- Hosts win series opener in Brisbane by seven wickets
- Meg Lanning’s side have now won 19 consecutive ODIs
Georgia Wareham is player of the match for her 2/23. So consistent, so good. Sophie Devine now speaks. “No excuse” she says of the New Zealand performance with the bat. She jokes that Bates is simply “too old” when asked about her shoulder injury - it sounds like she’ll be fine. Meg Lanning’s turn to talk. “It was nice to be out there in the middle not having to worry too much about scoreboard pressure.” On Ash Gardner’s finger, hurt when catching Bates earlier, she isn’t too concerned either.
And that, my friends, is that. If Australia can go on to sweep this three-match series, they will pull even with Ricky Ponting’s team - the all-time record in ODIs for consecutive wins. And we’ll be back on Tuesday for game two. Bye for now.
Australia have won 19 ODIs in a row. What a record, what a team. The only way New Zealand were going to win this was if they could take a clump of early wickets, getting rid of Lanning in the process. But they didn’t. It only took the skipper moments to get set in the middle, her presence in the middle at the end never in doubt. She finishes with 62 not out from 70 balls with five fours and two sixes - the second of those ending the game. Haynes (44) and Healy (26) did much of the work with their opening stand, Molineux (18 not out) completing the mission nicely.
Meg Lanning seals it with a SIX! A glorious shot, down the track to Green and lifting her over the long-off rope. An emphatic end to a clinical chase. Australia by a mile.
33.4 overs: Australia 181-3 (Lanning 62*, Molineux 18*) Target 181.
33rd over: Australia 173-3 (Lanning 55, Molineux 17) Target 181. As Mel Jones notes on the television coverage, with only two days until the second ODI, New Zealand are going to have to regroup very quickly. Molineux ruins an otherwise tidy Kerr over, carving the leggie behind point for Australia’s 21st boundary of the chase.
32nd over: Australia 167-3 (Lanning 54, Molineux 12) Target 181. Four singles off Green; there’s no sting left in this game. A really poor New Zealand performance.
31st over: Australia 163-3 (Lanning 52, Molineux 10) Target 181. Mair nearly gets a third, unable to drag down a very tough chance in her follow-through, Molineux pushing with hard hands back at the seamer. She sends down a rare poor delivery later in the over, the left-hander able to tuck the easiest of boundaries. 18 to go. Holly Ferling notes in her analysis on telly (from the ground) that New Zealand have worked with four boundary riders throughout to Lanning and did so for Mooney too - very difficult to build pressure when singles have been so easy to find.
30th over: Australia 156-3 (Lanning 50, Molineux 5) Target 181. Too good, Meg Lanning - to her milestone in 62 deliveries. She now has 28 scores over 50 in 81 one-day internationals, 13 of those converted into three figures. There aren’t enough runs left in the chase for her to do that today but she can finish with yet another red-inker in a successful chase. Ignore the noise you occasionally hear from some quarters, she remains the best batter in the women’s game - full stop. Molineux finishes with a pulled four off Green but Bates is down having landed heavily on her right shoulder when diving at full stretch in an attempt to cut it off. This doesn’t look great - she’s straight off the field, albeit giving the thumbs up to the crowd. Let’s hope the New Zealand champion hasn’t done anything serious.
29th over: Australia 151-3 (Lanning 49, Molineux 1) Target 181. The 150 is up with a Molineux single, off the mark out to deep cover. Lanning goes on to retain the strike with easiest of steers. Two runs and a wicket from the Mair set. She has 6-2-14-2.
What a snaffle from Suzie Bates at short cover! Mooney was through her drive a fraction early, giving the New Zealand champion half a chance diving forward - excellent work. Mair gets a second wicket. She’s been the White Ferns’ best.
28th over: Australia 149-2 (Lanning 48, Mooney 16) Target 181. I dream about playing cricket a lot - too often, really. Usually, that involves bowling without impediment again, flinging it down without my shoulder feeling as though it is going to fall off. Occasionally, I dream about batting. The way Lanning has put her innings together today must be how she dreams, so chanceless and graceful and classy and formidable. I wrote this paragraph expecting her to reach 50 during the Green over; that doesn’t happen. But my point remains. 32 (off 132) left to get.
27th over: Australia 145-2 (Lanning 46, Mooney 14) Target 181. Devine is back, real last-ditch stuff here from the captain in order to remove her opposing number. She isn’t far away either, locating her inside edge, but instead of crashing back into her stumps it runs away for four instead. Mooney’s turn later in the over, getting on top of a bouncer to play a careful hook around the corner for four more. Such good batting from this pair, clincially building their stand towards the finish line.
Belinda Clark's two things she's most proud of in her post-playing career #AUSvNZpic.twitter.com/wBS9DkNrLr
26th over: Australia 136-2 (Lanning 41, Mooney 10) Target 181. Along with Mair, Green has been the best of the New Zealand bowlers. “I think they’re missed a trick leaving it so late to bring her on,” says Belinda Clark on the TV call. Lanning keeps the strike with a single, making 1000 ODI runs for the captain against New Zealand at the brilliant average of 62.5 with five tons along the way. What a superstar.
