Australia win by 50 runs (Series tied 2-2)
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Australia 156/6 (Aaron Finch 79no, Ish Sodhi 3/32)
New Zealand 106 (Kyle Jamieson 30, Kane Richardson 3/19)
19th over - Kane Richardson bowls a wide to bring up the NZ 100. Jamieson looking to atone for a poor effort with the ball, cracks another one to the rope for four. Jamieson goes high again but not far enough, and this game is over.
Kyle Jamieson c Maxwell b KW Richardson 30 (18b 5x4 0x6)
18th over - Big KJ isn't giving up easily here, goes to 23 with another boundary.
17th over - Sodhi holes out, just one NZ wicket remains.
Ish Sodhi c Finch b Zampa 0 (2b 0x4 0x6)
16th over - Conway has no choice but to swing away, doesn't get hold of one and picks out Stoinis in the deep.
Devon Conway c Stoinis b Agar 17 (20b 1x4 0x6)
15th over - Meredith returns to the crease. Jamieson blasts one to long-on, one bounce for four. Thick edge pulling nabs him four more.
14th over - Kane Richardson in to bowl. It all feels a but academic here now. Southee's keen for some fun, rocks back and pulls one into the stands for six. Tries to do the same the very next ball but only succeeds in sending it directly skyward, keeper Wade takes the catch.
Tim Southee c Wade b KW Richardson 6 (4b 0x4 1x6)
13th over - 13.25 runs per over needed from here, on what's proven to be a very difficult batting pitch. A boundary! The drought is over, as Conway dissects the field for four. Maxwell goes up after hitting Conway on his pads. Umpire says no, Aussie review, third umpire also says no. Santner looks to give himself room on the backfoot but drags it into his stumps.
Mitchell Santner b Maxwell 3 (5b 0x4 0x6)
12th over - Zampa continues to put it on the mark, and this time it's Neesham who falls prey, picking out the fielder at mid wicket.
James Neesham c Finch b Zampa 3 (5b 0x4 0x6)
11th over - A mountain to climb now here for the Blackcaps, 115 from 60 balls required. Did I mention it's been 40 balls since the last boundary? Five runs off the over won't help much.
10th over - Zampa back for his second over, looking to ramp up the pressure even more on the NZ batsmen. Conway drives for two, then picks up a single. Zampa varying his deliveries to expert effect here. Huge mix up in the middle, Phillips calls for the run and Conway sends him back only to be comfortably run out. Put that one down to scoreboard pressure.
Glenn Phillips run out (Philippe/Wade) 1 (3b 0x4 0x6)
9th over - The equation starting to look daunting for the Kiwis here, as Maxwell comes in for an over. 123 off 72 balls. This is a crucial partnership. Conway plays a controlled drive for a single to get off the mark. Williamson looks to sweep and gets a top edge, flies to square leg for a comfortable catch. Huge wicket for the Aussies.
Kane Williamson c Marsh b Maxwell 8 (12b 0x4 0x6)
8th over - Run rate starting to creep up for NZ, as the other Richardson enters the attack. Seiferts pulls deep, only a single there. No boundaries for 22 balls now for NZ. Williamson gets a thick edge off a pull shot, skies directly behind him and falls safely for two. Seifert gets cramped up and taken by surprise by the bounce, chops one on to his stumps.
Tim Seifert b KW Richardson 19 (28b 3x4 0x6)
7th over - Here comes Zampa for his first of the night. Williamson drops one short and scampers through for a single, one of five off the over.
6th over - Meredith back for his second over. Good pace, pushing 150km/h, as Williamson defends two. Sneaks a single, Seifert picks up one to end the power play. Just two runs off the over.
5th over - Agar catches Guptill's pads to start the over, big shout but no dice. Slams the next one deep but Maxwell does really well to tiptoe the boundary rope and take the catch.
Martin Guptill c Maxwell b Agar 7 (10b 1x4 0x6)
4th over - Jhye Richardson introduced to the attack. Seifert digs out a yorker and some luck comes his way, as the ball bounces down to third man for four. Goes hard at the next one and gets a thick edge through the slips for another boundary.
3rd over - Seifert takes a knee and sweeps Agar for four of the first ball of the over. Agar responds with a string of dot balls.
