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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Sport
Adam Collins (earlier) and Emma Kemp (now)

Australia's women's team break ODI world record against New Zealand – as it happened

Ash Gardner
Ash Gardner’s dominant shift played a big part in Australia’s series-opening ODI win over New Zealand. Photograph: Marty Melville/AAP

Final thoughts

That performance by Australia suggests a few potential players of the match, but the honour is well-deserved by the prolific Schutt. She was instrumental in restricting NZ to a total of 212. The chase was set up for success by Alyssa Healy (65 off 68), who put the tourists in control and put on a 78-strong partnership with Ellyse Perry, who scored 56 on her return to the ODI side after 18 months out.

From there it was all Ash Gardner. With Rachael Haynes (14) and Meg Lanning (5) and Beth Mooney (12) all gone cheaply, the all-rounder cut a figure of defiance and big-hitting, scoring at more than a run a ball for 53 not out including three fours and three sixes. She sealed the win and her own half-century with a six.

New Zealand’s loss can be traced back to their sluggish start, when Lauren Down opened with one run from her first 20 deliveries before eventually making a career-best 90 and combining for two half-century stands with Amy Satterthwaite (32) and Amelia Kerr (33).

And so, the record books have been re-written, and Ponting’s 2003 side usurped. But there’s still a series on the line in the Rose Bowl – a trophy Australia have held since 1999. The final two matches will be played on Wednesday and Saturday.

That’ll be all from me today. Thanks so much for joining us, and keep an eye out for some Geoff Lemon analysis!

Australian captain Meg Lanning having her say now:

“It’s a great achievement from this group, over a long period of time. Those wins have come over three years, which I just think shows how consistent we’ve been in this format. It’s certainly a great achievement and something we’ll look back on, I guess.”

On her team’s consistency and longevity of personnel:

“That’s been a real strength of ours, having those key pillars in the team. And we have been able to add some new players as well, so a good mix of experience and youth coming through. That gives us really good variety in our attack.”

Stand-in New Zealand captain Amy Satterthwaite reflects on her side’s loss.

“I think 212 against most teams will prob not be enough, but especially against a quality outfit. I thought they bowled really well and weathered the storm pretty well, just got a little bit behind the eight ball. In international cricket it’s not going to be enough runs.”

On the White Ferns’ batting collapse:

“There’s multiple things you’ve got to look at. Losing wickets in quick succession is not ideal. To be honest, we put a lot of pressure on our middle to lower order to try and score at a quick rate to get us to a total we thought was going to be defendable.”

Megan Schutt is player of the match for her outstanding 4-32 which kept New Zealand to a below-par 212.

“It’s nice to have it now,” Schutt says of the record. “We didn’t mention it before we went out to field today but it’s obviously nice to have the record ... we were pretty good throughout the entire match. we strung ‘em together really well and then towards the end some consistent wickets really helped us.

On her four wickets.

“For me towards the back end it’s really just T20 cricket which is the format I’ve just come from so pretty comfortable doing.”

Here is the moment!

Australia win by six wickets!

And break the WORLD RECORD. That’s win No 22 on the bounce, which betters Ricky Ponting’s 2003 team (21 victories).

Australia must be arguably the greatest ODI team of all time, and continued their dominance here against New Zealand thanks to half-centuries by Alyssa Healy, Ellyse Perry and Ashleigh Gardner. They never let the New Zealand bowlers get settled. Jess Kerr was the pick of the New Zealand bowlers with 1/30.

39th over: Australia 215-4 (Perry 56, Gardner 53) I don’t envy the pressure on Amelia Kerr’s shoulders right now. Australia are so close they can smell it. Ash Gardner, who makes no runs off the first two balls, does the honours in the third with a six that almost touches the glaring sun.

38th over: Australia 209-4 (Perry 56, Gardner 47) Eight runs needed. Can they get it done this over? Rowe very nearly dispatches Gardner with a short high ball – slyly so – that she pops up and is fortuitously dropped in the outfield. At 207-4, Perry can wrap this uo with a six. No runs. Now Gardner has a chance to bring up her half-century and win the match in one shot. Rowe makes it short again, and slow, and it allows her only a single.

37th over: Australia 205-4 (Perry 54, Gardner 45) Amelia Kerr is back to see if some leg spin can break this stronghold. Perry strikes a fine four to deep mid-wicket to bring up her 50 (off 73 deliveries).

