The two three-figure scores at the very beginning of the 2025/26 cricket season took the list of T20 International centuries to six from just 14 completed fixtures, since Colin Munro blasted 101 from just 54 balls against Bangladesh in January 2017.

 

The first day of October 2025 attracted a large mid-week crowd to Blake Park in Mount Maunganui, to catch Australia’s first visit to the Bay Oval, to renew the rivalry with their trans-Tasman neighbours.

 

New Zealand were invited to bat first after losing the toss. At three down with just 6 runs on the board, the home team was in dire straits before Tim Robinson and Darryl Mitchell came together. A 92-run partnership put together by Robinson and Mitchell restored Black Cap respectability, at 98/4, before Mitchell was dismissed for 34.

 

Robinson continued on with Bevon Jacobs (20), and was still there with an unbeaten 106 runs, when the Black Caps innings concluded at 181 for the loss of six wickets. Tim Robinson’s big score came from 66 balls with five mighty heaves over the boundary.

 

A captain's knock from Mitchell Marsh, of 85 off just 43 balls, led his team to a six wickets win in the sixteenth over.

 

Game two on Friday 3rd October 2025 was eventually ruined by the days persistent rain. The match stuttered into life, but was finally abandoned with Australia at 16/1, when rain again intervened as the game deadline approached.

 

When the Bay Oval surface was laid, two decades previously, the first major priority was the installation of a comprehensive drainage system. This played dividends in spades for game three, with the scheduled 7pm start of play, defying recurring rain throughout the day leading into the match.

 

Australia again chose to field after winning the coin toss. Black Cap skipper Michel Bracewell, top score of just 26 runs, reflected the Aussie bowler’s success as New Zealand were restricted to 156/7.

 

Mitchell Marsh, again took control of the match, to hammer 103 not out with his century coming from 50 balls. However Australia was put under some pressure in losing seven wickets on the way to their win. Jimmy Needham was in sterling form with his medium pacers in taking four Aussie wickets.

 

The two Chappell Hadlee series centuries, added two more to the T20 International list, at the Mount Maunganui international cricket venue.

 

Colin Munro, has the distinction of heading the list, with back to back season T20I three-figure scores - with 104 against the West Indies in the 2017/18 season following his 101 against Bangladesh the previous year.

 

A strike rate of 211.76 leads the stats of Glenn Phillips 108 in his side's win over the West Indies in November 2020. Phillips smacked his very big T20 total, from only 51 balls, in an innings that contained ten 4’s and eight 6’s.

 

Indian master blaster, SA (Suryakumar) Yadav, wrote his name into Bay Oval folklore during the 2022/23 cricket year, with the ground's highest T20I, score of 111 not out from 51 deliveries. The sellout crowd were in awe as he hammered seven 6s to end his turn at bat with a outstanding strike rate of 217.65.

 

A look back at the Bay Oval T20 International encounters reveal that India and Australia remain unbeaten, with two wins apiece. Pakistan have a win and a loss in the book, while the Black Caps have posted an unbeaten record against Bangladesh (4) Sri Lanka (3) and West Indies (1).

 

ICC T20 International Series October 2025 @ Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui

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Game One 1st October 2025

New Zealand 181/6 (Tim Robinson 106no, Daryl Mitchell 34; BJ Dwarshuis 2/40) lost to Australia 185/4 (MR Marsh 85; Matt Henry 2/43)

Man of the Match: Mitch Marsh

 

Game Two 3rd October 2025

Australia 16/1 (2.1 overs) Game abandoned

 

Game Three 4th October 2025

New Zealand 156/7 (Mark Bracewell 26, Jimmy Needham 25; SA Abbott 3/25) lost to Australia 160/7 (Mitch Marsh 103no; Jimmy Needham 4/26)

Man of the Match: Mitch Marsh

 

Bay Oval T20 International Centuries

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101 - Colin Munro (New Zealand) v Bangladesh 2016/17

104 - Colin Munro (New Zealand) v West Indies 2017/18

108 - Glen Phillips (New Zealand) v West Indies 2021/22

111no - SA Yadav (India) v New Zealand 2022/23

106 - Tim Robinson (New Zealand) v Australia 2025/26

103no - Mitchell Marsh (Australia) v New Zealand 2025/26