)

7th over - The rain gods may have intervened for NZ here as a sudden downpour sends the players from the field and the covers hurriedly on. And just as quickly, they're off. Still an inner-ring of security on the pitch, not sure they're aware that the fielding restrictions still apply. And we're back! Santner into the action. Short smokes one over cover, quick shout of "catch!" but it was safely over the fielder for four.

6th over - Short goes square for six off Southee, right off the meat off the bat, then repeats the effort straight the very next ball. Australia ticking along nicely here, NZ desperately need a couple of wickets to stem the tide.

5th over - Two glorious straight drives to the boundary to start the Boult over. Sixer! Short goes big to close and that's Australia's best over so far.

4th over - Williamson opts to stick with Sodhi. Four runs, poor delivery gets its punishment from Short.

3rd over - Southee into the attack. Two well-fielded singles from the first couple of deliveries, capped off with a double. Short goes hard at one but doesn't quite time it, the catch looks on for Williamson at mid-on but it bounces just short of the NZ skipper. Too far back on the circle perhaps?

2nd over - Sodhi takes the ball. Another big LBW shout from the wrong'un, no dice from the umpire. Short comes back well with the latest of late cuts to find the rope. Just another single off a great first over for the spinner. 

1st over - Here we go, can the derided NZ attack produce a miracle here? Warner times one expertly for four to open the Aussie account. Boult responds with a dot-ball. Loud shout for LBW off the final ball but it pitched outside leg.  

It was a valiant effort by Ross Taylor to guide his side to 150 given the deluge of wickets in the middle stages. Will that be enough? Unlikely, but we'll still be here to confirm either way. Join us back here shortly as the NZ bowlers look to pull off something special.

20th over - Sodhi opens the final over with a majestic straight six off Tye! Who said 150 was a long-shot? WICKET - Sodhi's clean bowled as he looks to swing one square then hurriedly runs off the ground. Rather odd sight. Boult manages a single to put Taylor on strike for the final ball....and he cops one in the helmet and scampers through for one.

Sodhi b Tye 13 (16)

19th over - Bang! There's the Taylor we know and love, crushing one straight off Stoinis for the biggest six of the night. The Aussie is up for the challenge, following up with a deft slower ball. Taylor flicks one square and looks to steal two, poor throw to the keeper saves him. Slower ball to finish and Taylor's beaten all ends up yet again, unable to get back on strike for the final over.

18th over - What can Taylor salvage here? Sodhi certainly hasn't looked out of his depth. Richardson putting on a vintage display of death bowling here, four dot-balls and just a couple of singles conceded.

17th over - Big Billy Stanlake is back to bowl out his final over. Taylor plays a late-cut to the boundary and the crowd finally has something to cheer about. Could NZ hang on to post 150-odd? A longshot at this stage, you'd think. 

16th over - Stoinis into the third over. NZ looking to ensure they're at least there for their entire allotted 20 overs. Short and wide from Stoinis but Sodhi can't cash in square.

15th over - Taylor wrangles a quick double, looking to keep the strike. Perfect slower-ball from medium-pacer, varying things well. Nothing but singles out here, and one to end the over and keep Taylor in the firing line.

14th over - Southee plays a deft glance off his pads to the boundary. WICKET - The very next ball he looks to sky one over cow corner and puts one right into Maxwell's hands. Another poor shot from NZ results in another lost wicket.

Southee c Maxwell b Richardson 5 (3)

13th over - Stoinis looks to keep the clamps on. WICKET - A pin-point yorker collects Ross Taylor's off-stump as the wickets continue to fall. NZ in a heap of trouble here as they head into their lower order stocks.

Seifert b Stoinis 3 (8)

12th over - Warner goes for the jugular as he looks to Agar once again, his final over here. Tidily worked singles by the NZ batsmen to end a fantastic, and potentially match-winning, spell by Ashton Agar.

11th over - WICKET - More strife for NZ as Santner gloves a ball to the keeper as he looks to pull off both AJ Tye's and his own first delivery. Huge opportunity for newcomer Tim Seifert to stamp his mark one the international game here.

Santner c Carey b Tye 0 (1)

10th over - Warner looks to keep the pressure on as he goes back to Agar. Taylor flicks one fine for four. WICKET - Warner's decision pays off as De Grandhomme mistimes one to cow corner for another simple catch and Agar's third wicket. 

De Grandhomme  - c Maxwell b Agar 10 (6)

9th over - Lynn hits the deck hard as he looks to save a boundary and it seems like that dodgy shoulder of his has been dinged again. Off the pitch he strolls, looks to be in serious pain. De Grandhoome cuts Stanlake late and sprints through for two. Lofts a mistimed hook shot into open pastures and takes two more then plays the same shot, on this occasion with some timing, to claim four. 