36th over: Australia 196-4 (Perry 48, Gardner 42) This should be over soon, and this partnership could well be the one that sees Australia home. All the more the case given Gardner has brought up another six. Tahuhu unsuccessfully tries the short ball on Perry.

35th over: Australia 186-4 (Perry 46, Gardner 34) These two bring up their 50 partnership thanks to Gardner’s domination.

34th over: Australia 184-4 (Perry 45, Gardner 33) The chase is down to 35 runs needed from 101 balls. How do you stop Ash Gardner? Bowl a bouncer, according to Tahuhu. She lets rip and not a bad shout but Gardner is having none of it. Oh my, missed opportunity! Another high one elicits from Gardner a swing to the boundary and though Green is there she inexplicably misses. It falls short, as if a wiff of breeze has caused her to misjudge it, and she ends up smothering to stop any further damage.

33rd over: Australia 177-4 (Perry 43, Gardner 29) Perry, conversely, has been measured: 43 runs from 62 balls. This over is a case in point. She faces six balls from J Kerr and makes one four.

32nd over: Australia 173-4 (Perry 39, Gardner 29) Six! Gardner waits for a slowish ball from Mair and then absolutely belts it away towards long-off. She hits it full and high, all the way over for a six, then adds a four for good measure later in the over. Gardner has made these gains in little more than 15 minutes!

31st over: Australia 162-4 (Perry 39, Gardner 19) Still, Jess Kerr has done well to stem flow and she does so again with a near-maiden. Gardner shoots one to deep mid-wicket for a single before Perry defends the over out.

30th over: Australia 161-4 (Perry 39, Gardner 18) NZ are in a tight spot. They need to turn the screw to be in with any chance here. Form has been inconsistent of late, and though they savoured that T20 win last week were always hard-pressed to do the same in the one-day format.

29th over: Australia 155-4 (Perry 36, Gardner 15) A strong over from Jess Kerr to Gardner. Almost a maiden but for two runs in the sixth.

28th over: Australia 153-4 (Perry 36, Gardner 13) Gardner has her fancy feet on, dancing down the wicket whenever she pleases. These six balls are not as fruitful as the last, and the tourists no longer need to take risks.

27th over: Australia 149-4 (Perry 34, Gardner 12) Still, Australia need only 77 runs from 146 balls and Gardner’s strike rate makes for pretty reading at 122.5. To wit, she opens her shift with two fours and a few extra.

Wicket! Mooney c Green b Satterthwaite 12 (13)

26th over: Australia 137-4 (Perry 33, Gardner 1) That didn’t take long. Satterthwaite, bowling her second over, starts with two dot balls before Mooney makes hay to point for two runs. But Maddy Green is in nice and close, watching and waiting, and her reflexes don’t let her down when Mooney popped the ball straight to her. Fantastic bowling from Satterthwaite but also field setting to force out another of Australia’s big guns. This is a breakthrough, and Ash Gardner must attempt to stop the rot.

Updated

25th over: Australia 134-3 (Perry 33, Mooney 10) Kerr is bowling to Mooney, mid-wicket for one. Mooney, fine leg for four. Perry, square for one. Mooney, fine leg for one. Perry, mid-wicket for one. Mooney, short mid-wicket for one.

24th over: Australia 125-3 (Perry 31, Mooney 3)

Reliving that last over ...

Wicket! Healy c A Kerr b A Kerr 65 (68)

23rd over: Australia 118-3 (Perry 26, Mooney 1) Healy takes advantage of a full A. Kerr toss by sending it over over mid-off for a four. And that’ll be the last one for Healy, the last anything, in fact, because the very next ball spells the end for her. Kerr bowls full and Healy tries to use her feet but is too slow to react and sends the ball straight back to her bowler. She doesn’t miss. Impressive knock from one of Australia’s best, that was, and has set her tourists well on the way to a landmark series-opening win. Beth Mooney has walked out in the interim and is on the board for a single.

22nd over: Australia 110-2 (Healy 61, Perry 23) New Zealand are appealing and Jensen has her hands on her head as she sends one down outside off stump to Healy but it isn’t called and there are no reviews available. That was nail-bitingly close.

21st over: Australia 108-2 (Healy 60, Perry 22) Healy drives Kerr to long on for a single, but that’s all the Aussies can eke out of a fine over from Kerr, which includes a signature wrong’un that puts off her receiver. The visitors need 105.

