App users click here for latest updates
Australia 131 (17.3 overs)
Marsh 45, Agar 23, Sodhi 4/28
NZ 184/5 (Conway 99no)
NZ win by 53 runs
18th over - Santner to bowl his last over. Richardson swings him high for six.
OUT Richardson, st Seifert b Santner 11
Santner sees Richardson advancing down the pitch and bowls wide of him, with Seifert catching him out of his ground to end the match.
Great effort from New Zealand, after early disaster. Conway was outstanding with the bat, Sodhi with the ball.
17th over - Boult back for his third over, Zampa slogs him for a couple.
Zampa manages an inside edge that misses the stumps and runs away for four.
Zampa can't handle the third ball, but it lobs just short of a diving Neesham.
Zampa doesn't know much about Boult, but edges for a single to retain strike.
Nine off the over, Aust 124/9
16th over - Sodhi back for his last over, Jhye hits just wide of him.
OUT K Richardson, c Neesham b Sodhi 5
Kane can't connect cleanly and picks out Neesham near the boundary.
Adam Zampa is Australia's last batter. Sodhi is chasing a five-wicket bag.
Sodhi bowls a high no-ball and concedes a free hit. Zampa swings and edges for four.
Eight runs and a wicket in the over, Aust 115/9
15th over - Santner returns, required run rate up to 14.
Fourth ball is very wide, but Jhye catches up with it somehow to prevent the wide call.
Same ball and this time, Kane is not biting.
Six runs from the over, Aust 107/8
14th over - Sodhi returns for his third over.
OUT Sams, c Jamieson b Sodhi 1
Sams tries to smash the first ball out of the stadium, but gets a top edge and Jamieson runs behind the keeper to take the catch.
Agar misses the ball outside offstump.
OUT Richardson, c Jamieson b Sodhi 0
Agar doesn't miss second ball outside offstump, but catches an edge and Jamieson dives forward to gather it on the full.
Two runs and two wickets from the over, Aust 101/8
13th over - Jamieson back to bowl his third over.
Agar moves outside offstump and chips Jamieson over the legside boundary for four.
Agar's next shot is not clean and barely clears Williamson.
Marsh swings over the legside boundary for six and his highest international T20 score.
OUT Marsh, c Santner b Jamieson 45
Just as Marsh threatened to take the game away from New Zealand, he tries to cut square and is taken by Santner diving to his right.
Thirteen runs, but also a key wicket in that over. Aust 99/6
12th over - Some 9093 spectators watching Santner bowl his second over.
Marsh swings high into the onside, but the ball falls short of Conway.
Agar edges for four. Marsh sweeps, but Guptill prevents the boundary.
Same shot, same result for Marsh and Guptill.
Ten from the over, Aust 86/5
11th over - Agar chips Sodhi over the infield for a couple, then swings him over the legside boundary for six.
Marsh advance down the pitch, but can't connect cleanly, getting a bottom edge to the keeper and lucky to recover his ground.
Next ball is cut to the boundary.
Thirteen off the over, Aust 76/5
10th over - More spin from Mitch Santner.
Agar slashes at the first ball and is lucky not to repeat Stoinis' fate, just wide of Santner.
Marsh tries to sweep, but misses everything, then laps for a single.
Australia need more than two runs a ball now.
Santner beats Marsh with his last ball. Six runs off the over, Aust 63/5
Ninth over - Ish Sodhi will provide New Zealand's first over of spin. Stoinis apparently doesn't like spin.
Sodhi pulls one down short and Stoinis swings lustily, but misses.
Stoinis cuts square and Phillips chases hard, but can't stop the ball skidding into the boundary.
OUT Stoinis, c & b Sodhi 8
Sodhi drops another one short, but it hurries onto Stoinis, who can't complete a full swing and just lobs the ball back to the bowler.
Agar is off the mark with a single. Five runs and a wicket off the over, Aust 57/5
Eighth over - Jamieson with his second over. Marsh nudges a full delivery through the infield for four.
Jamieson responds with a wide. Next ball sees Marsh swing and miss.
Some discussion over the ball and umpire Gaffney is looking for a replacement.
When play resumes, Kamieson beats Marsh with one that moves away and there's a noise, but maybe the bat hitting the ground.
Seven runs from the over, a better one from Jamieson. Aust 52/4
Seventh over - Jimmy Neesham's first ball is pulled away by Marsh for four. Marsh looks in good touch.