25th over: Australia 134-2 (Lanning 40, Mooney 9) Target 181. Oooh, Lanning misses her sweep against Kerr and is lucky not to lose her leg-stump in the process. But the fact that the spinner missed down the legside earlier in the over, bringing four more wides, already means this is a productive over. The captain goes on to access third man with a deft little late cut, running away for four more.
24th over: Australia 126-2 (Lanning 36, Mooney 9) Target 181. Well bowled, Maddy Green. She’s primarily in this team to bat but has been called upon to bowl plenty of overs so far on account of the fact that New Zealand don’t have a second spinner in their XI. Of course, if the world was vaguely normal, Leigh Kasperek would be in the team but hasn’t been able to get back from her native Scotland due to Covid.
23rd over: Australia 122-2 (Lanning 36, Mooney 6) Target 181. Better from Kerr in terms of landing her set, but we’ve reached the stage where only a collapse will get New Zealand back into the game. Australia need 62 to win, the overs don’t matter.
22nd over: Australia 119-2 (Lanning 35, Mooney 4) Target 181. Maddy Green, with her off-spin - New Zealand’s only other slow option - into the attack. She’ll need to be spot on to these two. She slides down leg to Mooney to finish, tucked almost all the way for four, dragged in by Jensen at the last. Still, six risk-free runs from it.
21st over: Australia 113-2 (Lanning 33, Mooney 1) Target 181. In walks Mooney, one of the in-form players in the world, regardless of the format - at her home ground, too. I spoke to Beth about her early days as a cricketer during lockdown and she remembers sitting in the stands at AB Field watching Queensland play and deciding that’s what she wanted to do too. Well, she’s done it often and exceptionally well. Jensen needs to get her right away but, instead, sprays a wide down the legside and with Martin now up to the stumps, that’s to the rope: five wides. Urgh. Mooney is off the mark with a single to backward point, retaining the strike.
Rachael Haynes' exciting innings comes to an end!
Live #AUSvNZ scores: https://t.co/6fAavePiu0pic.twitter.com/UHoCLu7Iuw
From nowhere, Haynes pulls Jensen straight to Perkins at midwicket. Nicely played - the back of this chase is broken - but that’s a frustrating way to get out.
20th over: Australia 105-1 (Haynes 44, Lanning 31) Target 181. Tahuhu once more, can she build on the pressure from her previous over? Not initially, Lanning helping a short ball around the corner for four - frustrating stuff. The 100 is up later in the over as a result of a legside wide. Haynes bookends the over with a very similar boundary, hooking over short fine for four more. This game is drifting and fast.
19th over: Australia 93-1 (Haynes 39, Lanning 25) Target 181. The 50 stand is up, Haynes clipping two off Jensen to begin. They reach that mark in 61 balls together, Australia’s leadership axis most formidable when in combination. Total control.
18th over: Australia 89-1 (Haynes 36, Lanning 24) Target 181. Tahuhu again, forcing both Australians to play her respectfully, such is her extra pace and bounce. “That’s the face of someone who wants to be there at the end,” Mel Jones says of Lanning.
17th over: Australia 87-1 (Haynes 35, Lanning 24) Target 181. Haynes dances at Kerr again and this time swings through a lofted on-drive, going all the way for SIX! Kerr bounces back with a big pad-bat leg before shout; turned down. Looked out? Still - there’s purpose from this pair, looking to finish it well inside their required overs.
Rachael Haynes goes bang! #AUSvNZpic.twitter.com/Dyz7lDz6KE
16th over: Australia 79-1 (Haynes 28, Lanning 23) Target 181. Tahuhu back before Lanning is set, which makes sense given she’s only bowled three overs. But there are no concerns, Haynes cutting to deep point before three singles are taken into the legside. The required rate is down to an even three an over from here. Drinks.
15th over: Australia 75-1 (Haynes 26, Lanning 21) Target 181. Haynes had to keep her cool when Mair had the wood over here earlier on, absorbing a lot of dot balls, but she’s through that now and prospering off Kerr with an expert dance-and-drive through cover for four. She nearly makes it back-to-back boundaries after clipping with authority over midwicket but Bates denies that with a diving stop. Kerr is back where she needs to be right away though, beating the left-hander with a wrong’un. She goes with that same delivery to Lanning, getting past her on the inside edge with one that the captain didn’t appear to pick out of the hand.
14th over: Australia 68-1 (Haynes 19, Lanning 21) Target 181. Chipped over Devine for four! Not where Lanning was initially wanting to take her counterpart but she checked the shot at the last moment with such good timing that it runs away. Sure enough, a short one follows and Lanning takes on with the hook, albeit with less control. Still, eight off it. To state the obvious, New Zealand need wickets.
