Black Caps swept aside by Australia

Josh Clarkson after dropping a catch during the 3rd T20 Chappell-Hadlee international between Australia and New Zealand at Eden Park. Photo: Photosport

The Black Caps have been clean- swept 3-0 in their T20 series against Australia.

The final match in Auckland today was marred by bad weather, with the Black Caps well beaten by 27 runs.

Intermittent rain delays saw the match reduced to a ten over chase for New Zealand, after Australia made 118 for four after 10.4 overs, Matthew Short leading the charge with 27 off just 11.

Needing 126 to win, the Kiwis could only muster 98 for three.

Dropped catches have been the achilles heal for New Zealand this series, with another three going down in the field.

Australian skipper Matthew Wade told TVNZ it was as clinical a bowling performance as he has seen.

"This venue is not always a happy hunting ground for us, but our bowlers certainly got the most out of it today."

Black Caps captain Mitch Santner said they were simply beaten by a better side.

"We know how good they are with their big three quicks and the (batting) power they possess, the first one was a close one but we were out-played in the last two."

Santner won the toss and with the pitch spending the morning under covers, opted to bowl first.

Devon Conway was ruled out after damaging his left thumb in Friday night's loss, replaced by Tim Seifert.

After three dots to start the innings, Travis Head hammered Trent Boult for three consecutive boundaries to take 12 from the first.

Adam Milne struck first for the kiwis, Steve Smith nicking one through to Seifert with 16 on the board.

Short wasted no time kicking off his innings, sending Boult into the stands for the first six of the afternoon.

Josh Clarkson spilled a regulation chance from Head off the bowling of Ben Sears, while Short, striking at over 280, took Milne for back to back sixes.

The fielding failures continued as did Sears' frustrations, this time Ish Sodhi grassing an absolute sitter.

Seifert made no such mistake as Short sent Sears into the sky, the ball taking an age to finally fall in the keeper's gloves, much to the relief of Sears.

His dismissal brought Glenn Maxwell to the crease, and the Big Show offered Mark Chapman an opportunity on the rope to send him back early, however Chapman bobbled the ball over the boundary, the seventh drop of the series for New Zealand.

Rain then arrived after just 6.2 overs bowled, however the passing shower soon cleared.

Australian captain Matthew Wade and New Zealand captain Mitch Santner with umpire Wayne Knights during a break in play due to rain at the 3rd T20 Chappell-Hadlee cricket international at Eden Park. Photo: Photosport

Clarkson made amends for his earlier blunder, taking his first international wicket as Maxwell mistimed one which was swallowed by Will Young.

At 95/3, more rain arrived and the delay resulted in overs being lost, the match reduced to 15-per innings when play resumed.

Tim David cracked a couple of sixes before the ground staff was once again called back on after 10.4 overs, with fans and players alike became visibly annoyed at the stop-start affair.

The delay brought about the end of the Australia innings, leaving the Black Caps chasing 126 in ten overs.

Will Young rocketed to 14 from seven after skewing Short to Adam Zampa at third man.

Seamer Spencer Johnson quickly pulled things back for the Aussies, frustrating Seifert into a false stroke as Inglis snagged a sharp catch.

Finn Allen was next to go, and after just one six, held out to Mitch Starc at point.

Glenn Phillips and Mark Chapman were then strangled by the Australian attack.

Both Nathan Ellis and Johnson were proving impossible to get away, leaving the kiwis a tall task of 50 runs from the final two.

It would be well out of reach for the hosts, and despite managing to find the rope twice in the last over, they would ultimately fall 27 runs short.

Phillips finished with a respectable 40 from 26, while Johsnon and Ellis both went for less than six from their two overs.

Santner told TVNZ that it had been a tough series.

"We showed some good stuff, we just didn't soak up that pressure and dropped catches never help."

Santner said there were plenty of positives to take away ahead of the T20 World Cup starting in June.

"We have shown the depth of our squad is good, we are in a good spot, and shaping up well."

The test series gets underway in Wellington on Thursday.