He plays into space and Southee has a long run, batsmen run two.
Nine from the over, Aust 45/4
Sixth over - Kyle Jamieson to bowl his first over, a lot of attention on the man who attracted so much attention in the IPL auction this week.
Jamieson pitches one short and Marsh swings through legside for four. Next ball moves away and Marsh cannot catch up with it.
Next ball is an inswinger, which Marsh keeps out.
Wow, Marsh swings into a short ball for six over square leg.
Twelve runs off the over, Aust 36/4
Fifth over - Southee with his third over, trying to take full advantage of the movement.
Second ball is wide down legside.
OUT Maxwell, c Neesham b Southee 1
Maxwell swings and edges into the slips, where Neesham moves to his left in front of Guptill for the catch. Great start for NZ.
Stoinis is next in... he can destroy an attack on his day. Three slips now for Southee.
Stoinis is off the mark with a single. Marsh chips over mid-wicket for four.
Six and another wicket off the over, Aust 24/4
Fourth over - Boult to bowl his second, Wade gets underneath the first ball and laps it for six.
OUT Wade c Williamson, b Boult 12
Wade tries to find the boundary on the onside, but fails to time the shot, presenting an easy catch for Williamson in the covers.
Maxwell at the crease now. Boult gets one to bend back and hit him high in the leg.
Boult swings one down the legside for a wide.
Eight runs and another wicket off that over, Aust 18/3
Third over - Southee continues, Wade tries to pull the first ball and has to send Marsh back.
Southee hits Wade on the pads, but there's a slight inside edge, saving him from the leg before wicket.
Just one single from the over, Aust 10/2
Second over - Trent Boult finds movement with his very first ball and Wade is lucky to avoid an edge. Neesham comes into slip.
Wade tries to lap one over the keeper, but the ball moves again and smacks him in the forearm.
He responds by playing over the infield for three runs, but streakily.
Philippe off the mark with a well-run two.
OUT Philippe c Conway, b Boult 2
Philippe tries to play through the legside, but gets a leading edge and high ball lands in the hands of, guess who, Conway again.
Six runs and a wicket in that over, Aust 9/2
First over - Tim Southee takes the ball for the first over, with Wade and Finch at the crease.
Wade works the second ball away for a single to open the Aussie scoring. Finch is off the mark with a single too.
OUT Finch, c Conway b Southee 1
Southee tosses one up outside offstump, Finch drives to drive it, but finds only the hands of the man of the moment, Conway. Big wicket, great start.
Three runs and a wicket in that over, Aust 3/1
New Zealand 184/5 (20 overs)
Conway 99no, Phillips 30, Neesham 26, Jhye Richardson 2/31
Australia win the toss and field first
20th over - Kane Richardson to bowl the final over and Conway takes a single off the first ball.
Santner swings a flat bat for four. Swings and misses the next ball, but they run a single.
Conway needs 12 runs for his century and there's six of them onto the bank.
He moves to 98 with a four and one ball remaining. Can he do it?
Conway slices one through the onside, but it's only one and he ends on 99no.
Seventeen off the final over and that's a competitive score, after a disastrous start. NZ 184/5
19th over - Sams for his last over. Conway can't reach a wide delivery outside offstump.
Next ball is hit behind point for two. Sams responds with a genuine wide.
Conway flicks off his pads for six.
Sams pitches another one wide and Conway gets underneath it, but Stoinis can't hold the catch.
Conway dispatches the next ball through cover for four.
Sixtten from the over, NZ 167/5
18th over - Kane Richardson with his third over.
Conway pulls flat to the boundary for four. He flicks to the legside for two more and his highest score for New Zealand.
The Aussie fielding is becoming a bit ragged, so maybe their time in isolation is taking a toll.
Ten runs off the over, NZ 151/5
17th over - Jhye Richardson for his fourth over.
Conway nudges a wide ball through point for two. He plays hard through point, only for a single, and punches his bat in frustration - it deserved more.
Neesham flicks off his pads behind square leg for four.
OUT Neesham, c Wade b Richardson 26
Neesham plays on offstump, but the ball moves just slightly and he catches an edge through to the keeper. Good knock off 15 balls.
Don't mind Santner at this stage of an innings - he's become a closing specialist.
Nine runs off the over, NZ 141/5
16th over - Sams back for his third over.
Neesham swings through the legside for two. He hits straight over the bowler's head for four.
