Beth Mooney’s consecutive half-centuries, Annabel Sutherland’s career-best figures in the T20I format, gave Australia a historic, maiden, away T20I series win against New Zealand.
The visitors had to make a forced change as Darcie Brown opted out of the 3rd game for family reasons, making way for Megan Schutt in the XI. The home side also had one change as Lea Tahuhu was replaced by Bella James.
Georgia Voll’s 75, Ellyse Perry’s cameo, takes Australia to 180/4
The Australian openers Georgia Voll and wicket-keeper batter Beth Mooney got their side off to a brisk start with a 64-run opening partnership, after skipper Suzie Bates won the toss and inserted them to bat first, in the 3rd T20I at Sky Stadium, Wellington. The pair scored at a rate of over 7 runs an over. Sophie Devine broke the stand, by removing the in-form wicket-keeper batter Beth Mooney (21 off 15 balls) in the 9th over of the innings.
Phoebe Litchfield joined Georgia Voll at the crease and the duo stitched another crucial 54-run partnership for the 2nd wicket to take their side closer to the 120-run mark. The lapses in the field continued to be the story for the home side. However, Amelia Kerr finally held onto the opportunity off her own bowling to send an ominous Phoebe Litchfield (26 off 16 balls) back to the pavilion in the 14th over of the innings, providing the 2nd breakthrough for the White Ferns.
Unbeaten cameos from Ellyse Perry (32* off 19 balls) and skipper Tahlia McGrath (14* off 5 balls) propelled them to a total of 180/4 in their quota of 20 overs. Georgia Voll notched up her 2nd T20I half-century (75 off 57 balls) and top-scored with the bat for Australia in the innings. Rosemary Mair (4-0-29-1), Sophie Devine (4-0-30-1), and Amelia Kerr (4-0-37-1) picked up a wicket each and Skipper Suzie Bates picked up the big scalp of Georgia Voll in her spell.
Annabel Sutherland’s 4-fer powers Australia to a dominating T20I Whitewash
Chasing a massive total of 181, the home side kept losing wickets at regular intervals and found themselves in trouble at 54/4 in the 9th over of the run chase. Maddy Green joined Amelia Kerr at the crease and the duo kept the home side alive in the run chase with a massive 99-run partnership for the 5th wicket.
An unfortunate run-out halted a spirited fightback from the White Ferns, ending Maddy Green’s stay at the crease in the 18th over of the run chase, providing the 5th breakthrough for the Tahlia McGrath-led side. New Zealand were eventually restricted to 172/8 in their quota of 20 overs, falling 8 runs short of the target. Amelia Kerr (66 off 47 balls), and Maddy Green (62 off 35 balls) notched up half-centuries and were the only positives with the bat for the White Ferns.
Annabel Sutherland (4-0-35-4), and Megan Schutt (4-0-42-2), were the stand-out performers with the ball, while Georgia Wareham (4-0-26-1) was impressive with the ball for her side.
Georgia Voll was awarded the Player of the Match for her sensational half-century, and wicket-keeper batter Beth Mooney was awarded the Player of the Series for scoring 166 runs in three innings, playing a crucial role in helping her side clinch a dominating T20I series sweep for the first time against the White Ferns in New Zealand in the format.
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