Sydney, Oct 23 (IANS): The way New Zealand opener Finn Allen went about the task of destroying the Australian bowlers in their ICC T20 World Cup Super-12 Group 1 match at the SCG here on Saturday unnerved the likes of stalwarts Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, said Devon Conway following the 89-run win against the defending champions.
Conway, who himself struck a superb unbeaten 92 in New Zealand's morale-shattering win, when reminded that not many batters had got the better of the three best bowlers in the world, said they certainly form a "classy bowling attack" but Finn Allen put them under immense pressure with his power hitting.
Allen's short-and-belligerent stay at the crease lasted just 16 deliveries but he wreaked havoc, cracking 42 runs with the help of five boundaries and three sixes at an amazing strike rate of 262.50.
Speaking about Allen's blitzkrieg, Conway said, "I think we certainly know they (Cummins, Starc, Hazlewood) are the big three there. Classy bowling attack, the three of them together. I have to give a lot of credit to Finn the way he played because the way he played and the way he put them under pressure allowed me to get those balls that were slightly looser. In T20 cricket, if you put bowlers under pressure, no matter how good you are, it's obviously quite a tough gig.
"Like I say, I think a lot of credit has to go to Finn for the way he played from ball 1. I think ball 2 he hit one for a boundary, and we were away. Yes, again, massive credit to Finn," added Conway.
With Steve Smith not in the playing XI to drop anchor once the Australian slide began, Conway was asked if the absence of the Australian stalwart made his task to score runs easier, given that there is always a comparison when the two best batters in the world are in opposite sides. Conway replied, his job was to score runs and it didn't involve "identifying opposition batters".
"Not necessarily, to be honest. Personally I just sort of look at who the bowlers are I'm playing against. My role doesn't really involve sort of identifying opposition batters. Yes, I am involved in the scouting, and we sort of talk about where the other players are going to bat, but we just saw the 11 that they picked, and we just sort of played whoever they presented to us. So we didn't really look too much into it," said Conway.