13th over: Australia 60-1 (Haynes 17, Lanning 15) Target 181. Amelia Kerr it is, landing a wrong’un early at Haynes. But she follows it with back-to-back full tosses at Lanning, the first put away with ease through cover, the second nearly landing the Aussie skipper in hot water when she tries to hit her back over the Brisbane river to the Gabba, miscuing high in the air but not to hand. A reminder that the hosts need only 3.3 an over from here to go one-up in this Rose Bowl series.
12th over: Australia 53-1 (Haynes 16, Lanning 9) Target 181. Devine strays onto Lanning’s pads in an effort to swing past her outside edge but there’s no movement out there so she lifts her over square leg for SIX! The first big one of the innings; all timing there. The captain goes for the same shot from the same delivery next up but doesn’t make the same connection, out to the sweeper for one. Time for spin.
Me whenever someone hits the non striker’s wicket bowling, knowing what’s coming. pic.twitter.com/BQdkFbHR79
11th over: Australia 46-1 (Haynes 16, Lanning 2) Target 181. Mair is a classy operator - tough to understand how she found herself left out of the final T20 International earlier in the week. And she’s giving Haynes nothing here, in perfect rhythm banging away across the left-hander, bang on the off-stump. She has 5-2-12-1.
10th over: Australia 46-1 (Haynes 16, Lanning 2) Target 181. Captain to captain, Devine getting an early look at Lanning before she is set. Of course, these two have shaped up against each other so many times over the years, both for their countries and in the WBBL. Can she bring her forward with one of her lovely little outswingers? She does early in the over, but Lanning middles her defensive stroke. Ooh, now she squares her up a touch, albeit on the bounce to Amelia Kerr at short cover. “This is already a great battle,” says Damien Fleming on telly. A quirk of the game follows: Devine is called for a no-ball for breaking the stumps with her hands - the Steve Finn Rule - but these days, that means a free hit. Can’t be having that, can we? Apparently, the free hit was brought in for the men’s World Cup Super League and here we are. Alas, Lanning inside edges that before leaving the last ball.
9th over: Australia 43-1 (Haynes 15, Lanning 2) Target 181. Nobody in world cricket chases down modest targets like Meg Lanning. The Australian skipper is off the mark thanks to a misfield at cover by Kerr, the same fielder who pulled off the vital catch earlier in the over. But still, Mair has done the job. She earned that wicket.
Amelia Kerr takes a one-handed catch in very casual fashion!
Live #AUSvNZ scores: https://t.co/6fAavePiu0pic.twitter.com/cTKKivKPYY
Mair changes ends and it works! Healy tries to flick her through midwicket but miscues in the direction of Amelia Kerr, who takes a fine one-handed catch.
8th over: Australia 40-0 (Haynes 14, Healy 26) Target 181. The skipper, Devine, brings herself on and backs up the work of Mair at the same end, sending down six high-quality dots at Alyssa Healy. 31 runs from one end, nine from the other.
7th over: Australia 40-0 (Haynes 14, Healy 26) Target 181. There’s a chance, Jensen on for Tahuhu. But at her pace she can’t drop short to Healy - especially with the field up - the right-hander going back and slamming her over midwicket for four. Welcome to the bowling crease. Oh, and again on the pull with authority, albeit straight to the sweeper at deep square. Haynes’ turn and she repeats the dose, swivelling expertly before clearing the fielder inside the circle at backward square for another boundary. Nine off the over, Australia are already in cruise control.
6th over: Australia 31-0 (Haynes 10, Healy 21) Target 181. Mair looks the seamer most likely for New Zealand, prompting a pair of play-and-misses from Haynes against the flow of play, shaping away nicely from the left-hander working across her. She goes on to complete a quality maiden. A lot to like about this spell.
5th over: Australia 31-0 (Haynes 10, Healy 21) Target 181. Healy has a lot of tricks but her best is the straight drive, giving Tahuhu no chance to cut this off in her follow through on account of how well she timed it. Superb batting. Changing her length, a bumper follows - fair play. But going short a second time, without it quite getting up, Healy is able to free her hands and flay over point - four more. Easy. Oooh, a top response to find a conventional edge to finish, albeit through third slip after squaring up the right-hander, so it runs away to the rope as well. 12 off it.
4th over: Australia 19-0 (Haynes 10, Healy 9) Target 181. That’s a very good over from Mair, able to keep Haynes in defence throughout after Healy gave her the strike early in the over. The bad news for New Zealand, though: that defence looks impenetrable at this early stage of the chase. What a revelation Haynes has been since returning to this dominant national side at the 2017 World Cup.
3rd over: Australia 18-0 (Haynes 10, Healy 8) Target 181. Haynes looks right on the money here, helping Tahuhu behind square for a second boundary, this time off the back foot. She bounces back well though, that four the only scoring shot here.
2nd over: Australia 14-0 (Haynes 6, Healy 8) Target 181. Shot. Healy gets an overpitched delivery from Mair and doesn’t miss out, stroking her through the covers with all the timing and control you want to begin an innings, racing away to the rope. Busy elsewhere in the over, eight are added all up. Top start.
A daunting stat from ‘Causters, the best women’s cricket statistician there is.
