Tim David hit a four off the last ball to give Australia a nail-biting six wicket victory over New Zealand in the first Twenty20 international here on Wednesday.
Having been set 216 to win, Australia skipper Mitchell Marsh hammered 72 off 44 balls before batting partner David (31 not out) sealed a thrilling last-gasp victory.
The three-match series is the last for both teams before the T20 World Cup in the United States and West Indies in June.
Rachin Ravindra had earlier put New Zealand in the driving seat by hitting 68 runs off 35 balls to claim his first half century in the format as the hosts finished on 215-3.
Marsh finished with best bowling figures of 1-21 before leading the charge with the bat, hitting seven sixes and two fours in his unbeaten knock. The captain steadied his side after they lost openers Travis Head and David Warner early on.
Head went for 24, caught by Tim Southee off the bowling of Adam Milne. Veteran Warner followed for 32 in the sixth over, caught by Glenn Phillips.
Having criticized New Zealand fans in the build-up, Warner blew kisses at the crowd as he was booed off the pitch, Marsh built a partnership of 42 for the third wicket with Glenn Maxwell, who was clean-bowled by Lockie Ferguson on 25 to leave Australia 111-3 after 10 overs.
New Zealand’s fielding let them down in the 12th over as Southee missed a catch off Josh Inglis, then Phillips dropped Marsh next ball on the boundary.
The game went to the wire after New Zealand seamer Milne was smashed for 19 runs in the penultimate over.
New Zealand vs Australia, 1st T20 Brief Scores:
New Zealand-215/3 in 20 overs (Ravindra 68, Conway 63, Allen 32; varsh 1-21) vs Australia-216/4 off 20 overs (Marsh 72 n.o., David Warner 32, Tim David 31 n.o.; Mitchell Santner 2-42). Australia won by 6 wickets.