20th over: Australia 107-2 (Healy 59, Perry 22) The boundaries are coming thick and fast now with another four before Healy squeezes a single down behind square. Jensen’s second over with the ball goes for seven runs.

19th over: Australia 100-2 (Healy 53, Perry 21) Amelia Kerr takes her turn facing Healy, who leaves one ball. It’s not like she can’t afford to at this point, closing in on a half-century and with her side well on the way in this chase. Wow, Tahuhu has just suffered a severe case of butter fingers. Healy skies the ball and it literally sails through the NZ bowler’s hands just inside the boundary. That’ll be six, thank you very much, and one that brings up Healy’s 50 – her 12th in ODIs.

18th over: Australia 89-2 (Healy 43, Perry 20) Very nice over from Jensen, who cedes a single run to Healy. Reminder that if Australia can get over the line today, it will be their 22nd successive ODI triumph – the most ever. They currently are level with Ricky Ponting’s 2003 team on 21 victories. It’s even more special that this run started back in 2018 for Lanning’s side.

17th over: Australia 88-2 (Healy 42, Perry 20) It’s a beauty of a day at Bay Oval. The pair bring up their 50 partnership, a crucial one at that. The players maintain they have not been discussing the ODI record, which hovers in sight.


16th over: Australia 84-2 (Healy 39, Perry 19)

Hear, hear.

15th over: Australia 78-2 (Healy 34, Perry 14) Six! Healy knew that was a six the second the ball left the face of her bat. She timed her swing to perfection and simply looked up to watch it sail well over the ropes. Healy is starting to really open up, which is bad news for the Kiwis. Rowe, who stands at about six feet, bowls a short ball as if to remind Healy she hasn’t worked her out. But Healy is utilising her space, with a low drive for a single and then a four. Expensive 13-run over for Rowe.

14th over: Australia 65-2 (Healy 25, Perry 14) Tahuhu does her bit as Perry fails to pick the right line and air swings. The next is better off the leg side and it’s low and flat for a four. The Kiwi bowler would probably have liked another crack at that. She’s up for more, is Perry, and smashes the next delivery down the field for another boundary to round out the over.

13th over: Australia 57-2 (Healy 25, Perry 6) Facing Rowe, Healy works the ball nicely down to third man where Kerr is waiting to retrieve. Two quick runs followed by another two.

12th over: Australia 53-2 (Healy 21, Perry 6) Tahuhu has entered the fray and Perry displays excellent anticipation throws her bat and works the ball around the corner for four. Tahuhu is taking her time to work into her first over, which goes for six. Australia need 160 from 228 balls.

11th over: Australia 47-2 (Healy 20, Perry 1) Another Healy boundary off Rowe as this partership settles in.

10th over: Australia 41-2 (Healy 16, Perry 0) Enter Perry, of the 52.10 average – 3,022 runs from 113 matches. Healy gets one away for four.

Australia’s powerplay card reads 41-2 to NZ’s 21-1.

Here’s the wicket of Lanning.

Updated

Wicket! Lanning c Martin b Rowe 5 (12)

9th over: Australia 33-1 (Healy 11, Lanning 5) Stand-in captain Satterthwaite has looked to a new bowler in Rowe. Rowe looked good with the bat this morning and she makes a solid, if not eye-catching start here, ceding four runs before ... Lanning attempts to play a delivery forward but only gets an edge on the ball, and it’s an easier catch for Martin this time. Lanning knows straight away. Well well well.

Updated

8th over: Australia 33-1 (Healy 11, Lanning 5) Mair has been right down the line until this point but this delivery is loose, and Lanning isn’t going to waste it. There’s not much bat on that, and it races to the boundary for four.

Updated

Wicket! Haynes c Martin b Kerr 14 (19)

7th over: Australia 28-1 (Healy 11, Lanning 1) New Zealand’s bowlers have been applying the pressure, subtly but enough to perhaps elicit impatience. It is Haynes who cracks. Kerr’s delivery shapes away from left-hander and Martin takes the catch, the Kiwi wicketkeeper diving for a straightforward but expert take. Lanning emerges and is at the crease and her first ball yields a run via backward point before Healy hits her second four.

Updated

6th over: Australia 23-0 (Haynes 14, Healy 7) Mair makes a no-nonsense maiden.

Updated

5th over: Australia 23-0 (Haynes 14, Healy 7) Kerr is rapping Haynes on the pads. pulls it to backward square leg and it’s hurtling, hurlting towards the ropes but Rowe is alert and gets two hands down to keep the ball in.

