Trent Boult had destroyed Australia’s batting. Now New Zealand needed him to survive two deliveries. With nine wickets down and six runs still required, the bowler who had made victory look straightforward stood between his team and a devastating defeat.
Boult survived. Kane Williamson then launched Pat Cummins straight for six, ending an extraordinary contest at Eden Park on February 28, 2015.
New Zealand won by one wicket with 161 balls remaining. That combination captures why this game belongs in A Celebration of 5000 ODIs: time was abundant, but survival had become desperately scarce.
TL;DR
- New Zealand reached 152/9 after dismissing Australia for 151.
- Player of the Match Trent Boult took 5/27.
- Mitchell Starc answered with 6/28, including four bowled dismissals.
- Brendon McCullum scored 50; Williamson finished unbeaten on 45.
- Williamson’s winning six followed Boult’s survival against Starc.
Match at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Fixture | New Zealand vs Australia |
| Competition | 2015 World Cup, Pool A, 20th match |
| Date | February 28, 2015 |
| Venue | Eden Park, Auckland |
| Toss | Australia chose to bat |
| Totals | Australia 151; New Zealand 152/9 |
| Result | New Zealand won by one wicket |
| Player of the Match | Trent Boult, 5/27 |
| Turning point | Boult survived two balls at 146/9 |
| Significance | Fourth successive New Zealand win; Chappell-Hadlee Trophy secured |
Daniel Vettori Changes the Direction
Australia reached 80/1 before their innings disintegrated. Daniel Vettori’s control interrupted the early aggression, making his introduction a crucial captaincy decision.
Shane Watson fell to Vettori for 23. David Warner departed lbw to Tim Southee with the next delivery, and Vettori subsequently dismissed Steve Smith.
The short boundaries encouraged attacking ambition, but Australia struggled to adjust when wickets demanded greater care.
Trent Boult’s Five Wickets Earn the Award
Boult exploited that uncertainty. Glenn Maxwell and Mitchell Marsh played on, Michael Clarke and Mitchell Johnson offered catches, and Starc lost his stumps.
Australia collapsed from 80/1 to 106/9. Boult finished with 5/27 and three maidens, combining relentless accuracy with movement.
His destruction recalled New Zealand’s 2011 quarterfinal dismantling of South Africa. This time, however, New Zealand would endure their own collapse.
Brad Haddin Keeps Australia Alive
Haddin’s 43 from 41 balls gave Australia something defendable. Cummins contributed seven from 30 deliveries in their 45-run last-wicket partnership.
Their patience mattered. By preserving the final wicket, they forced New Zealand to keep working and raised the target beyond what the middle-order collapse had promised.
Brendon McCullum Creates a Cushion
McCullum struck 50 from 24 balls, including seven fours and three sixes. His aggression punished loose bowling and helped drive Mitchell Johnson’s figures to 0/68.
But McCullum’s dismissal at 78/2 preceded Starc bowling Ross Taylor and Grant Elliott with consecutive deliveries. New Zealand slipped to 79/4.
Williamson and Corey Anderson restored control with 52 runs. At 131/4, only 21 remained.
Mitchell Starc Makes Every Wicket Count
Maxwell removed Anderson before Starc and Cummins tore through the lower order.
Starc’s full length attacked both technique and confidence. His six wickets included four bowled dismissals, evidence that Australia’s recovery depended on outstanding execution.
When Adam Milne and Southee fell consecutively, New Zealand stood at 146/9. Like Malinga’s four-in-four assault in 2007, the spell transformed a seemingly settled chase.
Kane Williamson Finishes the Job
After Boult survived, Williamson faced Cummins with a clear opportunity to end the danger. His straight six completed an unbeaten 45 from 42 balls.
Continue A Celebration of 5000 ODIs
A Celebration of 5000 ODIsA Celebration of 5000 ODIs Match 27: New Zealand Turn South Africa’s Comfortable Chase Into World Cup Heartbreak
A Celebration of 5000 ODIsA Celebration of 5000 ODIs Match 26: England Escape Elimination as West Indies Lose Four Wickets for Three Runs
A Celebration of 5000 ODIsA Celebration of 5000 ODIs Match 25: England Defend 171 as South Africa Lose Their GripNew Zealand’s victory combined McCullum’s acceleration, Boult’s destruction and Williamson’s judgment. Australia’s resistance exposed the hosts’ batting vulnerability, while their own collapse showed the cost of failing to rebuild.
