CHRISTCHURCH: New Zealand won a thrilling game against Australia in a Super Over after Brendon McCullum hammered the second-highest international Twenty20 score today.

Tim Southee took 6-1 in Australia’s Super Over — the equivalent of extra-time — after the two sides tied on 214. Shaun Tait then fired down two wides as McCullum and Martin Guptill made 9-0 in New Zealand’s over.

Earlier, McCullum hammered 116 not out off 56 balls before Australia fell one run short of the 12 needed off the last over. McCullum brought up his 100 in 50 balls, with eight sixes and 12 fours, to equal Chris Gayle’s record for the fastest hundred in Twenty20 history.

But the New Zealand keeper could not knock the West Indian off the top of the highest Twenty20 scores list, finishing unbeaten on 116, one run short of Gayle’s total.

McCullum’s eight huge sixes were the most by a New Zealander in an innings — surpassing Jacob Oram’s six against Australia in 2007 — and put him third on the all-time list behind Gayle (10) and Loots Bosman (nine).

Gareth Hopkins weighed in with a 17-ball 36 before Nathan McCullum (14 not out) joined his brother to hoist Kiwis past the 200-run mark for the first time in the shortest form of the game.