@collinsadam The last time Australia women failed to chase down a target under 200 in an ODI, was against West Indies at the 2013 World Cup, and even that was after they'd already secured a spot in the final.
1st over: Australia 6-0 (Haynes 5, Healy 1)Target 181. Compact from Haynes to begin, taking Tahuhu fine from leg stump for four before adding one with with a controlled steer. Healy is off the mark too, glancing a single to keep the strike.
The players are back on the field. Tahuhu has the ball in her hand and needs an early breakthrough to give the visitors a chance to get busy. Haynes and Healy are opening the innings for Australia, as they have since the start of 2019. PLAY!
If looking for something to listen to later on, pick up Geoff Lemon (who is calling this game at AB Field for the ABC) and my weekend edition of The Final Word pod. On Saturdays, we lean into the history of the game before rebooting an interview from the vault, this time returning to James Pattinson at Lord’s last year.
Thanks, JP. Morning all. From the handover summary, it sounds like, I’m afraid, a fairly typical New Zealand performance when taking on Australia. Very tidy numbers from the triumvirate of home spinners, claiming 6/80 from 29.1 of the best, with the three seamers taking a wicket each. From 83/6, the target of 181 is a few more than they should be chasing, but that won’t concern Lanning and co. As always, it’ll be great to chat with you throughout. Drop me a line; ping me a tweet.
Right, to see you through Australia’s chase Adam Collins has logged on. Be sure to keep him company. I’ll see you again later in the series.
“Thanks for your awesome coverage. I’m an England fan but I’m becoming more and more interested in all things cricket, especially the women’s game. Following along from Vancouver where I’m self isolating after possible exposure from 1 of the only 3 colleagues I’ve seen in 6 months. Not a great start to my weekend but thanks for keeping me entertained!”
It’s our pleasure Anna, and fingers crossed you’re ok!
Australia are in the box seat at the innings break. There were no weak links in a strong bowling performance that never allowed New Zealand any freedom. At 60-4 and 83-6 it seemed the White Ferns could be bundled out for something paltry but a decent partnership between Perkins and Green guided the Kiwis towards respectability.
Pace made early inroads with the new ball, including a wicket for debutant Annabel Sutherland, but thereafter spin dominated with Molineux outstanding, Jonassen typically dangerous and Wareham also impressing with her legspin.
Jess Jonassen is an interesting choice to bowl the final over. And it takes just one delivery to figure out why she was Lanning’s pick. Jensen tries the slog sweep but doesn’t get enough of it hitting into the wind and Carey runs in from the deep to pouch a tidy catch.
49th over: New Zealand 180-9 (Jensen 21, Tahuhu 1) Superb death bowling from Carey, giving New Zealand nothing to latch onto despite bowling into the wind. she finishes with 1/27 from her six overs.
Direct hit from Mooney at mid-on ends Mair’s innings. The tailender drove the ball straight to the fielder but took on the arm and perished. Excellent throw from the Australian.
Beth Mooney very sharp in the field! A direct hit run out #AUSvNZpic.twitter.com/7BiwxesYBC
48th over: New Zealand 177-8 (Jensen 19, Mair 7) Schutt’s back for her final two-over spell, but she begins with a little width that Jensen uses to free her arms and carve over extra cover for four. Three deliveries later Jensen hangs back in her crease waits for the off-pace change-up and flat bats another four straight past Schutt in her follow through. 12 off an unexpectedly productive over.
47th over: New Zealand 165-8 (Jensen 9, Mair 5) A run-a-ball over from New Zealand with the White Ferns tailenders doing their best to get Carey away without any timing. Australia were unlucky not to claim a wicket from the final delivery but a lose cut looped over point but short of the offside boundary rider.
46th over: New Zealand 159-8 (Jensen 6, Mair 2) Molineux ends with 2/28 from her ten overs. She has impressed me the most today out of Australia’s attack, bowlign with great control and no little guile, always on the attack.
Sophie Molineux’s bowling record after four ODI matches:
8/67 off 36 overs
Bowling average - 8.37
Economy rate - 1.86 runs per over
Strike rate - 27.0
Absurd numbers from the tweaker.#AUSvNZ@AusWomenCricket
pic.twitter.com/Gr8l11jk0y
45th over: New Zealand 155-8 (Jensen 4, Mair 1) Terrific over from Carey. Australia well on top.
New Zealand’s last recognised batter is on her way. Perkins tried to run Carey down to third but the bowler’s skiddy action and angle into the right-hander made it a shot fraught with risk and the outcome is a tame play-on.
Nic Carey picks up her first wicket for the day! #AUSvNZpic.twitter.com/gjzTnOxOXy
44th over: New Zealand 153-7 (Perkins 32, Jensen 3) Four singles from another high quality Molineux over. Do the White Ferns have any fireworks to close out their innings?
43rd over: New Zealand 149-7 (Perkins 30, Jensen 1) That wicket has sucked the wind from New Zealand’s sails. Just two from Carey’s first five deliveries, but the over ends well for the Kiwis with Perkins dabbing cutely through the vacant cordon for a couple.
