Mitch Marsh has delivered on the biggest stage, with a tremendous 77 not out to help Australia to a maiden men’s Twenty20 World Cup title.
Australia claimed an eight-wicket victory over New Zealand in Dubai as Marsh, who came in with his side at 1-15, joined David Warner to take apart the New Zealand attack in the biggest successful run chase in a World Cup final.
Australia chased down the 173 runs needed with 7 balls to spare as Glenn Maxwell hit the winning runs with a reverse sweep and Australia erased the memories of their 2010 final loss to England.
Often-maligned and somewhat divisive among cricket fans and analysts alike, this performance was Marsh at his best.
His intent was clear from the first ball he faced, when he hit New Zealand quick Adam Milne for six.
He never let up from there in an innings that saw his 77 runs include 10 boundaries, 4 of them sixes in 50 deliveries.
It was a performance that won Marsh the man-of-the-match award and left him elated on the podium after being reminded his career has had a few peaks and troughs.
“I don’t really have words right now, ” Marsh said.
Marcus Stoinis continued the Marsh love-in post-match, as he lauded the all-rounder.
“I can’t wait to keep playing with this team … you won’t find bigger supporters of Mitch Marsh than right here apart from probably his family,” Stoinis said.
“We are so happy for him.”
While Marsh was brilliant, he was ably supported by Warner, who for the second time in the knockout stages set up Australia’s run chase.
Warner was later named player of the tournament and said the team victory was “up there with 2015”, when Australia beat New Zealand in the ODI World Cup final.
Against Pakistan in the semi-final Warner made 49 before being given out caught behind in dubious fashion, and here he made 53 to again get a big run chase off to the perfect start.
This time there was no doubt about the method of dismissal though.
With Australia on 1-106 after 12 overs, New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson knew a wicket was needed and called for his strike bowler Trent Boult.
On the second ball of the ensuing over a fast, skidding delivery rattled Warner’s stumps.
After his swing and miss the Australian learned nothing from the trials of New Zealand’s Devon Conway and his broken hand, and punched his bat in fury.
From there Maxwell, who had been out of touch throughout the tournament, threw the bat at nearly everything on his way to 28 and victory seemed academic until a few nerves hit in the 18th over, when Milne went for just three.
Order was restored in the next Tim Southee over as Australia rounded out the victory before wild celebrations commenced.
Those celebrations would have been much to the relief of fast bowlers Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, albeit for different reasons.
Starc was hammered by New Zealand’s batsmen as he finished with figures of 0-60, and while Hazlewood was excellent with the ball, taking 3-16 and helping to hold New Zealand to their worst powerplay for the tournament of 1-31, he made what could have been a fatal error.
After Australia had already dropped opener Martin Guptill, Williamson hoicked a full toss from Starc down the throat of Hazlewood at fine leg only for Starc’s fellow quick to drop the regulation catch as the ball burst through his hands and to the boundary for four.
The sense was there that Australia knew the significance.
Starc was doubled over as if he had been punched in the stomach and a crestfallen Hazlewood stood with his head hung low and his hands on his hips.
Williamson then went about making Australia pay.
He smashed Starc for four on each of the next two deliveries, taking the over for 19 as he started to accelerate his own innings and push the run rate up.
By the end of the over he had 35 from 25 deliveries and two overs later had his half-century as he hit Maxwell for two consecutive sixes, the first coming with just one hand on the bat.
Williamson would eventually make 85 and rubbed salt into Starc’s gaping wounds in the 16th over of the innings as he took the left-arm quick for 22 runs, the worst single over figures in a T20 World Cup final.
Williamson was all class as he paid tribute to Australia’s performance after New Zealand once again suffered the heartbreak of losing a tournament final.
“It was nice to get what we thought was a competitive total only to be chased by Australia, they are a brilliant side and came out here tonight and turned it on,” he said.
SOURCE: ABC NEWS