AP, Auckland :
Left-arm spinner Ashton Agar took 3-27 to lead Australia to a 19-run win over New Zealand on Wednesday under the Duckworth-Lewis system in the rain-affected final of the Twenty20 tri-series.
Agar first took a catch from the bowling of Kane Richardson to set in motion the collapse of the New Zealand top and middle order, then claimed the wickets of Kane Williamson (9), Mark Chapman (8) and Colin de Grandhomme (10) to give the collapse momentum.
With his four-over spell and contributions of 2-30 from both Richardson and Andrew Tye’s four overs, Australia restricted New Zealand to 150-9, batting first after winning the toss.
D’Arcy Short then made 50 as Australia reached 121-3 in 14.4 overs, gaining a strong position in any Duckworth-Lewis calculation, before rain ended the match.
In doing so it posted its fifth straight T20 victory to take over the No. 1 world ranking in the format after starting the season ranked seventh.
Australia ended the series unbeaten while New Zealand and England, which begin a five-match one-day international series on Sunday, had one win each.