42nd over: New Zealand 145-7 (Perkins 27, Jensen 0) Terrific over from Molineux. She now has 2/20 from eight excellent overs.
Lanning asks Molineux to roll her arm over again - I wonder if that will entice Green to bring out her 3-iron once more? Not to begin with, Green settles for a single before Perkins is undone by one that bounces more than she expected outside off stump. A lap sweep brings Green back on strike - and she goes for the big hit - and is bowled! Too good from Molineux. Terrific knock from Maddy Green nonetheless, 35 valuable runs.
Wicket! Beautifully bowled by Sophie Molineux to break the partnership between Green and Perkins. NZ 7-143 in the 43rd over.
LIVE: https://t.co/A4MjQxafWH#AUSvNZpic.twitter.com/KSB7R56bIr
41st over: New Zealand 143-6 (Perkins 26, Green 34) Meg Lanning is under a bit of pressure for the first time today, so she turns back to her sixth bowler, Nicola Carey. New Zealand respond with intent, rotating the strike for five deliveries before Green settles for a dot from a well-directed yorker. The White Ferns have made a game of this in the second half of their innings.
40th over: New Zealand 138-6 (Perkins 24, Green 31) The ones and twos are coming with greater regularity now with both batters in the groove at the crease. Schutt continues to mix up her lines and lengths but both New Zealanders are biding their time and milking runs on the back foot.
39th over: New Zealand 132-6 (Perkins 21, Green 28) Jonassen starts her over by firing a dart into the toes of Perkins, so she responds with a delicate lap sweep to rotate strike. Green tries to use her feet to unsettle Jonassen’s length, and after two failed attempts to pierce the field she goes for the long handle and nails her third six of the day straight back over the bowler’s head. Maddy Green is a very clean striker of the ball and her hitting is pushing New Zealand somewhere approaching a competitive total.
Use of the feet and bang! #AUSvNZ
pic.twitter.com/Ku8ANBLy7Y
38th over: New Zealand 125-6 (Perkins 20, Green 22) New Zealand are starting to find gaps in the field, often from good deliveries, much to the frustration of Schutt. That frustration not helped by an uppish cut to point from Green landing a fraction short of the fielder. this partnership now 42 from 65 and the most promising of the innings by some margin.
37th over: New Zealand 120-6 (Perkins 18, Green 19) Jonassen is recalled and she’s unfortunate not to celebrate a wicket on her return but a fierce slog-sweep from Perkins burst straight through Mooney at shortish midwicket and had enough force to make it to the fence. This partnership is just starting to build a little momentum.
36th over: New Zealand 114-6 (Perkins 13, Green 18) Megan Schutt returns to the attack, but her first delivery is cut away by Perkins for four. The speedster responds by adjusting her length and mixing up her pace, inducing an edge that would have gone straight to slip, had one being stationed in the cordon.
35th over: New Zealand 108-6 (Perkins 8, Green 17) Once again Green goes downtown with serious force, smashing Molineux for six for the second time today. That was elegant and huge. New Zealand just need to figure out how to do that more often, and keep the scoreboard moving when they can’t.
34th over: New Zealand 100-6 (Perkins 8, Green 9) Wareham finishes her excellent day’s work with 2/23 from her ten overs. It’s been a performance full of bravery, tossing the ball up and inviting the New Zealand batters to take her on.
Georgia Wareham's final figures of 2/23 represent the best two-wicket ODI haul for an Australian bowler against any opposition having bowled a complete 10 overs.
Wareham's 2/23 eclipses Megan Schutt's 2/25 against New Zealand in February 2016.#AUSvNZ
33rd over: New Zealand 97-6 (Perkins 6, Green 8) Another superb over from Molineux. She has excellent variety and control and earns a maiden by deceiving Perkins on the front and back foot.
32nd over: New Zealand 97-6 (Perkins 6, Green 8) Wareham beats Green with flight and turn outside off, then makes one grip on leg stump that draws an outside edge that the bowler dives to claim in her follow through, but she can’t quite hold on to a very tough chance.
31st over: New Zealand 97-6 (Perkins 6, Green 8) Wahey! Out of nowhere Green takes a couple of steps and launches Molineux over her head for six. That was clean hitting, and goes to show the pitch is true enough to trust for a batter who gets her eye in.
30th over: New Zealand 90-6 (Perkins 6, Green 1) Wareham continues to toss the ball up and invite New Zealand to attack her, but they continue to struggle for timing, almost gifting a caught-and-bowled opportunity from a rank full toss. Perkins does finally profit late in the over, helping a leg-stump delivery behind square and beyond the dive of the boundary rider.
29th over: New Zealand 84-6 (Perkins 0, Green 1) Australia racing through their work now. Molineux has 1/3 from four overs, and that fails to account for a couple of promising LBW appeals that have not gone her way.
