Bravery's a doddle when you're ahead.
Little was our middle-finger saluter to know that in a few minutes Short would be applying the salt as he hacked into the Black Caps bowling attack on his way to 76 off 44 balls.
Australia hauled in the 244-run target with five wickets and seven balls to spare in a record T20 international chase.
The ball appeared to spend more time in the stands than on the field as both bowling attacks were dismantled on one of cricket's most unforgiving arenas. The 32 sixes equalled the world record in the format from an India-West Indies match at Lauderhill in August 2016.
"I copped it a bit when I was fielding, but I switched it out and tried to stay in the game. It was just banter," Short said.
"That's the smallest field [I've played on] but the atmosphere was great. I just trusted my swing, knowing I could clear the boundary because those at home are considerably bigger.
"I think we brought it back well. We could've been chasing 260-270 at one stage."
Short combined in a ballistic opening stand of 121 off 8.3 overs with Warner, who was bowled by Ish Sodhi for 59 from 24 balls. The powerplay was worth 91 runs accumulated through overs from Trent Boult (11), Ben Wheeler (16), Tim Southee (16), Boult (8), Wheeler (22) and Southee (18).
Wheeler's career could be scarred as he came within a six of equalling the most runs conceded in a Twenty20 international, going for 64 runs from 3.1 overs.
Instead the left-armer was saved the ignominy when he was ruled out of the "attack" – if that's the right word - after bowling two deliveries above waist height in his final over.
Still, he could take solace that few bowlers were spared a pasting within Eden Park's backyard dimensions. Only New Zealand's Ish Sodhi and Australia's Ashton Agar conceded less than 10 runs per over.
Unfortunately for captains Kane Williamson and David Warner, they couldn't place fielders on the outer oval, the second tier of the stand, Walters Rd or Cricket and Reimers Avenues.
"To put 240 on the board and lose a game is disheartening, but there's no real time to dwell on it," Martin Guptill said, after making his second T20 century and the second fastest by a New Zealander with 105 from 54 balls.
"Any time you score 90 in the front six [like Australia] is going to put pressure on any score. They chanced their arm and it paid off."
New Zealand play England for a place in the final tomorrow at Hamilton's Seddon Park.
To get the day's top sports stories in your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here