Conway pulls the ball through the legside, but Agar fields on the boundary, restricting the scoring to two.
Next ball, Conway flat bats a slower ball past Agar for four.
Fourteen off the over, NZ 132/4
15th over - Stoinis with his second over. First ball is wide down legside and Neesham gets behind it for two runs.
Conway runs two, great running from the Blackcaps.
Stoinis looks a little winded, it's only his second over.
Neesham swings towards the boundary between two fielders - the first deflects the ball infield, but his buddy (Maxwell) fumbles it into the rope for four. Stoinis is furious.
Ten runs off the over, NZ 118/4
14th over - Glenn Maxwell to bowl his first over, the seventh bowler for Australia.
Two lefthanders in for New Zealand, Maxwell offers his left-arm spin.'
Neesham runs two off the second ball and Maxwell strays down legside with his next two. Neesham responds with another two.
Conway shapes for a reverse sweep and than has to re-adjust, edging it past the keeper for a bye.
Ten off the over, NZ 108/4
13th over - Marcus Stoinis into the attack for Australia, dangerous all-rounder. Phillips plays him for a single and has another, when Agar misfields.
OUT Phillips, c March b Stoinis 30
Similar shot to the last over, through it too soon and high into the air, but his time into a crowded area in front of the wicket and Marsh is under it for a simple catch.
Neesham is lucky not to play onto his stumps with his first ball and scrambles through for a single. He's a bit short of form as well.
Conway plays for a single to bring up his fifty off 36 balls - his third for New Zealand.
Five runs off the over, NZ 98/4
12th over - Kane Richardson with his second over.
Conway cunningly guides a ball past third man for a boundary. He smacks through leg side for another four.
Phillips gets right under this ball and it skies very high - but no-one can get underneath.
Ten from the over, NZ 91/3
11th over - Zampa for his third over, but Phillips climbs into his first ball for six. That landed in the KFC Zone, so chicken all round.
Fifty partnership came up for this pair in the last over, so innings is rebuilding, after that disastrous start.
Phillips ends the over as he started - with a six.
Fourteen runs off the over, NZ 81/3
10th over - Agar with his second over. Singles off the first two balls.
Conway has two through cover. New Zealand picking up some momentum now.
Conway tries to sweep, but gets a top edge that luckily falls in a gap. He plays the same shot next ball and has four.
Conway repeats the shot, same result.
Eleven runs off the over, NZ 66/3.
Ninth over - Jhye Richardson back for his third over, Conway has a single off the first ball.
Conway cuts and runs a single on the misfield.
Phillips swings and has a six behind square.
Nine runs off the over, NZ 55/3.
Eighth over - Ashton Agar to bowl his first over of spin and Phillips immediately has a single.
Conway switches stance and reverse-sweeps to the boundary. He sweeps regulation for a single.
Eight off that over.
NZ 46/3
Seventh over - Zampa to bowl his second over.
Conway and Phillips just noodling singles at this stage - four from that over.
NZ 38/3
Sixth over - Kane Richardson to bowl his first over.
Phillips off the mark with a single.
Conway runs the ball behind point for four and finishes the over with a single to retain strike.
NZ 34/3
Fifth over - Richardson has Conway in a tangle with the first ball of his second over.
Conway cannot get bat on ball, with Richardson's pace. He eventually plays through square leg for two.
Conway flicks one off his pads and barely clears fielder Sams on the boundary for six, much needed.
NZ 28/3
Fourth over - Sams to bowl his second over from the other end to his first.
He takes the pace off his first two balls to Williamson, but the NZ skipper is too clever for that.
Sams digs a short-pitched delivery on his fourth, way over Williamson's head.
Williamson swings into a boundary, giving the fieldsman a sniff of a chance to catch.
OUT Williamson, c Wade b Sams 12
The skipper tries to play the same shot again, but Sams has held back and entices a nick through to the wicketkeeper. That's a big wicket for the Aussies.
Third over - Jhye Richardson to bowl the third over, Williamson cuts for a single behind point.
OUT Seifert, b Richardson 1
New Zealand in trouble early, as Seifert misjudges one in line with offstump and it takes out the pole.
Conway comes to the crease...
Conway hits through cover for two to open his account and adds a single off the next ball.
Second over - Spinner Adam Zampa will take the second over for Australia - a bit of a surprise with the new ball.
Seifert is under way with a single of his first ball.
