Mitchell Marsh had a day to remember after steering Australia to a series-levelling win over New Zealand and being handed a new lucrative Indian Premier League deal.
The hard-hitting all-rounder was named man of the match in Wellington after his unbeaten 69 helped Australia home with four wickets and 21 balls to spare.
Marsh’s innings came just moments after he was purchased by new IPL franchise Rising Pune Supergiants for £490,000 at today’s auction in Bangalore.
The 24-year-old earlier took 2-30 as New Zealand were frustrated by batsmen getting starts without going beyond Kane Williamson’s 60 in a score of 281 for nine.
Australia got off to a flying start in reply as David Warner crashed 98 from 79 balls and joined Usman Khawaja in a 122-run stand for the first wicket.
New Zealand fought back with Matt Henry removing Steven Smith and George Bailey from successive balls as Australia lost 22 for four.
Warner then fell just shy of a century, trapped lbw by Mitchell Santner, and when Adam Milne pulled off a stunning one-handed catch on the boundary to dismiss Matthew Wade the Black Caps were suddenly favourites to wrap up the series.
But Marsh rode to Australia’s rescue and was ably assisted by John Hastings as they combined in an unbroken 86-run stand to send the series to a decider in Hamilton on Monday.
Source: ECB