Mitchell Starc held his nerve and defended 19 off the last over as Australia beat New Zealand in a high-scoring affair at the Cricket World Cup.

James Neesham scored 58 off 39 balls but was run-out on the penultimate ball of the game as the Black Caps slipped at the last hurdle. Australia won the trans-Tasman battle by five runs.

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This was after Travis Head made an explosive entry into the tournament with a blazing 109 off 67 balls as Australia went on a run rampage and had reached 360-6 in 47 overs.

Head, who recovered from fractured thumb, and David Warner smashed New Zealand pace bowlers with an aggressive 175-run opening wicket stand off 117 balls.

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In reply, Rachin Ravindra scored his second World Cup century and almost helped his team chase down the tall target in an epic last game of the tournament at Dharamsala.

New Zealand finished with 383-9 in 50 overs, with Ravindra scoring 116 off 89 balls. It stays third in the points’ table with eight points, but ahead of Australia on net run-rate — also on eight points.

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