NZ ends losing streak
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BRISBANE: The White Ferns have snapped their 13match losing streak to Australia in a thrilling final over, with Amelia Kerr seeing them home in their third and final twenty20 in Brisbane yesterday.
Down 20 in the series, the clash was a dead rubber, but will give the New Zealanders confidence going into the threematch ODI Rose Bowl series as it was their first victory over Australia in any format since February 2017.
Amelia Kerr was the star. After being put on strike needing seven to win from five balls, she smacked Megan Schutt over midoff for four, before slapping her through the legside for another boundary to seal a fivewicket win with three balls to spare.
It was arguably closer than it should have been after the Kiwi bowlers did well to restrict Australia to 123 for seven. Kerr (two for 18 from four overs) was a standout.
Sophie Devine and Maddy Green picked up a wicket apiece as well, but could not get the White Ferns off to a fast start when opening with the bat. Devine made 25 from 22 balls before being stumped from some canny bowling from Georgia Wareham, while Green mustered just 10 from 17.
Suzie Bates made just three from eight balls, but Amy Satterthwaite (30 from 25) and Katey Martin (23 from 24) got New Zealand to needing 30 runs from 30 balls.
However, they fell in quick succession, leaving Kerr and Hayley Jensen needing 26 from 22 balls. The pair had been in this situation before, nearly seeing the White Ferns home from an improbable position against India at the Twenty20 World Cup earlier this year, and this time they went one better.
The teams resume their rivalry in the Rose Bowl, which New Zealand has not won since 1999, on Saturday. — The New Zealand Herald