Updated

4th over: Australia 19-0 (Haynes 10, Healy 7) Mair follows suit. Her first delivery has lovely shape, drawing Healy forward into the afternoon sun. Healy is looking for an opening and she locates one for two risk-free runs.

Updated

3rd over: Australia 16-0 (Haynes 10, Healy 5) five years since Australia have failed to chase a score of less than 250. Suffice to say 213 is not looking insurmountable, and Australia can take their time, hold firm and pick her moments. Kerr is back and her second over is a vast improvement on her first. One wide aside, that’s a maiden.

Updated

2nd over: Australia 15-0 (Haynes 10, Healy 5) The White Ferns’ collapse is already looking like one to rue after a Healy boundary punctuates the second over. She makes no further runs off Mair, though, does Healy, and perhaps we will see some patience from her this innings.

Updated

1st over: Australia 11-0 (Haynes 10, Healy 1) Two boundaries and 11 runs from that first over. Explosive stuff from Haynes. An expensive one for Kerr.

Updated

Good afternoon! Happy Easter, if you’re that way inclined. Who will get the chocolate at the beautiful Bay Oval at Mount Maunganui? We are back under way and Healy is opening the batting for Australia with Haynes. Healy scored 87 in Australia’s last ODI against New Zealand so no doubt she’ll be looking to play through.

8-for-53. That’s quite the collapse from New Zealand, something we’ve seen from them far too frequently in this format of late. With Lauren Down (90) and Amelia Kerr (33) on the tools, building a stand of 90 after coming together at 69-2, there was a decent score in the offing for New Zealand. But when Kerr was given out stumped - a close call at best - the momentum swung sharply back in favour of the visitors. Classy operators like Schutt (4/32) and Carey (3/34) did as they do best through the death, giving away nothing. A fine all-round performance. If Lanning’s team can stick the landing from here and chase down 212, which should be straightforward, it will be their 22nd win in a row and a new all-time ODI record. For that, stick with Emma Kemp. She’ll be along shortly for the chase. Bye!

NEW ZEALAND ALL-OUT 212! (WICKET! Mair run out [Mooney] 1)

Mooney’s throw from midwicket finds Mair five metres short.

WICKET! Rowe b Carey 13 (New Zealand 211-9)

Bowled off her pad. The ball was trending down, following Rowe who made room in that direction. Nice death bowling.

48th over: New Zealand 209-8 (Rowe 12, Tahuhu 0) Determined running for Tahuhu to insist on a second when Rowe thrashed Schutt down the ground, making it back - just. The TV umpire takes a good look but the decision has gone New Zealand’s way this time. Schutt has 4/32 with the 50th over to come. A big chance for five.

WICKET! J Kerr b Schutt 3 (New Zealand 205-8)

That’s Schutt’s fourth, Kerr slicing out to Haynes at backward point.

47th over: New Zealand 204-7 (Rowe 8, J Kerr 3) “An honourable 215-7 isn’t winning this.” That was me after 23 overs. Not bad.

46th over: New Zealand 199-7 (Rowe 5, J Kerr 1) Jess Kerr is the new batter, getting a single out to deep midwicket. Will Rowe go big to finish? Nope, she’s happy retaining the strike with four overs to go.

WICKET! Green b Schutt 12 (New Zealand 197-7)

A big swing from Green but she only gets a little inside edge on Schutt’s cutter, the ball deflecting into her leg stump.

45th over: New Zealand 196-6 (Green 12, Rowe 3) Green goes big, back over Gardner’s head for SIX! That’s the ticket! But they don’t go on to capitalise on the blow early in the over, nine coming from it.

Here’s a shot of the Kerr stumping. A vital (and odd) decision.



44th over: New Zealand 187-6 (Green 5, Rowe 1) The clamps are right on now, Carey giving up just a couple of singles. It’s a performance that reinforces why she is Lanning’s go-to bowler at the death.

43rd over: New Zealand 185-6 (Green 4, Rowe 0) Just one run and the wicket from Gardner’s over - both efficient and effective. Rowe can whack it as we saw in the T20s. It’s earned her a promotion.

WICKET! Halliday st Healy b Gardner 13 (New Zealand 185-6)

Halliday goes down the track in an effort to pop Gardner over the midwicket rope as she did Wareham but no contact on this occasion, Gardner past the edge with the southpaw well out of her ground.

