Staring down the barrel of a series defeat, Australia are still exuding the necessary confidence that can propel them to an unlikely Twenty20 series victory over the Black Caps.
The visitors are down 2-0 in the five-match series after losses in Christchurch and Dunedin by 53 and four runs. Bothgames saw them tasked to chase down considerable totals following impressive knocks — firstly from Devon Conway (99 not out) and then Martin Guptill (97).
It always felt a stretch the Aussies would have the weaponry to overcome their transtasman foes on their own turf. New Zealand are fielding more or less their best T20 side, while Australia are missing a handful of classy players, including Steve Smith, David Warner, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc.
But pace bowler Kane Richardson believes toppling the Black Caps and winning three consecutive matches is achievable.
"We were speaking about it after the game ... guys who were on the Indian tour in the one-dayers — they came back from 2-0 down, so it can be done. It's going to be really tough, they're a well-drilled team playing with confidence," he says.
"[On Thursday] for a certain period with the bat with Stoin [Marcus Stoinis] and [Daniel] Sams, for the first time in this series, we put the pressure back on to them. It shows that they're gettable.
"That's our mindset. The first two games for the majority of the overs, all the pressure's been on us."
That belief is backed up by the Australians' resilience in the most recent tussle, where they nearly pulled off an incredible comeback off the back of a world-record seventh-wicket partnership from Stoinis and Sams, but fell just five runs short in their chase of 220.
They've had to tailor their game to smaller grounds in Hagley Oval and University Oval, which differ from the ones they're used to back home.
Adjustment will be needed again with Sky Stadium in Wellington, the location of the decisive third match, offering a bigger boundary.
Richardson — who took 3-43 in Dunedin — says that will cause a change in strategy.
"I think everyone's thinking and reviewing their own games after a game [like Dunedin].
"There'll be something on the day [in Wellington] that we wouldn't have spoken about that might work, and I think that's part of being an adaptable bowling group."
Kane Richardson bowling in the second Twenty20 match against the Black Caps in Dunedin. Photo / Photosport
Within the Australian defeats has been the faltering form of skipper Aaron Finch, who has been underwhelming in both international and domestic T20 games this summer.
The 34-year-old has hit one and 12 in the opening two matches against New Zealand, which follows on from a lacklustre Big Bash League campaign for the Melbourne Renegades, where he averaged just 13.8 at a strike rate of 113.3.
But Richardson says the captain has remained professional during a personal rut.
"He hasn't changed at all in terms of how he is around the group with us, how he is on the field in terms of being captain and his plans. That's a big tick for him to not let his own form kind of come in to how he is away from cricket, but also how he is on the field trying to marshal us."
Australia have time to make improvements before game three on Wednesday, which will mark the first of three matches in five days.