2nd over - Riley Meredith opens at the other end. Guptill gloves one square for a single. Inside edge for Seifert to get underway. Guptill plays a deliscious ramp shot down to third man, one bounce for four.
1st over - Out come the NZ openers. This will be a tricky target for the hosts, and spinners Ashton Agar and Adam Zampa should be able to extract plenty from this pitch.
In fact, Agar will take the new ball. Three dots to start, before Guptill digs one out to open the NZ account. Great start Aussie.
Innings break - The NZ attack did well to restrict the Aussie batsmen by taking key wickets at regular intervals, but Finch's final over demolition against Kyle Jamieson has ensured a decent total upon the board, given the blustery conditions. Join us for the NZ chase shortly.
20th over - Incredible finish from Finch, who slams four sixes off Jamieson's final over to carry his bat. Tremendous innings, and this will be a competitive score in these conditions. 26 off the final over, that may come back to haunt the Blackcaps.
19th over - Two overs left for the Aussies to put runs on the board, as Southee returns. Singles off the first two balls. Back for tw for Finch, who brings up one of the most patient fifties of his career. Goes over the top, ball falls inches short of Neesham in the deep for two more. Single off the final ball, only seven off the over.
18th over - Boult looking to keep Richardson on strike here. Sneaks a single, and Finch steps in to whip one square for four.
17th over - Finch welcomes Sodhi back with a lovely lofted cover drive for four. Mrash attempts a sweep and sends a simple catch to fine leg for Sodhi's third wicket. Finishes his four-over spell with 3/32, superb impact.
Mitchell Marsh c Southee b Sodhi 6 (6b 1x4 0x6)
16th over - Southee takes the ball. Marsh pivot and gets just enough bat on a mistimed pull to claim four. Finch goes down the ground for two to surpass David Warner at the top of the Aussie T20 run-scorers list.
15th over - Santner returns to the NZ attack. He's had a big impact here, really tying up the Aussie batsmen. Finishes his four overs with figures of 1/16.
14th over - Boult back with some more pristine line and length. Bowled him! Immaculate yorker takes out the bottom of off stump and Agar is gone for no damage. A wicket and just four runs off the over.
Ashton Agar b Boult 0 (3b 0x4 0x6)
13th over - Sodhi to the crease again. Finch miscues one that turned a mile, scampers back for two runs and only just beats the throw from the outfield. Aussie feeling the scoreboard pressure. Stoinis lofts one over cover for four. What a catch! Williamson dives to his right at over and gets two hands to it. Crucial timing with the wicket, Stoinis was just getting into his groove.
Marcus Stoinis c Williamson b Sodhi 19 (13b 2x4 1x6)
12th over - Jamieson takes the ball. Stoinis muscles one over the long-on boundary for six. the towering quick responds well, just two off the final two deliveries.
11th over - Stoinis plays a streaky late cut off Santner that trickles to the third man boundary. Santner finding his length consistently here. Just seven off the over.
10th over - Maxwell gets a thick outside edge off Boult through first slip for four. Next ball he simply spoons an easy catch to cover, and that's a big wicket for NZ.
Glenn Maxwell c Guptill b Boult 18 (9b 2x4 1x6)
9th over - Sodhi continues to keep the clamp on the Aussies, who have stalled considerably since their fast start. Maxwell breaks the shackles by blasting one through extra cover for four. Follows that with his trademark switch hit for six. I've clearly jinxed NZ there, apologies.
8th over - Jamieson back to the bowling crease. Direct hit at the non-striker's end on a quick single, review reveals Maxwell was safely home. Just six off the over.
7th over - Ish Sodhi into the attack. Finch mistimes one that falls agonisingly short of long-on. Philippe sends one into the clouds and Southee does really well to backtrack and take a tricky catch.
Josh Philippe c Southee b Sodhi 13 (17b 1x4 0x6)
6th over - Southee back. Huge shout as he strikes Philippe's pads and the umpire gives the nod. Philippe has appealed, it did seem rather high. Ball tracker confirms exactly that, and Philippe survives. Responds with a late cut for four.
5th over - Santner getting a surprising amount of turn out here, catching the edge and beating the bat of Finch. Just five off the over.
4th over - Finch slams back-to-back boundaries during Kyle Jamieson's first over.
