THURSDAY APRIL 1 2021 SPORT 59 A golden Aussie run Intense on the line LAURA JOLLY

AUSTRALIA will fight to keep a remarkable streak alive in its Azzurri T20I series decider against New Zealand at Auckland’s today. The match will be the first bilateral series decider for Aus- tralia since late 2017, and Meg Lanning’s (pictured) team will breaks need to beat the White Ferns at a venue where they have never played before to take out the series. The last time the Aus- Hearts tralians lost a T20I series or GREY MORRIS t o u r n a m e n t

was the 20- NSW BlUES UNI Azzurri will meet the win- over leg of the ner of next week’s Darwin Ashes in No- Olympic-Palmerston Rovers vember 2017, when they re- FFA Cup qualifier after a com- tained the overall trophy but fortable 3-0 win over Darwin lost the final two games of the Hearts. series. The Azzurri scored twice in Since then, they have won the first half and once in the bilateral series over New Zea- last to break the Hearts, who Daniel Marimbe in action for land twice, Pakistan, England showed enough to suggest a Azzurri. Picture: Lou Reeve and West Indies, taken out two competitive 2021 Norzone sea- T20 tri-series and claimed two son is ahead of them. shot from last season’s prolific T20 World Cup titles. Azzurri’s head coach Mi- scorer Uche Okwara slid past Must-win matches are not chael Roditis was pleaded with Hearts ‘keeper Jason Li on 27 unfamiliar territory for the his side’s intensity, but less minutes to give the purple world’s top-ranked team. happy with the finishing in shirts the lead. The Australians needed to front of goals. Five minutes later it was 2-0 win every match of last year’s “It was a problem for us last when Daniel Marimbe turned T20 World Cup after dropping year and it looks like it’s car- on a five-cent piece to beat the their opening game against ried on this season, but I’m advancing Li with a left-foot India. sure the players will get bet- strike inside the right upright. ter,” he said. From that moment the “The nerves were there with dark-blue shirts were in con- the knockout format in Cup trol, peppering the Hearts de- Big game before yesterday’s one-day game. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images matches, where you have to fensive goal with a series of tread carefully and score and scoring chances. make sure you put the ball in The Azzurri’s 2-0 halftime under light the net.” lead looked comfortable, and SWEN EKAF NSW LACKS PROVEN LEADER Hearts did most of the at- with Kenneth Naan and Tega tacking in the first 25 minutes Adjeke controlling the mid- THE NT News can reveal the RUSSELL GOULD The former Test , hopeful and should have been ahead field Hearts rarely troubled Australian Test side wicketkeeper could also miss skipper , former after only 10 minutes when Moneven in goal. will be in Darwin for a 50-over DAVID Warner made a the final, which is set for April Blues Moises Shrawan Shrestha shot Okwara missed a golden day-nighter against the Terri- fleeting final appearance for 15, after putting his family Henriques and fast bowler straight at Azzurri goalkeeper chance to make it 3-0 in the tory’s best players. NSW before heading to the first. are all Dylan Moneven from 15 me- 60th minute and Dean Ed- Set to be played at Gardens as his It leaves NSW without a leaving today to take up their tres. wards was almost rewarded for Oval now that the lights have team was hit with another go-to captain for the lucrative IPL deals. Hearts’ Humble Man Mbu- a long run from defence when been approved by council, the sudden loss yesterday. remainder of the Shield Earlier in the Marsh One- kana enjoyed a glut of pos- he missed from close range. game will feature Pat Cum- Sheffield Shield captain season as the one-day match Day Cup yesterday, Cummins session on his wing, creating But when Louis Ernoul De mins and Steve Smith. will miss his at North Oval was and the Test attack proved several chances with his leg La Cheneliere tapped in on 68 The NT invitational side side’s final match against the last for a swag of players too strong for the speed and ball control. But just minutes the result was sealed. will feature Luke Shelton, Matt Queensland this week, the yesterday. Queenslanders, who were when the white shirts looked Scoreboard – Uni Azzurri 3 Hammond and Tim Garner. winner of which will host the Warner, who was out for bowled out for just 203. in control, the Azzurri scored. (U Okwara 27 D Marimbe 32 The match will be lives- final, to be at the birth of his four against Queensland, Cummins took three Two touches from a con- L Ernoul De La Cheneliere treamed on ntnews.com.au. second child. undefeated one-day captain . tested situation and scrambled 68) Darwin Hearts 0. HT: 2-0 ‘Kasper’ keen for Smith to have second chance to lead ROBERT CRADDOCK ing affair in the Cape Town Test current board would let Smith “On the scale of offences in “There were a lot of possible against South Africa happen on return as captain, Kasprowicz cricket, is a long penalties being thrown around FORMER Test fast bowler Mi- his watch. said “yes … but it might need a way from the top of the list. It at the time. Some people were chael Kasprowicz, part of the They also handed him a two- bit of selling’.’ has been around forever. talking about life bans. board which banned Steve year ban as Australian captain “I would like to see him get “I think he would be a better “But he is back now and I Smith, believes he now deserves which expired last March. another chance,’’ said Kasprow- captain now for all he has been think the Steve Smith story has a another chance as Australian But after three years in the icz, who resigned from the board through. And he is older and fair way to run.’’ captain. leadership wilderness Smith has in July. more mature. He has done all The board is known to have Kasprowicz was part of the declared his intention to be re- “When he was suspended it that has been asked of him since mixed feelings about its next board which considered for the role when was not so much the damage to the ban. He was a bit like a par- captain with Smith and Pat sent Smith into playing exile for quits. the ball as the damage to the ent in charge, you cannot keep Cummins the only realistic can- Steve Smith. a year for letting the ball tamper- Asked whether he felt the brand. an eye on the kids all the time. didates.

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