Australia Ladies clinched the 2nd T20I towards New Zealand Ladies by 29 runs at Mackay on Sunday (September 22), taking a 2-0 lead within the three-match sequence. Batting first, Australia posted 142, led by Alyssa Healy’s quickfire 38, whereas Ashleigh Gardner’s 3/17 with the ball secured the win. New Zealand’s chase faltered regardless of Suzie Bates’ stable begin, as Australia’s bowling assault proved too robust.
Australia’s high order units the tone
Australia’s innings started with a bang, as Healy displayed her trademark aggression on the high of the order. Smashing 38 off 25 balls, together with 6 boundaries, Healy regarded in full management, guiding Australia to 71/2 by the tenth over. Her sharp stroke play set the tempo for Australia’s innings, however the facet misplaced momentum when Beth Mooney (10 off 7) and Ellyse Perry (34 off 33) fell. Perry, recognized for her potential to anchor an innings, struggled to speed up throughout her keep, including strain on the center order. Regardless of a stable basis, Australia’s batters discovered it troublesome to capitalize, with wickets falling in fast succession after Healy’s dismissal.
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Amelia Kerr’s brilliance with the ball
Amelia Kerr was the standout performer for New Zealand with a superb spell of 4/20 in her allotted 4 overs. Her sensible bowling variations stored the Australian batters in test, particularly through the essential center overs. Kerr’s most impactful moments got here when she dismissed the damaging Gardner and the ever-reliable Tahlia McGrath, sending Australia’s middle-order into disarray. Kerr’s potential to extract flip and bounce on a gradual floor left the batters guessing, whereas her management over line and size ensured the runs dried up. Brooke Halliday supported Kerr with a few key wickets, together with the dismissal of the hard-hitting Annabel Sutherland, holding Australia to a below-par whole of 142.
New Zealand’s wrestle with the bat
In pursuit of 143, New Zealand’s chase by no means really bought going, with wickets falling at common intervals. Bates, opening the innings, stood tall with a affected person 34 off 34 deliveries, anchoring one finish. Nonetheless, she acquired little help from her teammates as Georgia Plimmer (9 off 16) and Amelia Kerr (6 off 11) fell cheaply. The dismissal of Sophie Devine for simply 4 additional compounded New Zealand’s troubles, as they slumped to 66/4 by the thirteenth over. Though Maddy Inexperienced (22 off 18) and Isabella Gaze (18* off 17) tried to revive the innings, the mounting required fee and tight Australian bowling ensured that New Zealand may solely muster 113/7 of their 20 overs, falling 29 runs quick.
Ashleigh Gardner’s game-changing spell
Gardner was instrumental in Australia’s victory, delivering a match-defining spell of three/17 in her 4 overs. Coming into the assault when New Zealand’s chase was nonetheless in its infancy, Gardner supplied the essential breakthroughs, dismissing Brooke Halliday and Maddy Inexperienced, each of whom have been trying harmful. Gardner’s off-spin proved significantly efficient on the Mackay floor, the place she constantly turned the ball away from the right-handers, forcing errors. Alongside her, Sutherland (1/18) and Darcie Brown (1/21) utilized relentless strain, guaranteeing that New Zealand by no means gained any momentum of their chase. Gardner’s spell not solely halted New Zealand’s progress but additionally swung the match decisively in Australia’s favor, sealing the sequence win.
A gritty win on the board! #AUSvNZ pic.twitter.com/evNEO8WmUz
— Australian Ladies’s Cricket Group 🏏 (@AusWomenCricket) September 22, 2024
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This text was first revealed at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Occasions firm.
