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“Both sides are playing pretty aggressive cricket”

The Chappell-Hadlee trophy goes on the line in front of a sold out crowd today, with plenty at stake for Australia and New Zealand.

Feb 08, 2016, updated Feb 08, 2016
Mitchell Marsh and John Hastings celebrate clinching the second ODI against New Zealand on Saturday. Photo: John Cowpland, AAP/SNPA.

Mitchell Marsh and John Hastings celebrate clinching the second ODI against New Zealand on Saturday. Photo: John Cowpland, AAP/SNPA.

Australia are shooting for an eighth straight ODI series win, with their most-recent loss coming in a 2014 tri-series.

There is also a two-Test series starting on Friday, the outcome of which will determine if Steve Smith’s men climb to No.1 on the ICC’s world rankings.

The tourists have no tour game in the whites, leaving the ODI series finale in Hamilton as their last chance for time in the middle before a Basin Reserve battle against the Black Caps.

David Warner, Usman Khawaja and Mitch Marsh all scored half-centuries in Australia’s series-levelling win on Saturday in Wellington.

But Smith missed out, falling for two in a collapse of 4-22.

In the Eden Park seres opener, Smith triggered a slump of 5-8 when he was out for 18.

“No.3 [Smith], No.4 [George Bailey] and No.5 [Glenn Maxwell] still have a lot of work to do,” skipper Smith said in Saturday’s post-match ceremony.

Matt Henry, reaching the 150 km/h mark at the Cake Tin, has twice dismissed Smith in the series.

“Matt’s bowling extremely well, taking early wickets and coming back superbly,” NZ batsman Kane Williamson said yesterday.

“They’ve got a very strong batting line-up with a lot of world-class players and it’s important that all the strike bowlers are in form.”

Test squad members who aren’t part of the ODI squad have travelled to Wellington and will train on Monday with coach Darren Lehmann.

Marsh’s unbeaten 69 helped his side haul in the hosts’ 9-281 in the second game, making it Australia’s greatest successful ODI chase in New Zealand.

Williamson predicted another high-scoring affair at Seddon Park – which will be the scene of Brendon McCullum’s final ODI.

“Both sides are playing pretty aggressive cricket,” he said.

“All the wickets have been pretty good, perhaps on the slow side. But, with short boundaries and pretty good outfield, they seem to produce high scores.”

Williamson, the first drop who scored Test tons in Brisbane and Perth earlier this summer, was dismissed on Saturday by debutant legspinner Adam Zampa.

Williamson chipped a ball to Smith at catching cover, with Zampa saying the dismissal went according to plan.

“I did my research a little bit against these players… tried to get Williamson driving,” Zampa said.

“Luckily it worked – it was pretty tough work out there.”

Zampa was part of a much-improved bowling performance.

The confident 23-year-old didn’t have a chance to bowl to McCullum, who bludgeoned 28 runs off 12 balls, but welcomed the prospect.

He also felt ready to score the winning runs on debut should Marsh or John Hastings have fallen in the final 10 overs.

“It’s not always like that but last night I was just particularly confident if I had to go out there and score the runs that I was going to do it,” Zampa said.

“I back myself batting, bowling, fielding so I was pretty confident.”

-AAP

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