42nd over: New Zealand 184-5 (Green 3, Halliday 13) Jonassen puts Halliday down at mid-off. Not the easiest chance but a life is a life, the ball running away for four runs as well. Seven from the Carey set, who now has 2/29 from eight overs. Very handy. She’s essentially replaced Ellyse Perry in this bowling line-up.

41st over: New Zealand 177-5 (Green 1, Halliday 8) There it is, the first SIX of the innings! It’s via Brooke Halliday, who lifts Wareham with authority over deep midwicket. Way to make an impression.

40th over: New Zealand 169-5 (Green 0, Halliday 1) Two fresh batters as the final ten overs begin. Not ideal for the hosts, especially as the run of wickets started with the Kerr stumping. Watching it back a number of times, I still can’t work out how it was given out.

WICKET! Down c&b Carey 90 (New Zealand 168-5)

Down gone ten short of a ton. Carey, accurate as ever, brought about the false stroke, miscuing straight back to the seamer in her follow-through. Three wickets in three overs: the squeeze is back on.

Updated

39th over: New Zealand 166-4 (Down 88, Green 0) Watching the replay back, Down carries the responsibility for that one - never a single there. Lanning has options galore for the final stanza, Schutt with the most overs on the clock having sent down seven.

WICKET! Martin run out [Jonassen/Healy] 1 (New Zealand 166-4)

Wickets in consecutive overs. Martin and Down were all-in on a quick single but Jonassen raced in from point to complete a diving flick to Healy, making no mistake. Short by a metre or more.

38th over: New Zealand 165-3 (Down 87, Martin 1) Down needs to show the same enterprise as her dismissed colleague Kerr. And she does well to catch up with a ball on leg stump, turning it down to fine leg for four. So, six runs and the wicket from the Schutt over.

WICKET! Kerr st Healy b Schutt 33 (New Zealand 159-3)

A big call from the third umpire! Barely a frame in that. Indeed, was there a conclusive shot in favour of the appeal? I didn’t think so. Kerr was down the track swinging and missing at Schutt who saw her coming, beating her with a cutter that beat the horizontal bat.

37th over: New Zealand 159-2 (Down 82, Kerr 33) Lanning sticks with Wareham, who has been her most expensive bowler. Five singles follow. No risks at this stage. Time for Kerr to unleash, isn’t it?

36th over: New Zealand 155-2 (Down 80, Kerr 31) Five of Schutt; both teams would probably be okay with that outcome at this stage. “There’s been a real shift in intent from Lauren Down,” says Suzie Bates. These two have now put on 86, the foundation suitably laid.

35th over: New Zealand 150-2 (Down 77, Kerr 30) Down dances at Wareham, smashing her back over her head for a second time to start the legspinner’s over. It’s a good option for her. As is the sweep for Kerr, which she gets away to finish the set. That’s better! 13 from the over with the White Ferns now to 150. It hasn’t been a particularly persuasive batting performance but they have hung in there. Can they now transfer some pressure back on to Australia?

34th over: New Zealand 137-2 (Down 71, Kerr 23) Schutt has been Australia’s best bowler so far and she’s back for her second spell. A great option for Lanning before happy hour. And the squeeze is on after Down cuts a couple, six fielders inside the circle at one stage.

33rd over: New Zealand 134-2 (Down 68, Kerr 23) The extra pace on the ball is working for New Zealand, as is the fact that Vlaemnick’s radar is off, missing twice more down the legside. They go to drinks in a position where 240 could be on the cards if the foot goes down.

32nd over: New Zealand 127-2 (Down 65, Kerr 21) Kerr is changing the energy here, dancing forward and leaping back. A lot to like. She nearly loses her partner though, Down giving Wareham an ankle-high chance after reaching a low full toss. She got two hands to it but it didn’t stick. Never easy in the follow through, as they say.

31st over: New Zealand 124-2 (Down 63, Kerr 20) Vlaemnick returns to the attack but it doesn’t go to plan, twice missing down the legside before overstepping. Can Amelia Kerr make the most of the free hit? She can! That’s an excellent lap shot, executed perfectly. It’s also the sort of innovation New Zealand need. And it’s now consecutive boundaries with Kerr nailing her cut shot, beating the diving Haynes at backward point. 14 off the over, the biggest of the innings by some margin. These two have now put on 55.