This is Sophie's first ODI since October 2018, but she looks to have picked up where she left off.. #AUSvNZhttps://t.co/V2VCiaM3c4
28th over: New Zealand 84-6 (Perkins 0, Green 1) The Kiwis are going to struggle to post anything remotely competitive.
The White Ferns are being defenestrated. Kerr is the latest to go, driving the first ball of the returning Wareham straight to Mooney in the covers.
Wareham strikes again!
Live #AUSvNZ scores: https://t.co/6fAavePiu0pic.twitter.com/IR0vNkKZ3d
27th over: New Zealand 83-5 (A Kerr 7, Perkins 0) Perkins almost perishes first ball with one that bounces more than she expects, then she dots out a wicket maiden. Superb from Molineux. Australian spinners in canary yellow with the number 23 on their back go ok.
Molineux has looked the most dangerous Australian bowler so far and she now has the wicket she deserves, beating Martin in flight then watching the ball pitch, grip and clip the top of off. Perfect left-arm orthodox bowling to a right-handed batter.
Got her!! Sophie Molineux clean bowls Katey Martin for 21 and we've got NZ 5-83 in the 27th over.
LIVE: https://t.co/A4MjQxafWH#AUSvNZpic.twitter.com/y1S2IgqH0K
26th over: New Zealand 83-4 (Martin 21, A Kerr 7) Time for a change of pace with the skiddy Nicola Carey into the attack with her right-arm seamers. The switch-up suits New Zealand with Martin driving firmly down the ground for the first boundary in 11 overs.
25th over: New Zealand 75-4 (Martin 15, A Kerr 6) Molineux looks dangerous on this surface, getting the odd delivery to grip and identical-looking ones to slide on with the arm.
Ashleigh Gardner won't field for the remainder of the innings but is available to bat later in the match.#AUSvNZ
24th over: New Zealand 74-4 (Martin 14, A Kerr 6) Another tight Jonassen over, but New Zealand are beginning to show a bit more intent, even if the execution is still lacking.
23rd over: New Zealand 71-4 (Martin 12, A Kerr 5) Sophie Molineux’s turn to have a bowl, replacing Wareham’s leggies with more left-arm finger spin. And she almost gets through Kerr second ball, then appeals confidently for LBW against the sweeping Martin later in the over. Excellent start from the young Victorian.
Sophie Molineux into the attack, is playing in the second series of her ODI career.
Her figures in her first, against Pakistan in 2018, were an extraordinary 26-6-39-6.#AUSvNZ
22nd over: New Zealand 69-4 (Martin 11, A Kerr 4) It’s a similar case with Jonassen, the left-armer going for just a single in an over full of control. Australia’s bowlers have hit their groove, Lanning has set a perfect field, and New Zealand are going to have to do something inventive to wrest the momentum.
21st over: New Zealand 68-4 (Martin 11, A Kerr 3) Wareham continues into her sixth over and New Zealand continue to struggle to get her away. Martin prefers to stay legside of the ball and play with the spin, but it might be time to show more footwork and find the gaps on the on-side and disrupt the bowler’s strategy. Lanning has barely had to make a field change all morning.
20th over: New Zealand 66-4 (Martin 10, A Kerr 2) Another excellent over from Jonassen who is finding a consistent line and length but mixing up her flight cannily to keep New Zealand guessing.
19th over: New Zealand 65-4 (Martin 9, A Kerr 2) Wareham really tossing it up inviting the drive but Martin can’t connect. Then she lands an absolutely beauty that pitches on a length, bounces, turns and beats the shoulder of the bat. Just one boundary fro the last seven overs now. Australia well on top.
18th over: New Zealand 64-4 (Martin 8, A Kerr 2) Jonassen rattling through her work, targeting Martin’s middle peg from around the wicket, then spinning the ball away from the bat. She’s getting plenty of dip too, making it extremely difficult to get away.
17th over: New Zealand 63-4 (Martin 7, A Kerr 2) Another tight well-flighted Wareham over goes for a couple of singles.
Ash Gardner is currently off the field having her finger checked after this catch #AUSvNZpic.twitter.com/UKrEqNxKj9
16th over: New Zealand 61-4 (Martin 6, A Kerr 1) Good work from the TV crew to identify that Jonassen hadn’t dropped short for that wicket ball, but that Devine simply went back to the wrong delivery, making it a tougher shot to hit. Still, a batter error to pick out the fielder.
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. New Zealand are determined to gift Australia this ODI. Devine is the latest to perish from a ball that did not deserve to take a wicket. Jonassen, normally so tight, dropped a fraction short, allowing Devine to rock back and club a run-scoring shot. But like Bates before her, all she can do is pick out the safe hands of Gardner, this time at long-on.
What a breakthrough!
Devine hits it straight to Gardner and NZ are now four down.
Live #AUSvNZ scores: https://t.co/6fAavePiu0pic.twitter.com/dio3OlGmPQ
15th over: New Zealand 60-3 (Devine 11, Martin 6) Martin is fortunate to watch a thick edge land safely in the offside after mistiming a drive to Wareham that was a long way from being timed. She learns from that mistake a couple of balls later though, hanging back in her crease, feasting on a shorter ball and cutting it powerfully behind square for four.
