Australia on a World Cup roll but Black Caps tactics questioned

On a dry Lord's pitch that unusually had no grass and had deteriorated from the Australia and England clash last week, Usman Khawaja (88 off 129 balls) and Alex Carey (71 off 72) were instrumental in the Australians making 9-243, having collapsed to 5-92 in the 22nd over.

As the umbrellas came out at on a 33-degree day, New Zealand spearhead Trent Boult turned up the heat in the 50th over when he completed the 11th hat-trick in World Cup history, ending Khawaja's patient hand by bowling him and firing out Mitchell Starc and Jason Behrendorff.

In response, the Black Caps - a likely semi-finalist - were rolled for 157 in 43.4 overs. They were far too subdued for their own good and left many bewildered by their perplexing tactics, where they finished with 172 dot balls from 262 deliveries faced.

When they began to hit out late in the innings, former captain Jeremy Coney, now a BBC commentator, said: "If they wanted to play the big shots, why not play it much earlier?"

Mitchell Starc (5-26 off 9.4 overs) was again superb, becoming the second man behind Glenn McGrath to have at least 20 wickets in successive World Cups. It was second five-wicket haul of this tournament.

The Australians, with only one loss from eight matches, now have a week-long break before facing South Africa in their final pool-group match in Manchester on Saturday, which could determine their semi-final opponent.

The focus at the home of cricket shifted briefly to Leeds, where England's hopes of making the finals were pushed to the brink after Pakistan celebrated a bizarre final-over victory against Afghanistan.

This means the host nation almost certainly must defeat India in Birmingham tonight and New Zealand on Wednesday to reach the knock out stages, having initially been the pre-tournament favourite.

The Black Caps had a clear plan to build a platform but lost Martin Guptill (20 off 43), caught down the leg side, and Henry Nicholls (8 off 20), trapped LBW, both to Behrendorff, who has become a Lord's specialist after his heroics against England.

The Caps were so sluggish that a whopping 49 of the 60 deliveries in the opening power play were dot balls. They were held to 46 runs off 15 overs, their slowest rate of the tournament, at a time when they needed to find momentum. The pitch took turn, and skipper Aaron Finch even turned to Steve Smith and his leg-spinners.

It was the first time he had bowled in a one-day international since January, 2016, and he had the dangerous Colin de Grandhomme caught at long off - his first wicket since 2014, having managed only six overs since that game against South Africa. He could yet be the wicket-taking second spinner Australia needs alongside Nathan Lyon.

Finch, as he has done all tournament, pulled the right lever when he reintroduced Starc for his second spell. And Starc, as he had done all tournament, delivered a key scalp, this time Kane Williamson (40 off 51), the Black Caps skipper and talisman.

The Australians had privately admitted that Williamson could be too cautious for his own good, and he certainly was here. As the pressure rose, he plonked a Marcus Stoinis delivery for six over mid-wicket for the first six of the match. But Starc would end his stay, inducing a dab from a delivery angled across the right hander that provided a thin edge and regulation catch for Carey.

When Pat Cummins claimed his first wicket in three matches, having veteran strokemaker Ross Taylor (30 off 54) caught off a skied short ball, leaving the Black Caps at 4-118 in the 32nd over, this contest was as good as over.

The Australians had Khawaja and Carey to thank for rescuing their innings with a sixth-wicket, 107-run stand off 129 balls.

Finch won the toss but that Australians soon slipped to 2-40 off 10 overs - their least productive opening power play of the tournament.

David Warner and Finch failed as a partnership for only the second time in eight innings, their stand of 15 their equal lowest, having also struggled against the West Indies at Trent Bridge.

Finch, given a life before he had scored when Guptill grassed a hot chance at short cover, was the first to go, trapped on the crease by Boult.

Warner was made to work hard but appeared set to be the anchor until he tickled though behind a short-of-a-length delivery on Lockie Ferguson's first ball.

This gave Smith and Khawaja the chance for a long innings but Smith could not deliver. The Black Caps had strategically set a leg gully because of his penchant for clipping off his thigh. This positioning had its reward, but few could have picked what eventuated for Guptill completed a one-handed diving chance off a full-blooded pull shot. Smith was in disbelief, and lingered at the crease in shock.

Marcus Stoinis (21 off 26 balls) and Maxwell (1 off 5) were unable to rebuild, the latter's indifferent tournament continuing when a mistimed pull shot flew from the toe of his bat and was superbly caught and bowled in the left hand of James Neesham.

Through this, Khawaja produced his best knock of the tournament. The pitch required patience, and he had that. There was also good fortune, for he was dropped at second slip by Guptill before had scored, and again on 35 by gloveman Tom Latham. He retained his nerve to post his 14th ODfI half-century, a more challenging effort than at Trent Bridge when he made 89 against Bangladesh.

Carey, as he had done against the West Indies, India and England, provided a crucial hand, and passed 50 for the second time this tournament. There were 11 boundaries - his teammates combined for 13 - before his afternoon came unstuck when he looked to go inside out over cover off the part-time spin of Williamson and was caught by Guptill.