30th over: New Zealand 110-2 (Down 62, Kerr 10) Lanning has her mid-on and mid-off up so Down takes the chance to do some dancing now, taking Wareham over her head for four - good cricket! Lanning doesn’t relent, she wants to keep her on the move at Wareham to bring the stumping into play. The mid-off does drop back to finish though, Down taking a single there to retain the strike.

29th over: New Zealand 105-2 (Down 57, Kerr 10) I like that Amelia Kerr has a plan to get things moving, routinely using her feet to Jonassen. She doesn’t find the gaps but it demonstrates intent. Earlier, for the second time in two overs Down just cleared mid-on.

28th over: New Zealand 102-2 (Down 54, Kerr 10) So many options for Lanning, so much depth. It means that in over 28 she can introduce Wareham, the best wristspinner in Australia, as her seventh bowler. Down tries to go after her from the get-go but only just clears mid-on for a couple. Three further risk-free singles follow.

Lauren Down reaches her first international half-century

27th over: New Zealand 96-2 (Down 50, Kerr 9) She gets there with a tuck through square leg, reaching the mark from 90 deliveries. It took 19 to get off the mark, getting through the outstanding new-ball spell. It’s not been the most fluent innings but she’s still there. Kerr plays the shot of the day to finish the Jonassen over, down the track and finding a gap that barely exists at cover, racing away for four.

26th over: New Zealand 89-2 (Down 47, Kerr 5) When Down gets into position early enough, her pull shots have plenty going for them, slamming Carey through square leg here. How do they break up this Australian rhythm, though? Despite taking only two wickets so far, this game is being played almost entirely on the visitors’ terms.

25th over: New Zealand 84-2 (Down 42, Kerr 5) Jonassen is back and you know what that means: stump-to-stump with changes of pace, all angles and guile. She’s been a fine bowler for Australia. Sure enough, just the two singles. Down has faced 80 balls for her 42.

24th over: New Zealand 82-2 (Down 41, Kerr 4) A good over for the hosts is followed by a tight one from Carey, who has 1/14 from five.

23rd over: New Zealand 80-2 (Down 40, Kerr 3) That’s better, Down taking it to Gardner, smashing her through the covers. It opens the door to a more productive over, seven coming form it. They have to work through the gears here - an honourable 215-7 isn’t winning this.

22nd over: New Zealand 73-2 (Down 34, Kerr 2) Just 13 runs added from the last five overs, New Zealand losing Satterthwaite in that window. That’s one more than they should have too, with the captain Lanning misfielding the final ball of Carey’s over at cover.

21st over: New Zealand 71-2 (Down 33, Kerr 1) Singles to bookend the over, Down then Kerr finding the square leg sweeper off Gardner. The spinner is already through four overs, giving up only 11 runs.

20th over: New Zealand 69-2 (Down 32, Kerr 0) Kerr beaten twice in a row to complete the successful Carey over. A nervous start from the new No4 but she’s ready for this next level of responsibility.

WICKET! Satterthwaite c Schutt b Carey 32 (New Zealand 69-2)

That’s the big wicket for Australia, the White Ferns’ captain falling when trying to pop Carey down the ground over the top but not getting enough of it to clear Schutt at mid-on. An easy catch.

19th over: New Zealand 67-1 (Down 32, Satterthwaite 30) Gardner’s turn to race through a brisk over, giving up just one single to cover.

“Brian Lara cricket swing,” tweets Jonathan Raimondi of Schutt’s wordly delivery to Jensen. That’s exactly what it was: video-game hoop. Although, Super International Cricket was more my vibe.

18th over: New Zealand 66-1 (Down 32, Satterthwaite 29) That’s a nice shot, Down steering Carey past point for her third boundary.

17th over: New Zealand 60-1 (Down 27, Satterthwaite 28) Gardner isn’t as consistent as Jonassen but she gives it such a big rip. Three further singles, continuing to build the foundation. Hannah Darlington, the New South Wales youngster on her first Australian tour, has joined the television commentary team for a guest stint. She maintains the company line about them not having discussed the ODI record on the shelf for them today. Hmm, yeah, sure.

16th over: New Zealand 57-1 (Down 25, Satterthwaite 27) This is a good little recovery from New Zealand after their very difficult start. But these two managed to ride that out, getting through the new ball, and now they’re doing a servicable job. Ooh, that’s nearly undone from the final ball before drinks though, Carey finding Down’s edge but Healy is up to the stumps so it deflects away.

