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Australia have taken a big victory at Eden Park in the second T20I against the Blackcaps.
Australia got off to a rocking start with the bat as Travis Head took to Trent Boult in the first over, which went for 20 runs.
Steve Smith joined the action with a four and a six off Milne, before being trapped leg before to Blackcaps pace bowler Lockie Ferguson.
Just as the Kiwis would have thought that they had gained some momentum back, they were reminded of the short Eden Park boundaries with Milne being taken for 18 runs from an over and Boult for 16. Australia were sitting at 74/1 after the first six overs. New Zealand had also lost Devon Conway to a thumb injury in the second over with Finn Allen having to take the gloves for the innings.
Ben Sears was introduced into the attack and the first three balls of his spell went for 11 runs before he struck by bowling Head for 45. Mitchell Santner was then taken to by both Glenn Maxwell and Mitch Marsh but wasn’t helped with three wides in his first over.
The home side did bring an end to the Australian’s quick start with wickets in each over from eight to twelve.
Santner got Marsh for 26 and Matthew Wade for one, whilst Maxwell (6) fell to Sears and Josh Inglis (5) to Ferguson.
Tim David, who had taken to the Blackcaps bowlers and won the game in the opening T20I, wasn’t able to quite do that at Eden Park as he fell to Milne for 17 from 19.
Pat Cummins did a quickfire 28 from 22 balls and went in the penultimate over, whilst Adam Zampa (1), and Josh Hazlewood (0) both were out in the final over to Ferguson.
Australia posted 174 from 19.5 overs.
The Kiwis lost the early wickets of Finn Allen (6) and Will Young (5) inside the first four overs, whilst Santner, who had promoted himself to number three was bowled by Nathan Ellis for seven.
Mark Chapman could only add two runs to the score with the Blackcaps in real trouble at 29/4 after 6.3 overs. They were also without the services of Devon Conway who had gone for a scan at the hospital.
Glenn Phillips and Josh Clarkson were able to keep the innings alive for the New Zealanders with a solid 45-run stand for the fifth wicket.
However, when Zampa bowled Clarkson for 10, the game was heading for a huge loss for the Kiwis.
Milne fell for a golden duck to Zamps whilst Phillips perished for 42, an innings that had kept the score moving along.
Boult had some fun in his knock of 16 and Ferguson managed four runs.
New Zealand were all out for 102 in 17 overs with Sears finishing on 2* and Conway not batting.
The 72-run win for Australia meant they took the series 2-0 with a game to spare and retained the Chappell-Hadlee trophy.
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