Head, Warner steer Australia to 388 against New Zealand

Australia's Glenn Maxwell plays a shot during the 2023 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup one-day international (ODI) match between Australia and New Zealand at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala on 28 October, 2023.
AFP

Travis Head marked his World Cup bow with a blistering century as he and fellow opener David Warner blitzed New Zealand on Saturday to help steer Australia to 388 all out.

Five-time champions Australia, put into bat at the picturesque Himalayan ground in Dharamsala, saw Head top-score with 109 and Warner hit 81.

Head, playing his first match of the tournament after being sidelined with a broken hand, reached his fourth one-day international hundred off 59 balls with 10 fours and six sixes.

Australia's Mitchell Marsh (L) is clean bowled by New Zealand's Mitchell Santner during the 2023 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup one-day international (ODI) match between Australia and New Zealand at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala on 28 October, 2023.
AFP

The 29-year-old had reached 50 off 28 balls and then made the most of being dropped on 70 and 75.

He was eventually clean-bowled by off-spinner Glenn Phillips with Australia reaching 206-2 at the halfway stage. With Warner, Head had put on 175 in the first 20 overs before his veteran partner was dismissed.

Warner, who turned 37 on Friday, had been looking for a third successive century but eventually fell for 81 when he chipped a catch back to Phillips.

Phillips then accounted for Steve Smith (18) as he claimed career-best figures of 3-37 before fellow spinner Mitchell Santner got in on the act.

New Zealand's Mitchell Santner (L) celebrates with teammate Glenn Phillips after taking the wicket of Australia's Mitchell Marsh during the 2023 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup one-day international (ODI) match between Australia and New Zealand at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala on 28 October, 2023.
AFP

Santner beat the defences of Mitchell Marsh (36) and the left-armer then dismissed Marnus Labuschagne (18) after the batsman had been dropped on one. That left Australia on 274-5 in the 39th over

Jimmy Neesham, playing his first match of the World Cup, had middle-order dangerman Glenn Maxwell caught at long-off by Trent Boult for a 24-ball 41.

Maxwell had come into the match fresh from a World Cup record 40-ball hundred against the Netherlands.

New Zealand's Trent Boult catches the ball during the 2023 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup one-day international (ODI) match between Australia and New Zealand at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala on 28 October, 2023.
AFP

Josh Inglis raced to a 28-ball 38, putting on 62 for the seventh wicket with skipper Pat Cummins (37).

New Zealand came into the game with four wins from five games, while Australia had three wins and two losses.

Brief scores: Australia 388 all out in 49.2 overs (Travis Head 109, David Warner 81; Glenn Phillips 3-37, Trent Boult 3-77) v New Zealand

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