Australia captain Michael Clarke has defended Shaun Tait after the big quick's last-over meltdown helped New Zealand score a win in "extra time" in their Twenty20 clash.
In front of a roaring crowd of 26,148 at Christchurch's AMI Stadium, the Black Caps squared the two-game series by scoring 0-9 from three balls in their "super over" in reply to Australia's 1-6.
Australia had fought back bravely to force the game into a "super over" when the Black Caps smashed 6-214 from their 20 overs and the tourists scrambled to 4-214.
It was the equal-sixth highest team score in T20 Internationals and the highest conceded by Australia.
Man-of-the-match Brendon McCullum clubbed a memorable 116 not out for New Zealand.
Needing 12 to win from the final over by Tim Southee, Australia scored 11 with Clarke run out for a career-best 67 chasing a third run at long-on.
Cameron White was unbeaten on his highest score of 64 from 26 balls, hitting five fours and five sixes in a sensational display.
Clarke admitted the "super over" which followed the tie was a learning experience for his side ahead of their World T20 campaign in the West Indies in May.
A wayward Tait bowled two wides and three legal deliveries in his super over.
It was Australia's first defeat this summer, after going unbeaten at home in six Tests, 10 one-day internationals and three T20 games against West Indies and Pakistan.
New Zealand host a five-game ODI series against Australia starting on Wednesday in Napier.
"He (Tait) has been our best bowler in the last three Twenty20s. He executes his yorker pretty good and he has led our attack," Clarke said on Sunday.
"He has been our best bowler and I was confident and I am confident he can play that role for us.
"It just didn't work tonight. A few more runs might have helped as well.
"Me making a boundary on that last ball and we didn't even have to worry about it.
"I'm certainly not going to sit here and blame any player.
"I'm really excited about the Twenty20 World Cup. We beat the world champs Pakistan, we played really good cricket against West Indies and we've had a couple of great games against New Zealand.
"Whitey played an amazing innings. All the guys should be very proud."
Clarke said the "super over" eliminator was all new to him.
"It's the first time we've experienced it so it's great practice leading up to the World Cup," he said.
"We were a bit surprised. I didn't know that was the case that we had that super over.
"We'll learn. We're getting better all the time."
McCullum's 56-ball innings, including 12 fours and eight sixes, was only the second century in Twenty20 International history, one shy of West Indies captain Chris Gayle's 117 against South Africa in 2007/08.
Tait had earlier taken 2-40 in a very tough night for Australia's bowlers after the touring side's quicks had been so dominant in game one in Wellington on Friday.
"He (McCullum) played a wonderful innings and we didn't know how to stop him. We couldn't stop him on a ground that had pretty short boundaries," Clarke said.
New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori said it was a great game of cricket.
"Everyone involved will always remember it," he said.