“Hi Adam.” Hello, Tanya Wintringham! “So good that you’re here - is it stupid o’clock where you are?” 1am, to be precise! But always lovely to be on the tools over here, whatever the time. “I missed the pre-match malarkey and the first over - have seen the ridiculous swing on the wicket delivery though - is Frankie McKay not playing because of injury?” Yup, she’s ruled out on account of the injury she picked up in that second T20. “Am very jealous of the Final Word trip to Pakistan and Brazil - am looking forward to the YouTube content on that one! There must be a DOB or two you can track down on your travels.”

You should be part of it! Anyone can! Why are we going to Brazil and Pakistan? Well, help put the pieces together via our weekend show.

15th over: New Zealand 54-1 (Down 24, Satterthwaite 26) Spin from both ends now, Gardner brought on to have a go at Satterthwaite - she’s a good match-up to left-handers, turning it away from them. It’s Down on strike initially though, taking the partnership beyond 50 with a tuck to midwicket. Down has picked up the rate after 18 scoreless balls to begin, collecting 20 from her next 21 balls, the TV tells me. She’s not that convincing to finish, Gardner beating her with some extra dip, but her uppish clip doesn’t go to hand.

14th over: New Zealand 49-1 (Down 20, Satterthwaite 25) Down doesn’t show enough urgency with Wareham on the prowl at midwicket, sent back and nearly run out! The Victorian has already developed a reputation as one of the best ground fielders in the game. Had she been run out - and there was only an inch in it - it would have been doubly frustrating given she struck Jonassen over long-on for four the ball before it, her best shot of of the innings.

13th over: New Zealand 42-1 (Down 14, Satterthwaite 24) Satterthwaite over cover, just doing enough to get it over the fielder on the circle, the captain’s third boundary. Six from the Perry over.

12th over: New Zealand 36-1 (Down 13, Satterthwaite 20) Jonassen doing what she does best: racing through her over in about 75 seconds, giving up just one single along the way. She’s relentless.

11th over: New Zealand 35-1 (Down 12, Satterthwaite 20) With the field back, the New Zealand pair are happy enough taking three singles. It’s going to be fascinating watching the next stretch of Perry’s career. As Geoff Lemon and I discussed last week, she’s only 30 but has been doing this for 14 years. That has to take a toll, especially when you consider how much she also put into football.



Updated

10th over: New Zealand 32-1 (Down 10, Satterthwaite 19) Spin to finish the power play the the visitors, via Jess Jonassen. She used to bowl a lot of overs with the new ball, so the field up won’t worry her too much. It’s a good set for New Zealand though, even after an excellent diving stop from Schutt saved a boundary at mid-on. Nine off it after Satterthwaite dances and lofts over midwicket for four.

9th over: New Zealand 23-1 (Down 9, Satterthwaite 11) Ellyse Perry, welcome to the bowling crease. This is her first ODI since October 2019. She wasn’t called upon often in the T20s but is in her element here, finding Down’s outside edge with her second ball, through the cordon and down to the rope. A four-ball follows outside the off-stump but the opener can’t capitalise to make it back-to-back boundaries, missing her cut. All told, it’s not an especially potent over from the superstar, but something to build from.

8th over: New Zealand 17-1 (Down 4, Satterthwaite 11) Satterthwaite is far from daunted, drawing on her experience to clip Schutt away for a couple then working her to midwicket to tick the board over. Down is also easing into her work, able to tuck to fine leg for one.

7th over: New Zealand 13-1 (Down 3, Satterthwaite 8) Down is lucky here! She took on Vlaeminck’s short ball but didn’t get any of it, ending up at mid-off instead of midwicket, not quite carrying to the fielder. The quick gets away with a misdirected delivery down the legside later, “and the White Ferns need every run they can get,” adds Suzie Bates on commentary. Down then gets a couple through square pulling more successfully later in the set.

6th over: New Zealand 11-1 (Down 1, Satterthwaite 8) Shot. There’s New Zealand’s first boundary, timing Schutt past mid-on, beating the diving Jonassen on the edge of the fielding circle. Beforehand, Down was off the mark from her 19th ball with a push to mid-off.

5th over: New Zealand 5-1 (Down 0, Satterthwaite 3) It’s a game of survival for these two while the ball is moving around like this, Satterthwaite the cool head for such a mission. She does a better job handling Vlaeminck here, before grabbing a single behind point.

