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The suitability of Auckland's Eden Park as an international cricket venue has been questioned after Australia managed a world record run chase in Twenty20 internationals in its a five-wicket win over New Zealand.
Set a mammoth 244 to win on Friday night, Australia achieved its target with seven balls to spare as David Warner (59 off 24 balls) and man of the match D'Arcy Short (76 off 44) ran riot.
Black Caps opener Martin Guptill earlier scored an astonishing century, blasting nine sixes on his way to a T20 career-high 105 off 54 balls, as he took full advantage of Eden Park's notorious short straight boundaries to set up an imposing total of 6-243.
Eden Park is primarily a rugby union venue but its status as one of New Zealand's cricket grounds used for international fixtures has been slammed after a staggering 32 sixes were hit on Friday night.
ABC Grandstand commentator Jim Maxwell was among the critics, suggesting Eden Park was too "small" to be hosting a Twenty20 international.
"ICC should ban play and force NZ to play on a regulation size ground," Maxwell tweeted during the match.
Other social media users saw a humorous side to Eden Park's short boundaries.
Regardless of how people felt about Eden Park's size, it was a pulsating contest, which came down to the second last over of Australia's innings.
In a tense ending to the high-scoring extravaganza, Marcus Stoinis was run out at the non-striker's end in the second-last over before Aaron Finch sealed victory with a six.
Two overs earlier, Finch had survived being caught in the deep off a second-consecutive full toss from Ben Wheeler which resulted in him being taken out of the attack.
The result leaves New Zealand needing to defeat England on Sunday in Hamilton to secure a re-match against Australia in Wednesday night's final at the same venue.
Earlier, Guptill received handshakes from the Australians and a rave reception from a packed home crowd when he departed, caught by Glenn Maxwell off Andrew Tye's bowling.
The 31-year-old overtook retired compatriot Brendon McCullum as the highest T20 scorer with 2,188 runs.
Fellow opener Colin Munro's 76 off 33 balls was capped by the left-hander smashing Tye for three-consecutive sixes before being caught in the deep off the next ball.
Tye (2-64), Marcus Stoinis (0-50), Kane Richardson (2-40) and Billy Stanlake (1-43) all went at more than 10 runs an over, while Short gave up 19 runs in his first international over.
Stanlake's sole wicket came in bizarre circumstances off a 142.2kph bouncer that rocketed into Mark Chapman's helmet, which fell off his head and into the stumps.
ABC/AAP
Topics: sport, cricket, twenty20, new-zealand
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