14th over: New Zealand 54-3 (Devine 10, Martin 1) Tight over from Jonassen, getting the ball to hold up in the breeze.
13th over: New Zealand 52-3 (Devine 8, Martin 0) Australia well on top now. New Zealand are going to need something special from Sophie Devine.
More flight from Wareham in her second over as she eases into her work. Two nice-looking deliveries earn dots before a third comes out all wrong, a waist-high full toss that Bates climbs into... and picks out Gardner on the midwicket boundary. Dejection for New Zealand. That was a rank bad ball and somehow it burgled a wicket.
12th over: New Zealand 51-2 (Bates 14, Devine 8) Jess Jonassen’s left-arm orthodox from around the wicket makes it spin from both ends, and with two right-handers at the crease the ball is consistently turning away from both. Bates and Devine don’t mind that for now, rotating the strike purposefully before Bates launches Jonassen over mid-on and away to the boundary for four. That shot was indicative of the growing confidence in the pitch.
11th over: New Zealand 44-2 (Bates 8, Devine 7) Time for a look at spin on this surface with Georgia Wareham replacing Schutt. Wareham’s leggies are gripping, but it’s slow turn, and she’s a fraction short, allowing Bates time to read it off the pitch and eventually milk a single to the cover sweeper. Devine then misses out on a full bunger.
10th over: New Zealand 43-2 (Bates 7, Devine 7) Sutherland continues into the fifth over of her spell, which is a vote of confidence from Lanning. It might be one over too many though with another legside wide and some variable lines and lengths allowing New Zealand to amass eight runs from the over. Four of those arrived with one of the shots of the morning, a crisply struck cover drive from Devine that raced along the Allan Border Field turf.
9th over: New Zealand 35-2 (Bates 6, Devine 3) More trademark accurate Schutt inswing denying New Zealand room to open their shoulders. Both batters continue to look for runs in the manner of the previous over, but Schutt is so difficult to line up, and correspondingly so easy for a captain to set a field for. The Aussie quick has 1/7 from five overs.
8th over: New Zealand 33-2 (Bates 5, Devine 2) Some tip and run from Bates and Devine keeps the scoreboard moving, helped further by another couple of legside wides from Sutherland. Good intent from New Zealand.
7th over: New Zealand 27-2 (Bates 3, Devine 0) Pressure really on New Zealand now with two such quality batters back in the sheds early. Schutt continues to give little away, keeping Bates and Devine honest.
The Perry-Sutherland comparisons are only going to grow, aren’t they?
Youngest player to take a wicket on ODI debut for Australia women:
16y 261d Ellyse Perry, 2007
17y 41d Holly Ferling, 2013
18y 112d Lauren Cheatle, 2017
18y 357d Annabel Sutherland, today
18y 358d Sharon Tredrea, 1973#AUSvNZhttps://t.co/Cz9CBywrxM
6th over: New Zealand 24-2 (Bates 0)
Sutherland is trusted with another over, and the line and length is much better this time around to the left-handed Satterthwaite, drawing a couple of false strokes outside off and almost drawing an LBW shout with a yorker that just shapes back in. And with the final ball of the over she jags a wicket! Satterthwaite beaten for pace trying to drive outside off stump and all she can do is send a healthy edge flying high to the safe hands of Lanning at fly slip.
Get around her! Annabel Sutherland picks up her first ODI wicket #AUSvNZpic.twitter.com/uSVLpEhDFi
5th over: New Zealand 24-1 (Bates 0, Satterthwaite 1) On length, that was there to be punished by Dodd, but Schutt had rolled her fingers over the ball and it held up a fraction in the pitch, making the pull shot difficult to time - which is exactly what eventuated. Satterthwaite is in now, the first left-hander of the innings, and she’s off the mark early with a nice push down the ground for one.
Dodd was moving along nicely, until she slapped a short ball from Schutt straight to Gardner at midwicket. That is a gift for Australia.
Gone! Megan Schutt with the first breakthrough, handy catch from Ash Gardner!
LIVE: https://t.co/A4MjQxafWH#AUSvNZpic.twitter.com/Q20DYXuUps
4th over: New Zealand 23-0 (Dodd 19, Bates 0) The first boundary of the day goes to Dodd who swivels and pulls Sutherland powerfully through midwicket, super timing, and that goes all the way for six! Considering the pace of the bowler and the juice in the surface, that was an imposing shot. A second boundary arrives a few balls later, but this was very different, slashing a length delivery through the vacant second slip region and beyond the dive of first slip Lanning.
Not the best over from the youngster Sutherland. Three legside wides and variable length, but I guess that lack of consistency is to be expected. Dodd is moving along nicely.
The first six of the day comes off the bat of Nat Dodd! #AUSvNZpic.twitter.com/SfKYbEVsbc
3rd over: New Zealand 9-0 (Dodd 8, Bates 0) More of the same from Schutt, line and length inswing to the right-handed Dodd. The New Zealander likes to stay legside of the ball, which is minimising her scoring opportunities. She eventually rotates the strike after eight dots with Bates then failing to cash in on some rare length and width.
