Ashleigh Gardner played an innings of her lifetime under pressure and rescued Australia from a precarious position. Ashleigh Gardner looked like a determined person as she played to the merit of the ball and then switched gears to take Australia past 300 as they made 326 with Kim Garth making a valuable 38 and others before that chipping in as well.
For New Zealand, Lea Tahuhu and Jess Kerr got 3 wickets each and Amelia Kerr got 2 wickets to her name alongside Bree Illing. They had control of the proceedings but Australia rebounded magnificently to get past 300 and they are on top of proceedings at the interval. New Zealand will have to bat out of their skins to win from this position.
Phoebe Litchfield gives Australia a flying start in power play.
Winning the toss and deciding to bat first, Alyssa Healy walked out to bat alongside Phoebe Litchfield for Australia. Bree Illing had the ball in hand for New Zealand. Healy made her intentions clear by flicking the bowler to deep square leg for a boundary. Jess Kerr had the ball in hand from the other end. Healy flicked Jess away past short midwicket for a boundary. Litchfield got into the act by driving the ball past extra cover for a boundary.
Illing continued as Healy pressed forward to get it between cover and point for a boundary. Litchfield then took the aerial route and sliced it away over the point for a boundary. Litchfield then took the attack to Kerr by sweeping it to deep fine leg for a boundary. Litchfield hit another boundary over the bowler’s head as she brought up 1000 runs in ODIs. Illing continued and got the breakthrough for New Zealand removing Healy for 19 off 17 balls with 3 fours to her name.
Illing bowled full and outside off-stump, Healy came down the track to make room on the leg side and looked to loft it over covers. He didn’t get anywhere near from the middle of the bat and ended up lobbing it straight into the hands of Suzie Bates who took a simple catch. Ellyse Perry came out to bat next. Perry got herself going with a boundary by crunching Jess through the covers.
Litchfield took the attack to Illing as she came down the track and lofted it over extra cover for the maximum. She hit another boundary by coming down the track and opened the bat face to steer the ball to short third man for a boundary. Captain Sophie Devine came into the attack next. Perry hit Devine by making room on the leg side and cutting it late to find the gap between short third and backward point for a boundary. Litchfield hit Illing again for a boundary as she flicked the ball on the pads over short midwicket for a boundary.
Devine continued as Perry got hold of her and flicked it to deep midwicket for a boundary. Litchfield then took on Devine and lofted it over mid-off for the maximum to end the 10th over. At the end of the first powerplay, Australia were off to a roaring start at 81/1 with Litchfield batting on 45*.
New Zealand roar back with regular wickets to peg Australia back
Amelia Kerr came into the attack and made an impact straightaway getting rid of Litchfield for 45 off 31 balls with 6 fours and 2 sixes to her name. Litchfield from over the wicket bowled a googly on a length on the leg stump. Litchfield was drawn on the front foot and looked to defend with a straight bat and got beaten on the outside edge as the ball hit the off-stump. Beth Mooney came out to bat next. Devine continued and bowled a miserly over.
Perry hit Kerr for a boundary by lofting it over mid-off. Devine bowled a tight over as New Zealand looked to pull things back now. Mooney hit Kerr for a boundary by cutting her through backward point region. Drinks was taken with Australia at 99/2 in 15 overs. Lea Tahuhu came into the attack after the break. The 100 came up for Australia in 15.4 overs. Perry hit Kerr for a boundary via the outside edge past the keeper and away to the third man fence.
Tahuhu got the breakthrough for New Zealand as she got rid of Ellyse Perry for 33 off 41 balls with 5 boundaries to her name. Tahuhu bowled a length delivery on the off-stump line. Perry jumped down the track and didn’t get underneath it. She swung to clear the infield down the ground but launched it straight up in the air. Suzie Bates at mid-off settled underneath it and took a very good catch. Annabel Sutherland came out to bat next. She got off the mark soon.
Sutherland hit Kerr through extra covers for a boundary. Kerr hit back getting rid of Sutherland for 5 off 8 balls with a boundary to her name. Kerr bowled a flighted delivery on length closer to the off-stump. Sutherland danced down the track to clear the infield and didn’t get to the pitch of the ball. She lofted it off the bottom of the bat in the safe hands of Bates at mid-on. Ashleigh Gardner came out to bat next. Gardner hit Tahuhu for a boundary by punching it past the diving extra cover fielder. Halliday ran after it but in vain. At the end of 20 overs, Australia were 120/4.
Kerr continued as Gardner smashed her through the covers past the extra cover fielder for a boundary. Tahuhu got rid of Beth Mooney for 12 off 21 balls with a boundary to her name. Tahuhu bowled on a length outside the off-stump line. Mooney committed on the front foot early. She drove it in the air straight to Amelia Kerr at extra cover who took a step backwards and took the catch at shoulder height comfortably. Tahlia McGrath came out to bat next. She got off the mark with a boundary between midwicket and square leg for a boundary.
Illing came back into the attack and bowled a miserly over. Eden Carson came into the attack now. McGrath drove her elegantly through extra cover and mid-off for a boundary. Gardner clubbed Illing over mid-on for a boundary as the bowler overstepped. The 150 came up for Australia as well in 24.1 overs. The free hit went away for a boundary by Gardner through mid-on and midwicket for a boundary. At the halfway stage of the innings, Australia were in a spot of bother at 157/5 in 25 overs.