4th over: New Zealand 4-1 (Down 0, Satterthwaite 2) Masterful from Schutt, generating so much movement to Down that Lanning pops a catching short midwicket in by the end of the over. The right-hander has now faced 16 balls without getting off the mark but she’s also done well to make it this far given some of the gems she’s faced.

3rd over: New Zealand 3-1 (Down 0, Satterthwaite 1) Schutt is moving it one way, Vlaeminck the other. After misdirecting down the legside, she’s back on her mark, Satterthwaite off-strike via her pad. Sure enough, Down is beaten outside the off-stump to finish. That’s the right-hander match-up the quick will want next up.

2nd over: New Zealand 1-1 (Down 0, Satterthwaite 1) That Jensen dismissal gets better with every replay! In the air, it starts wider than the tramtracks on the off-side before going on to eventually hit leg stump. Staggering stuff. Ohhh, and she nearly does it again to finish, Down just up to the task. Between times, the captain Satterthwaite - a left-hander - was beaten by a long way before getting off the mark with a leading edge out to the covers. Remarkable movement.

And here’s the wicket. Drink it in.



WICKET! Jensen b Schutt 0 (New Zealand 0-1)

Oh me! That’s the stuff of dreams from Schutt, bowling Jensen with her first ball with a massssssive inswinger. Extraordinary stuff!

1st over: New Zealand 0-0 (Down 0, Jensen 0) Delightful shape from Vlaeminck right away, beating Down’s outside edge with a classy outswinger. Serious pace, too - such an exciting combination, especially with her slingy side-on action. The pitch they are using today will also be used on the second and third ODIs, so it should have a bit of juice in it for the quicks early on. It’s a really good over throughout, giving it a chance to hoop throughout. A maiden.

The players are on the field! Tayla Vlaeminck, the Bendigo Bullet, has the new ball in her hand for the first over of the match. Lauren Down is on strike, opening with Hayley Jensen. PLAY!

A punchy and truthful tweet from Hayley Matthews. Difficult to believe the extent to which the Windies have regressed from this moment five years ago, the day they defeated Lanning’s Australians in the World T20 Final. The big question: why has this happened?

A killer fact from the best women’s cricket statistician in the world.

So, that explains why they’re bowling first.

New Zealand XI as named: Hayley Jensen, Lauren Down, Amy Satterthwaite (capt) Amelia Kerr, Karey Martin, Maddy Green (wk), Brooke Halliday, Hannah Rowe, Jess Kerr, Lea Tahuhu, Rosemary Mair.

Meg Lanning at the toss. “We have chased well in the past so we’re looking to getting out in the field early.” She says they “haven’t spoken at all” about the ODI record. Amy Satterthwaite says she also would have bowled. Lea Tahuhu is back for the White Ferns, which really does bolster the New Zealand seam attack. “Any win we get over them is a special one (their T20 triumph on Monday) and gives us confidence of what we can do in this series.”

Australia as named: Alyssa Healy (wk), Rachael Haynes, Meg Lanning (capt), Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Ashleigh Gardner, Nicola Carey, Jess Jonassen, Georgia Wareham, Megan Schutt, Tayla Vlaemnick.

Meg Lanning has won the toss

And she’s popped New Zealand in

Preamble

Welcome to the first ODI between New Zealand and Australia from the always gorgeous Bay Oval at Mount Maunganui. Had the world been a different place over the last year, this would have been a ground where both teams featured in the World Cup earlier in 2021, but instead we have to wait until early 2022 for that after it delayed because of Covid complications. It makes these 50-over hit-outs all the more important as both teams build to that major event.

In the immediate term, there’s another landmark in mind for the Australians: if they can get over the line today, it will be their 22nd ODI triumph on the bounce, the most ever. They currently are level with Ricky Ponting’s 2003 team on 21 victories. It’s even more special that this run started back in 2018 for Meg Lanning’s charges.

Of course, it was the White Ferns who they most recently whitewashed in this format, three-zip in Brisbane in October. Between times, India’s visit didn’t happen so they’ve only been able to turn out in the green and gold again against New Zealand in T20s finishing on Wednesday, that series split one-all with a washout.

It will be Amy Satterthwaite in charge for the hosts, standing in as skipper for Sophie Devine who is resting after reportedly missing the final two T20s due exhaustion. As for Australia, they are a model of consistency at the selection table. What will be of interest when the coin goes up is whether quick Darcie Brown gets picked for an ODI debut after making her bow in the T20s. We’ll find out shortly!

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