Australia, propped up by 98 from David Warner, held their nerve for four wickets in the second ODI on Saturday to send the series to a decider.
After Warner’s dismissal, Australia were still 90 runs short of their target with an unbeaten 69 from Mitchell Marsh and John Hastings not out 48, getting them over the line.
Warner was nudging his sixth ODI century when he was undone by New Zealand’s match ace Mitchell Santner, but by then he had done enough to ensure the world champions were in a dominant position.
Australia lost six wickets as they chased down New Zealand’s 281-9 with 21 balls to spare. After New Zealand won the first match by 159 runs the series will now go to a decider in Hamilton on Monday.
Both sides suffered middle-order batting blues, but Australia had better padding with Warner and Usman Khawaja in a 122-run opening stand.
Warner’s 98 came off 79 deliveries and included eight fours and four sixes, while Khawaja batted at a run-a-ball for his 50.
The breakthrough after early jitters signalled a return for Henry and Boult. Henry removed Steve Smith and George Bailey with successive balls and Boult claimed Glenn Maxwell as Aussies lost four for 22 runs.
New Zealand’s 281 owed much to Santner and his tail-end partnership with Milne as well as Kane Williamson’s 60.
McCullum produced his trademark onslaught to get a brisk start and New Zealand reached 35 in the fifth over when he was bowled by Scott Boland for 28.
But the rest of New Zealand’s top order were unable to maintain momentum and even Williamson’s 60 took 74 balls. At the start of the 30th over, New Zealand were 152-3. Just over 11 overs later they had added only 53 runs and critically lost four wickets to be 205-7.
Santner, known as “Flatline” for his unflappable nature, stepped up with an unbeaten 45 and a 61-run partnership with Milne who made 36 off 27.
Josh Hazlewood took three for 61 while Adam Zampa, on debut, Scott Boland and Marsh took two wickets each.
BRIEF SCORES: New Zealand: 281/9 (Williamson 60; Hazlewood 3/61) lose to Australia: 283/6 in 46.3 overs (Warner 98, Marsh 69; Santner 3/47) by 4 wickets.