2nd over: New Zealand 8-0 (Dodd 7, Bates 0) Annabel Sutherland shares the new ball on debut, and she begins with a beauty, finding some bounce from a length that forces Bates to flinch and deflect the ball towards Lanning at slip off her forearm. Sutherland, daughter of former Cricket Australia CEO James, is only 18, and she looks a superb talent. After a leg-bye rotates the strike Sutherland is too quick for Dodd but the attempted yorker is just inside-edged past leg stump and away for four. Sutherland follows up with some width that Dodd cuts away for a couple, it could have been a couple more but for some superb fielding on the rope by Gardner.
Natalie Dodd returns to international cricket for the first time since 2018.
Dodd has nine List A career centuries, and has scored 1,037 runs at 74 over the last two seasons of domestic List A cricket.#AUSvNZ
1st over: New Zealand 0-0 (Dodd 0, Bates 0) Megan Schutt takes the new ball for Australia and she opens with a probing maiden. There’s one slip in place for the speedster as she lands every delivery on a good length, targeting the top of the right-handed Dodd’s off stump with some hooping inswingers.
A maiden to start for Shooter #AUSvNZ
In other Australian cricket news, one of the giants of the modern game, Belinda Clark, has announced she is to step back from direct involvement with the governing body. Megan Maurice has written about Clark’s status in the Australian game.
Clark has long been a tireless advocate for women’s cricket, taking on the role of chief executive of women’s cricket Australia while still captaining the national team and seeing the women’s game through the merger with the Australian Cricket Board in 2003.
Related: 'When she speaks, you listen': Cricket Australia prepares to lose Belinda Clark | Megan Maurice
In perfect *chef’skiss.gif* Australian fashion, the cricket is not yet on the host broadcaster, Channel Seven. What’s currently on air instead of some kind of preview you ask? Blokesworld. I kid you not.
Plenty of class and experience in the White Ferns XI, especially at the top of the order where Suzie Bates and Sophie Devine will be expected to shoulder the burden of making runs.
NZ XI: Suzie Bates, Natalie Dodd, Amy Satterthwaite, Sophie Devine (c), Katey Martin (wk), Amelia Kerr, Katie Perkins, Maddy Green, Hayley Jensen, Rosemary Mair, Lea Tahuhu
Annabel Sutherland is the name to pick out from Australia’s imposing XI with the allrounder benefitting from Ellyse Perry’s absence to make her ODI debut.
Nearly time for the first ODI! Meg Lanning won the toss (!) and we'll be having a bowl first.
Annabel Sutherland making her debut! #AUSvNZpic.twitter.com/5QWYvqhUzb
The pitch looks very fresh (it is only early October after all, and footy is still being played down the road). Bowling first seems the logical option.
Otherwise it’s dry in Brisbane with temperatures in the mid-20s kept in check by an easterly breeze.
Time for the ODI series! @Holly_Ferling has the pitch report from Allan Border Field #AUSvNZpic.twitter.com/ce407eU0RW
Unsurprisingly, considering how juicy the pitch looks right now, Meg Lanning has invited New Zealand to bat first.
@JPHowcroft@collinsadam morning gents from UK, Aussie girls are fabulous in all formats think the White Ferns may get a real hiding, catch up on score & obo after a sleep. G’day.
Thanks Stuie. The data is overwhelmingly in support of your assessment. Let’s hope you have a fun scorecard and OBO to wake up to.
Australia women in ODIs since the start of 2018:
Played 18, won 18
Australia women bilateral ODI series results since the start of 2014:
Played 16, won 16
Australia women in ODIs at Allan Border Field:
Played 12, won 12#AUSvNZhttps://t.co/oIhXLLj6mL
Geoff Lemon has cast his expert eye over the series and he foresees only one outcome, history.
In this year’s teams, Australia have more bowling variety and batting that goes all the way down. New Zealand have a few players picked to fill gaps rather than on the basis of strong claims. The batting revolves around three players, at least one of whom has to come off.
Related: Australia's women continue relentless pursuit of ODI winning streak record | Geoff Lemon
Good morning everybody and welcome to live coverage of the first ODI in the three-match series between Australia and New Zealand. Play will be underway from Allan Border Field in Brisbane at 10.10am (AEDT).
For Australia, this is a series with history on the line. Sweep the three matches and Meg Lanning’s outfit will extend their unbeaten run in the format to 21, drawing them level with their male counterparts from 2003.
ODI head to head:
AUS 93-31 NZ
In AUS since 2010:
AUS 14-1 NZ
Recent ODI form:
Australia WWWWWW (plus another 12 Ws before that)
New Zealand LLLLLL
AUS women's last bilateral ODI series defeat was during the 2013 Ashes. That is the only such loss since 2010.#AUSvNZ
Related: Ellyse Perry to sit out rest of New Zealand series after latest injury blow
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