Sloppy fielding, poor batting hurts White Ferns

A limp White Ferns batting effort and three dropped catches ruined any chance of keeping the Rose Bowl women’s one-day series alive.

Australia, who have held the trophy since 1999, retained the silverware with a crushing 95-run victory in the second ODI at Adelaide’s Karen Rolton Oval yesterday.

Any hope of levelling the three-match series faded in the searing South Australian heat with the White Ferns skittled for 152 inside 37.5 overs, chasing 248. The game three ‘dead rubber’ is at Melbourne’s Junction Oval on Sunday.

The White Ferns should have won game one in Perth on Friday, losing by five runs, but for the majority of yesterday’s match were comfortably outplayed.

They were left to lament three dropped catches and some at times sloppy fielding in the deep as Australia got through to 247-7, having been sent in.

Left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen, who nabbed 4-43 in Perth, caused chaos again capturing 5-27 as New Zealand imploded with the bat after being 93-2.

Fielding spills cost the White Ferns dearly earlier in the day. Hayley Jensen was guilty of two clangers, spilling a sitter at midon when opener Alyssa Healy was on 15 in the eighth over.

She put down Healy again at deep square leg on 44, but she only notched a further two runs before being bowled by offspinner Anna Peterson while trying to sweep.

Star Australian allrounder Ellyse Perry anchored their innings perfectly, bringing up her maiden ODI ton on the penultimate ball of the innings. Peterson dropped Perry in the deep, with the ball rolling across the boundary for four to clinch her milestone.

New Zealand’s run chase started poorly with Australia nabbing the key wicket of Suzie Bates for 11, chopping on off Perry. Lauren Down was harshly given out lbw, with the ball clearly travelling down the legside, leaving the White Ferns 26-2 in the ninth over.

Sophie Devine and skipper Amy Satterthwaite, fresh off 92 in game one, were consolidating nicely, adding 67 for the third wicket.

Just as they looked to be edging back into the contest, Devine was struck in front by Jonassen for 47 with one that skidded on.

Katey Martin departed lbw two overs later off legspinner Georgia Wareham, putting Australia back in control with New Zealand in trouble at 101-4.

From there, the White Ferns disintegrated and Australia were untroubled in strolling to a comfortable win.