New Zealand farewell McCullum with series win vs. Australia

The Black Caps skipper, one of the most destructive hitters in the game, was playing in his 260th and final ODI and signs off with 6083 runs and five centuries.

Josh Hazlewood, John Hastings, Scott Boland, Mitchell Marsh and the leg spinner Adam Zampa all delivered useful spells, keeping New Zealand in check before making life hard for a succession of new batsmen at the crease later in the innings.

Brendon McCullum bowed out of one-day internationals with a win as New Zealand beat Australia by 55 runs at Hamilton to win the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy. “I don’t think there was much of an appeal…it wasn’t until they saw something on the big screen”, Smith said in the post-match ceremony, triggering boos from the locals. At the other end, Usman Khawaja continued his glorious form racing to 44 off 36 balls.

In the first match of the three-match series, Australian opener David Warner was given out lbw and decided not to challenge the call.

Australia, set a target of 247, had their tails up when they needed 83 off the last 16 overs with five wickets in hand and Marsh, their match-winner in Sunday’s second tie, in full flight.

“Steve Smith later conceded the right decision was made ultimately, but there are doubts as to whether the right protocol was followed by umpires”.

But the momentum swung back in New Zealand’s favour when a Henry delivery edged off Marsh’s bat, on to his foot, and rebounded back to the bowler.

But the Australians questioned whether the matter could be referred to replay if none of the New Zealand players appealed and the umpire on the ground had not given a decision. “And they went upstairs after the replay, a bit disappointing”.

Sodhi walked away with the man of the match award for his two important wickets, but the real ovation was for McCullum, who changed the way New Zealand looked at cricket.

Earlier, McCullum and Martin Guptill had again got New Zealand off to a rollicking start, racing to 84 in 9.3 overs before the captain became the first of Marsh’s three wickets when he was dismissed for 47.

In his last ODI for the Black Caps, McCullum came out to a guard of honour and handshake from rival captain Steve Smith to open New Zealand’s innings, and proceeded to smash a signature rambunctious knock of 47 off 27 balls.

McCullum shares the world record for Test sixes with Australian Adam Gilchrist and is fourth on the ODI list which is headed by Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi with 351.

The sides next face off in a two-Test series starting on Friday.