In the first of the three-match ODI series between Australia and New Zealand in Sydney, the hosts’ skipper Aaron Finch won the toss and elected to bat first.
Aussie openers, Finch and David Warner, added a brilliant 124-run stand for the first wicket before Lockie Ferguson helped the Black Caps in getting a breakthrough. Warner scored an 88-ball 67 whereas Finch clubbed 60 runs off 75 ba꧋lls in the series opener.
Meanwhile, an instance happened on the field that hogged the spotlight for the day. In the 18th over of the match, Finch smacked a six off Ish Sodhi towards cow corner on the first delivery. It was the time when Ferguson went into the empty stands, picked up the ball and threw it back to the bowler. The player had to do so because the spectators were not present at the venue.
Good arm, Lockie!
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau)
As far as the first innings is﷽ concerned, Australia posted a competitive 258/7 in their allotted 50 overs, thanks to the half-centuries from Warner, Finch and Marnus Labuschagne (56 off 52).
With bowling figures of 8-ౠ0-51-3, New Zealand spinner Ish Sodhi was the pick of their bowlers. Apart from Sodhi, all-rounder Mitchell Santner and Ferguson also dismissed two batsmen each.
