Cricket: NZ sneak home in Super Over thriller

Black Caps' Brendon McCullum and Martin Guptill celebrate victory over Australia after the Twenty20 in Christchurch. Photo / Getty Images

A blazing unbeaten 116 from Brendon McCullum and a cool-headed Tim Southee spurred New Zealand to a thrilling Twenty20 cricket victory over Australia in a Super Over contest in Christchurch tonight.

Chasing New Zealand's 214 for six, Australia needed three to win off the final ball only for captain Michael Clarke to be run out by Nathan McCullum attempting a third, leaving them 214 for four.

The tie forced a Super Over and young Southee, who replaced Daryl Tuffey, was preferred to Shane Bond. He stepped up superbly, conceding just six runs and dismissing big-hitting David Warner before a roaring AMI Stadium crowd of 26,148.

McCullum and Martin Guptill saw New Zealand home in their turn at bat, with Shaun Tait bowling two wides and Guptill hitting his fourth ball for four.

Australia looked home thanks to Clarke's 67 off 45 balls and a whirlwind unbeaten 64 off 26 balls from Cameron White.

White hit five fours and five sixes, and having taken 18 off the penultimate over bowled by Jacob Oram, it left Australia needing just 12 off Southee's final six deliveries.

But Southee stepped up again, conceding just a solitary boundary to White off the fourth ball to help force the tie.

It was New Zealand's first win in five Twenty20 attempts against Australia and avenged Friday's heavy six-wicket defeat in Wellington as the teams prepare for the five-match ODI series starting in Napier on Wednesday.

McCullum's 56-ball knock spurred New Zealand to their first 200-run total as he fell one short of Chris Gayle's world record of 117 for West Indies against South Africa.

"I felt pretty scratchy at the start to be honest, but on a ground like this, on a wicket like this, if you can get under way and get a little bit of luck you can ride it all the way till the end," he told Sky Sports.

"I haven't hit it that well for a couple of years. That was pretty special, and to do it against such a good attack as well."

Said captain Daniel Vettori: "That's one of the finest Twenty20 knocks you'll see and it just shows what a class player he is."

McCullum hit 12 fours and eight sixes, two of them from audacious lap shots over the wicketkeeper's head off Tait after he notched three figures.

McCullum reached 50 off 33 balls, then took just 17 for his second half-century. His 50-ball hundred equalled Gayle's record, then he went in search of 117.

New Zealand took 71 off the last five overs but McCullum's brother Nathan faced the final four balls of the innings from David Hussey, which left the elder sibling one run short of Gayle.

After Ross Taylor was run out for six in a mix-up with McCullum, Gareth Hopkins blazed 36 off 17 balls as he and McCullum added 68 off five overs.

Tait ended with two for 40 off four overs, while fellow paceman Dirk Nannes suffered with one for 51 off four.

Australia opened the door for the hosts by resting Mitchell Johnson and Shane Watson in favour of Ryan Harris and Travis Birt.

- NZPA