8th over - Agar back to the crease. WICKET - Williamson advances down the pitch and misses everything and the ball crashes into the top of off-stump. WICKET - Agar traps Chapman in front as he attempts to sweep, but the Kiwis have opted to review this.....to no avail. Two in the over, that's a decisive over for Australia.

Chapman LBW Agar 8 (9)

Williamson b Agar 9 (9)

7th over - Williamson cautiously nabs a single. Huge role for the skipper now tonight after the loss of his aces at the top of the order. More dot balls as Stoinis starts as accurately as ever.

6th over - Richardson is welcomed back with a towering six from Munro. WICKET - Munro tries to repeat his previous stroke but only succeeds in skying an easy catch for Agar. Two dangermen gone, Aussies with their tails up. Chapman with a lovely square cut to open his account and end the over.

Munro c Agar b Richardson 29 (14)

5th over - Stanlake back into the attack. WICKET - Guptill doesn't get a hold of one as he looks to hit over cover and it's straight down a very happy Dave Warner's throat. The double fist-pump says it all, enormous wicket for the Aussies. Williamson opens his account with a trademark back-foot drive for four.

Guptill c Warner b Stanlake 21 (15)

4th over - Guptill immediately takes on Agar's spin and blasts one deep over long-on for six. Three more singles as Agar keeps his lines tight.

3rd over - Munro kicks things off with a late cut for four then follows that with a well-placed hook over the outfield to cash another one. Make that three with a lofted cover-drive to the boundary.

2nd over - Richardson takes the ball now. Guptill stands and lances one back past him to the fence. Two balls later it's a very fine leg glance for four. Quick single rounds out another good NZ over.

1st over - In trundles the towering Billy Stanlake, and produces a wide almost as long as his legs. Another leg bye, then Guptill gets the first runs off the bat with a cheeky single.Bang! Munro skies one into the clouds and the forgiving Eden Park rewards him with a six. Scampers through for a single to end a decent first over for the hosts.

6:58pm - Out stride the formidable NZ opening pair of Colin Munro and Martin Guptill. Can they produce yet another big first stand here when it counts the most?

6:35pm - Blackcaps will bat first after winning the toss. Interesting call from Williamson, he's certainly seemed to have favoured the chase throughout this series.

Commentary of the game will start from 7pm. In the meantime check out the video above for a preview of tonight's game.

Head to head:

New Zealand - $2.40 Australia - $1.52

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Pre-match banter:

Bitter trans-Tasman rivalry consigned to history?

By Stephen Foote

There may be a classic trans-Tasman clash looming in the T20 tri-series final, but don't expect too much in the way of any ill-tempered sledging between the sides at Eden Park on Wednesday.

In fact, trans-Tasman relations seem to be at an all-time high, judging by today's comments from captains Kane Williamson and David Warner.

The mild climate's no better typified than by the relationship between the two skippers, teammates at Indian Premier League side Sunrisers Hyderabad, who have bonded over a mutual love for darts.

"We actually play a lot of darts together," Warner laughs. "He sends me these photos where he places his darts in the triple 20, then sends me a photo and says 'look bro, I got 180'.

"I reckon in the IPL the last two or three years, we would've thrown over 5000 darts and we couldn't get one, and first one he gets home, he throws one. I told him it didn't count because I didn't see it."

The days of Brad Haddin and Grant Elliot spitting vitriol towards one another now seem nothing but a distant memory when compared to the positively amicable vibes on the pitch these days. Warner assessed things on a whole as "peaceful".

The Aussie batsman even attempted to offer up his own bat for Williamson to sample following Tuesday's media shoot on the Eden Park turf.

"Me and Kane get along really well, and I've played with Rosco [Ross Taylor] at Delhi [Daredevils], he's a great fella.

"There's not a bad word you can say about the New Zealand team, that's for sure."

Colin Munro giving Aaron Finch's bat a whirl immediately after the blockbuster in Auckland wrapped up, Glen Maxwell running in from the boundary as one of the first to congratulate Martin Guptill on his sublime century in the same game... any iciness from previous years has clearly thawed.

Williamson co-signs his counterpart, pointing towards the evolving nature of the short forms of the game as a reason for the greater familiarity between players.

"There's so much franchise cricket these days that you get to know guys from all around the world," says the 27-year-old. "That's the great thing about sport.

"But when it is on the park, it's a very competitive atmosphere. It is peaceful and guys get on well, but they still play hard."

Of course, Williamson's take on the '180' incident is a much different one to Warner's, as he looks forward to another darts duel.

"We'll be having another one fairly soon, which will be fun. My first one was actually on camera, which kept him quiet.

"But, yeah, we have some good battles with the darts and a few of the other guys get involved as well."

Could New Zealand finally be over the infamous 'underarm' incident? That may be yet be a bridge too far.

Newshub.