Why This Match Endures
This was a pool match between eventual finalists. Australia later won the Melbourne final by seven wickets, but Auckland remains memorable for its repeated reversals.
Alongside England’s defense of 171 against South Africa, it illustrates why modest totals feature prominently in our ODI classics archive.
The broader lesson for our cricket coverage is simple: bowling quality can make the smallest target feel enormous.
Complete Match Scorecard
Australia: 151 All Out in 32.2 Overs
| Batter | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aaron Finch | b Southee | 14 | 7 | 200.00 |
| David Warner | lbw b Southee | 34 | 42 | 80.95 |
| Shane Watson | c Southee b Vettori | 23 | 30 | 76.67 |
| Steve Smith | c Ronchi b Vettori | 4 | 11 | 36.36 |
| Michael Clarke (c) | c Williamson b Boult | 12 | 18 | 66.67 |
| Glenn Maxwell | b Boult | 1 | 3 | 33.33 |
| Mitchell Marsh | b Boult | 0 | 2 | 0.00 |
| Brad Haddin (wk) | c sub (Latham) b Anderson | 43 | 41 | 104.88 |
| Mitchell Johnson | c Williamson b Boult | 1 | 7 | 14.29 |
| Mitchell Starc | b Boult | 0 | 3 | 0.00 |
| Pat Cummins | Not out | 7 | 30 | 23.33 |
| Extras | b 4, lb 2, w 6 | 12 | ||
| Total | 32.2 overs, all out | 151 |
New Zealand Bowling
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tim Southee | 9 | 0 | 65 | 2 | 7.22 |
| Trent Boult | 10 | 3 | 27 | 5 | 2.70 |
| Daniel Vettori | 10 | 0 | 41 | 2 | 4.10 |
| Adam Milne | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 2.00 |
| Corey Anderson | 0.2 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 18.00 |
Fall of wickets: 30/1 (Finch, 2.2), 80/2 (Watson, 12.6), 80/3 (Warner, 13.1), 95/4 (Smith, 16.3), 96/5 (Maxwell, 17.2), 97/6 (Marsh, 17.4), 104/7 (Clarke, 19.6), 106/8 (Johnson, 21.3), 106/9 (Starc, 21.6), 151/10 (Haddin, 32.2).
New Zealand: 152/9 in 23.1 Overs
| Batter | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Martin Guptill | c Cummins b Starc | 11 | 14 | 78.57 |
| Brendon McCullum (c) | c Starc b Cummins | 50 | 24 | 208.33 |
| Kane Williamson | Not out | 45 | 42 | 107.14 |
| Ross Taylor | b Starc | 1 | 2 | 50.00 |
| Grant Elliott | b Starc | 0 | 1 | 0.00 |
| Corey Anderson | c Cummins b Maxwell | 26 | 42 | 61.90 |
| Luke Ronchi (wk) | c Haddin b Starc | 6 | 7 | 85.71 |
| Daniel Vettori | c Warner b Cummins | 2 | 3 | 66.67 |
| Adam Milne | b Starc | 0 | 2 | 0.00 |
| Tim Southee | b Starc | 0 | 1 | 0.00 |
| Trent Boult | Not out | 0 | 2 | 0.00 |
| Extras | w 10, nb 1 | 11 | ||
| Total | 23.1 overs, nine wickets | 152 |
Australia Bowling
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitchell Johnson | 6 | 1 | 68 | 0 | 11.33 |
| Mitchell Starc | 9 | 0 | 28 | 6 | 3.11 |
| Pat Cummins | 6.1 | 0 | 38 | 2 | 6.16 |
| Mitchell Marsh | 1 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 11.00 |
| Glenn Maxwell | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 7.00 |
Fall of wickets: 40/1 (Guptill, 3.5), 78/2 (McCullum, 7.4), 79/3 (Taylor, 8.1), 79/4 (Elliott, 8.2), 131/5 (Anderson, 19.4), 139/6 (Ronchi, 20.6), 145/7 (Vettori, 21.5), 146/8 (Milne, 22.3), 146/9 (Southee, 22.4).