3rd over - Santner into the attack early and immediately has Wade caught at third man, who misguided his late cut.
Matthew Wade c Sodhi b Santner 14 (10b 1x4 1x6)
A wicket and just one run off the over for the spinner, who returns after missing the third game.
2nd over - Wade flicks Boult off his pads for two. Pulls for a single. Finch plays one off his hips and dissects the fielders on the rope or four. Boult replies by swinging one late into Finch's toes, only a faint edge saves him from being bowled.
1st over - Wade punches Southee through covers for four off the opening delivery. Hoists Southee high and handsome over midwicket for six. Excellent opening over for the Aussies.
7pm - Clear overhead conditions at Sky Stadium, but there's an extra stiff northerly blowing. Let's see what kind of impact that has on proceedings.
6:53pm - Australia have won the toss and will bat first at Sky Stadium tonight.
Kia ora and welcome to Newshub's coverage of the penultimate Twenty20 international between the Blackcaps and Australia from Sky Stadium in Wellington.
The hosts will be looking to bounce back from a convincing defeat in the third match to complete a series win, while the Aussies are out to send us to a decisive fifth match on Sunday.
We'll have the over-by-over action for you from 7pm.
TAB betting odds:
Blackcaps - $2.00 Australia - $1.75
Pre-match banter:
Jimmy Neesham backed to rebound from horror performance in NZ loss
By Grant Chapman
All-rounder Jimmy Neesham has come crashing to earth, after emerging as a special hero of the Blackcaps' nailbiting T20 victory over Australian in Dunedin last week.
Six days after bowling New Zealand home against the trans-Tasman rivals, Neesham has been plundered for 28 runs in one over, as his side fell 65 runs short of sealing their five-match series in Wellington.
With Australia poised for a charge at 153/3 after 16 overs, Glenn Maxwell climbed into his counterpart for two sixes and four fours to provide the matchwinning impetus, as his team set a target of 210 runs - a total the home side never remotely challenged, as they failed to build partnerships.
Neesham's cruel fate illustrated the difference between the two sides, with almost a week since their last meeting. In Dunedin, he smashed an unbeaten 45 with the bat, and dismissed Daniel Sams and Marcus Stoinis with the ball, as they seemingly edged their side closer to victory.
This time, he conceded 60 runs off his four overs and suffered a first-ball duck.
"Any time you feel like you've let your teammates down and you've let your country down... but it can be such a fine line in this game," reflects Blackcaps veteran Tim Southee.
"We saw last week, he was a matchwinner for us and he is a matchwinner for us. I think he'll bounce back in the next couple of days.
"The beauty of it is we can have another crack in a couple of days to put the wrongs right. He's shown he's a quality player with bat and ball - he's had an off day today, but that can happen in this format.
"He'll be chomping at the bit to get back out there and I don't think just one bad day undoes the work he's done for a period of time now."
If nothing else, this series illustrates the swings and roundabouts that plague even the world's best players in cricket's shortest form.
World-class batsmen like Martin Guptill and Aaron Finch have struggled for runs, then broken out of slumps, with the Aussie captain striking 69 off 44 balls in his team's winning effort.
Neesham was one of three victims in one over from Aussie spin bowler Ashton Agar, who finished with a career-best 6/30 in a man-of-the-match performance. Agar hadn't taken a wicket in the previous two encounters.
Southee admits the loss of spin-all-rounder Mitch Santner to injury had thrown the Blackcaps line-up off balance. Santner was replaced by Mark Chapman, but skipper Kane Williamson may have relied too heavily on Neesham to bowl his full quote of overs in Santner's absence.
"If you look back, on reflection, it would have been nice to have another bowler," says Southee. "But Neesh has done a good job for us with the ball and we were hoping to get a few overs out of him.
"Hindsight's a wonderful thing, but looking back, we probably were [a bowler short]."
Australia had walked straight out of 14-day quarantine and into the series opener at Christchurch, looking short of a gallop and off the pace. They were much better in Dunedin and even better with six more days to find their feet.
After such a comprehensive victory and with the next two matches scheduled for the same venue, Sky Stadium suddenly looms as an Australian fortress, as the tourists try to save a series that seemed beyond their grasp a week ago.