Ashleigh Gardner steadies things for Australia even as New Zealand chip away at wickets
Carson continued as Gardner drove her through extra cover for a boundary. Devine came back into the attack. and bowled a decent over. Jess Kerr returned to the bowling crease. She too bowled a decent over. Devine continued as runs came in 1s and 2s at this stage. Kerr continued as the 50-run stand stand came up between the batters. Gardner hit Jess for a boundary by clearing mid-off for a boundary. After 30 overs, Australia were 185/5.
Amelia Kerr returned to the bowling crease. She bowled a miserly over. Drinks was taken after 31 overs. Tahuhu returned after the break. McGrath slapped Tahuhu over deep covers for a boundary. But Tahuhu hit back and got rid of McGrath for 26 off 34 balls with 3 fours to her name. Tahuhu bowled it full and on the middle and leg stump. McGrath looked to flick it uppishly but didn’t commit to the stroke fully. She ended up chipping the ball straight to Amelia Kerr at short midwicket. Sophie Molineux came out to bat next. Gardner then launched Kerr over long-off for the maximum and got to her half-century in 43 balls.
Soon, the 200 came up for Australia in 32.3 overs. Gardner hit Amelia for a boundary by pulling it to deep backward square leg. Tahuhu continued as Molineux punched it down the ground past mid-off for a boundary. Molineux was not done yet as she launched Tahuhu over deep fine leg for the maximum. Eden Carson returned for a fresh spell. She bowled a miserly over.
Jess Kerr came back into the attack and bowled a decent over. Carson continued as Gardner went down the ground over mid-off for a boundary. Gardner then took the attack to Jess Kerr by hitting her for back-to-back boundaries to deep fine leg and to extra cover. Jess held her composure and got rid of Sophie Molineux for 14 off 19 balls with a boundary and a maximum to her name. Jess bowled full and on the leg stump. Molineux cleared her front leg and looked to go up and over long-on. She didn’t get the timing right and Devine at long-on settled underneath it to take the catch. Kim Garth came out to bat next and got off the mark.
Amelia Kerr returned to the attack as Garth went deep in her crease and pulled the short ball away to deep square leg for a boundary. Tahuhu continued and bowled a decent 40th over. At the end of 40 overs with 10 overs to go, Australia were decently placed at 252/7 with Gardner on 80* off 60 balls and Kim Garth with her on 9* off 10 balls. Important 10 overs were ahead of us now.
Ashleigh Gardner falls after majestic ton, New Zealand bowl out Australia for 326 in 49.3 overs
Amelia Kerr continued and bowled a decent over to finish her spell. Tahuhu continued and kept things under check. Eden Carson came back into the attack and kept things under control. Gardner finally broke the shackles as she hit Devine for a boundary through extra cover hammering it along the ground. Garth got into the act and played the late cut between short third man and the keeper for a boundary.
Gardner hit Carson for a boundary by going inside out over extra covers for a boundary. After 45 overs, Australia were 283/7 and looked good for a big total. Gardner reached her moment as she got to her hundred in 77 balls. She drove into the gap through extra cover and mid-off for a boundary and celebrated her moment of brilliance in style. This was her second ODI ton. Gardner was on a roll as she drilled Devine down the ground past the bowler and mid-off to the boundary fence. She hit Devine again as she swivelled across the line and got bat on ball to send it to backward square leg fence.
Garth then hit Illing for a boundary by scooping it over fine leg as the ball went away to the fence with the bowler overstepping. Free hit yielded only a single. Gardner hit Illing for a boundary again by throwing her hands at it and got the outside edge to backward point region. Illing got rid of Gardner for 115 off 83 balls with 16 fours and a maximum to her name.
Illing bowled a good length delivery outside the off-stump line. Gardner stepped outside the crease to go once more and got a faint outside edge through to Izzy Gaze behind the stumps. A magnificent knock came to an end in the end. Alana King came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway. Jess Kerr returned to the attack and bowled a miserly over. Illing was tasked to bowl the 49th over. Garth smashed her down the ground past mid-off for a boundary. Garth hit her again by stepping down the track to hit it past mid-off for a boundary. Australia were 325/8 in 49 overs.
Jess Kerr was tasked to bowl the final over and she got rid of Alana King for 4 off 7 balls. She bowled from over the wicket a length delivery outside the off-stump, King cleared her front leg hoping the ball pitched in her arc, but was not full enough. She swung hard down the ground from the bottom half of the bat and found Suzie Bates at mid-off. Darcie Brown came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway. Jess Kerr got rid of Kim Garth for 38 off 38 balls with 5 fours to her name as Australia were bowled out with 3 balls left.
Jess bowled a good length slow ball outside off-stump. Garth cleared her front leg going for the big swing in the leg side. She hit it high in the air and picked out Georgia Plimmer at deep midwicket. Kerr finished with 3/59. Darcie Brown remained unbeaten on 1 off 1 ball. Australis were bowled out for 326 in 49.3 overs. 14 extras given by the fielding side.
Bree Illing finished with 2/75 in 9 overs. Jess Kerr finished with 3/59 in 8.3 overs. Amelia Kerr finished her spell with 2/54 in 10 overs. Lea Tahuhu finished with 3/42 in 8 overs. Sophie Devine the captain gave away 55 runs in 8 overs. Eden Carson gave away 39 runs in 6 overs. This meant New Zealand will now need 327 runs to win the contest.
What Lies Ahead
Australia have recovered from a precarious position from 128/5 to get to 326 all out thanks to Ashleigh Gardner’s superlative ton. Australia have their noses in front without a shadow of a doubt. New Zealand will feel what might have been for them as they had control of the proceedings for most parts but now a daunting task awaits the White Ferns. They need to bat out of their skins to win this contest. Can they do it?
We shall find out when the chase gets underway soon. Australia on top, New Zealand with all to do now.
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