Williamson plays straight back up the pitch, and Zampa and Seifert end up in a pile at the other end.
NZ 10/1
First over - Daniel Sams to open the bowling for Australia, with Guptill facing the first ball.
OUT Guptill 0, c Agar, b Sams
After a couple of widish looseners (not called), Sams entices Guptill into a thick edge that sees him caught at backward point. His terrible form continues...
Williamson is at the wicket and plays the shot Guptill should have played.
Williamson opens the scoring with a boundary through mid wicket.
He finishes the over with two runs through point.
NZ 6/1
7:07pm - Blackcaps playing in their throwback beige outfits tonight - they still look good after all these years ;-)
7:04pm - Players and spectators observe a moment's silence for those that died, were injured or affected in some way by the Christchurch earthquake 10 years ago today.
6:40pm - Australia have won the toss and sent New Zealand in to bat first. The line-ups are:
New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Tim Seifert (wk), Kane Williamson (c), Devon Conway, Glenn Phillips, Jimmy Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Kyle Jamieson, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Trent Boult
Australia: Aaron Finch (c), Matthew Wade (wk), Josh Philippe, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Marsh, Daniel Sams, Ashton Agar, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Adam Zampa
For the Aussies, Philippe will make his international debut, after his star turn with the bat during the recent Big Bash.
*****
Kia ora, good evening and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the opening T20 international between the New Zealand and Australian men at Christchurch's Hagley Oval.
More than a month has passed since we last saw our national cricket team in action, dispensing with Pakistan over five days, en route to the World Test Championship final at Lord's in June.
The Blackcaps' amazing summer of cricket resumes tonight, when they take on the old foe - Australia - in the first of five 20-over matches, with the World Cup looming later this year.
The Aussies have spent the last two weeks in COVID-19 quarantine and only emerged last night, so considerable interest will surround their preparedness at such short notice.
Several of their established stars are missing from this line-up, but their roster still includes many stars from the recently completed Big Bash competition, so they should not be under-estimated.
As a backdrop to tonight's match, Christchurch is commemorating the 10-year anniversary of its massive earthquake that has really shaped the southern city since.
This encounter will also be the first international under lights at Hagley Oval, a venue that has risen from the rubble of that natural disaster.
TAB odds: NZ $1.82, Australia $1.92
Blackcaps back 'destructive' Guptill to return to form
The injury cloud over Martin Guptil's availability for Monday's first T20 against Australia appears to be gone.
The veteran Blackcaps white-ball opener has received the all-clear and will take his place in the opening match of the five-game series at Christchurch’s Hagley Oval.
And the 34-year-old has plenty to play for, with hot prospect Finn Allen banging the selection door down, after a sensational Super Smash campaign for Wellington.
Guptil has struggled for runs this season, failing to pass 50 against the West Indies or Pakistan, while his returns for Auckland were meek.
But his coach and teammates have no doubt 'Guppy' is close to his best and are backing the right-hander to return to form.
"If you watched him bat in the nets today, you wouldn't know there are any issues at all - he looked like a million dollars," says coach Gary Stead.
But Guptill must perform at the crease and without a half-century in T20 cricket since 2019, he needs results, with a World Cup just months away.
"Gups is a class player and has been a class player for a long time,” says Stead. “Form and what people do while in form can change perceptions so quickly.
"But we have a number of people who are capable of playing international cricket and that's exciting for us"
Long-time international teammate Trent Boult expects Guptill will end any selection debate against Australia, predicting a destructive showing from the Aucklander.
"This is a guy we're talking about who's been playing international cricket for 12 or so years," Boult says. "We know what he can do with the bat in hand in the white-ball format."
Australia pose a serious challenge, despite missing several of their test stars.
David Warner, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins are all playing domestic cricket in Australia, but with a slew of hungry Big Bash youngsters looking to stake a claim for the World Cup, Stead expects a severe litmus test for his side.
"They've got class players right throughout, so it's a very good chance to find out where we are as a T20 unit."
Meanwhile, the Australians - who will be released from managed isolation on Sunday - expect a challenge from the Blackcaps’ latest Indian Premier League millionaire.
Matthew Wade has been impressed by what he's seen of Kyle Jamieson from afar and on a hard Hagley Oval wicket, the towering quick could prove a real handful for the Aussies.
"I would suggest that his bounce is going to be the big thing and arguably his biggest strength, so it's going to take a bit of getting used to," Wade says.
