Team News
Australia: After battling a string of injuries, Lauren Cheatle makes a comeback to the ODI squad after 2 years. Delissa Kimmince has been called in as a replacement after Sophie Molineux was ruled out due to a shoulder injury.
New Zealand: Katey Martin returns to the squad after missing out the home series against India. Medium pacer Rosemary Mair will make her ODI debut. Coach Haidee Tiffen has stepped aside for the ODI series citing her move as “the best course of action at the moment”. Bob Carter will be the interim head coach.
Head-to-Head Record
Australia enjoy a strong record at home against New Zealand having won 43 out of 56 ODIs.
Their overall record against New Zealand is again positive with 90 wins and 31 losses.
The last time the two teams faced each other in an ODI was during the group stage of the 2017 ICC Women’s World Cup. Australia won that encounter.
Form Guide
Australia
Last 5 results (recent first): WWWWW
Australia won comprehensively against Pakistan in the 3-match ODI series held in Kuala Lumpur in October, 2018.
New Zealand
Last 5 results (recent first): WLLWL
New Zealand were defeated at home by India in January this year in the 3-match ODI series.
Starry Stats
- Sophie Devine is on the cusp of her 100th ODI. She began her 99-ODI journey in 2006.
- Leigh Kasperek, the offie, needs just 2 wickets more to reach 50 ODI wickets. In the current ICC Women’s Championship cycle (2017/18-2021), she has taken 20 wickets in 12 matches at an average of 21.20. She is second on that list following Pakistan’s Sana Mir. During the same cycle Megan Schutt has bagged 19 wickets from 8 matches. She is at fourth place while Ashleigh Gardner is at tenth.
- In the current ICC Women’s Championship cycle (2017/18-2021), Sophie Devine sits second at the batting table scoring 644 runs from 112 matches with an eye-watering average of 71.55. Alyssa Healy (474 runs) and Suzie Bates (453) are the other batters in the top ten who will be featuring in this series.
Watch out for
Ellyse Perry: She has been in blistering form at the WBBL scoring a staggering 777 runs. She was instrumental in guiding her team to the semi-finals.
Alyssa Healy: She recently (Feb, 2019) won the Belinda Clark award. She was also named Australia’s ODI and T20 player of the year.
Sophie Devine: The experienced all-rounder who shows no sign of dimming will be the key to New Zealand’s fortunes.
Schedule
Ist ODI: Fri, 22 Feb
Venue: WACA Ground, Perth
2nd ODI: Sat, 23 Feb
Venue: Karen Rolton Oval, Adelaide
3rd ODI: Sat, 02 Mar
Venue: Junction Oval, Melbourne
New Zealand squad: Amy Satterthwaite(c), Suzie Bates, Maddy Green, Hayley Jensen, Lauren Down, Sophie Devine, Amelia Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Katey Martin, Katie Perkins, Anna Peterson, Hannah Rowe, Lea Tahuhu, Leigh Kasperek
Australia squad: Meg Lanning(c), Rachael Haynes, Nicola Carey, Lauren Cheatle, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Beth Mooney, Megan Schutt, Ellyse Perry, Elyse Villani, Georgia Wareham