Ashleigh Gardner’s 48 off 18 balls, half-centuries from Ellyse Perry and Tahlia McGrath, Darcie Brown’s 3-fer helped Australia win their third game of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 as they beat New Zealand by 141 runs.
Match 11 was played between Australia and New Zealand at Basin Reserve in Wellington on Sunday (March 13). New Zealand won the toss and elected to field first. For Australia Gardner, McGrath, and Brown came in place for Jess Jonassen, Nicola Carey, and Annabel Sutherland. White Ferns were unchanged.
Batting first, Australia lost an early wicket of Alyssa Healy in the 10th over. Meg Lanning and Rachael Haynes were sent back to the pavilion in successive overs of Hayley Jensen and Lea Tahuhu respectively. Haynes had hit Tahuhu for two fours in her previous. They were down to 57 for 3 in 16 overs. Perry and Beth Mooney did, however, try to form a partnership which was looking promising but Amelia Kerr knocked Mooney over in the 30th over.
Perry and McGrath got Southern Stars back into the game. 41st over was the most expensive over for White Ferns as McGrath hit Jensen for two back-to-back fours followed by Perry who hit her for a four to get her half-century in a style that was also a no-ball and on a free hit she smashed Jensen for a maximum. McGrath, the player of the tournament in the Ashes smashed another two consecutive fours off Amelia and got her fifty in style.
Perry (68 off 86) hit what appeared to be a magnificent shot, but Maddy Green took a spectacular diving catch to send her back. Hannah Rowe picked up McGrath’s wicket (57 off 56). Gardner who had covid and missed the two opening games as she was in quarantine came in and smashed unbeaten 48 off just 18 balls which included 4 fours and 4 sixes. Two of the sixes came back-to-back in the 49th over followed by two consecutive fours a six to finish the innings for Australia at 269 for 8. Australia’s batting depth is what makes them one of the strongest teams in the world. Tahuhu (3/53) was the pick of the bowler for New Zealand
New Zealand lost Sophie Devine early on off Perry before hitting her for a four. Young gun Darcie Brown took back-to-back wickets of Amelia Kerr and Suzie Bates in the 6th and 8th over respectively. Australia picked up the three important wickets and New Zealand was down to 25 for 3. McGrath got Green’s wicket followed by Brown picking up her third as Frances Mackay had to go after an unsuccessful review for LBW. They went from 22 for 0 to 35 for 5.
Katie Martin and Amy Satterthwaite gave a glimmer of hope but Amanda Jade-Wellington took consecutive wickets of Martin and Jensen. Satterthwaite and Tahuhu hit some boundaries but Gardner got Satterthwaite for 44. She tried her best but New Zealand kept losing wickets on the other end. They were all-out for 128 in 30.2 overs. Australia completely outplayed New Zealand and won the match by 141 runs. This was also their 100 ODI win against them.
Three wickets from Darcie Brown in the start made a huge impact. Perry was named player of the match for her 68 and 1/18. Australia moves up on the points table followed by India, South Africa, and New Zealand.
