Series loss for White Ferns
The White Ferns were on the right side of another controversial decision but it wasn’t enough to avert a women’s Twenty20 series defeat to Australia.
At a sold out Allan Border Field in Brisbane on Queen’s Birthday Monday, the hosts clinched the series 2-0 with a sixwicket victory, chasing down New Zealand’s sub-par 145-8 on an excellent batting pitch with seven balls to spare.
If it wasn’t for Suzie Bates’ standout knock of 77 off 52 balls it could have been embarrassing.
Still, they sensed an opportunity when they reduced Australia to 37-2 in their chase, removing Ashleigh Gardner run out when it looked as if wicketkeeper Katey Martin had botched it.
With Gardner stranded halfway down the pitch, Martin disturbed the stumps leaning forward to gather Sophie Devine’s low return on the bounce.
It looked as if Gardner would escape, as Martin didn’t gather the ball cleanly and it appeared to miss the stumps, but after watching endless replays the television umpire ruled in New Zealand’s favour.
In game one in Sydney, Devine was annoyed when given out caught when she felt the ball had hit the ground first – even though close-up replays showed the correct decision was made.
For all that the better team won, as Australia’s wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy led the chase with a polished 57 off 41 balls and Elyse Villani added the icing with an unbeaten half-century to see it home.
New Zealand now chase a face-saving win in Canberra on Friday night, with these back-to-back defeats ending their run of three successive T20 series victories over their trans-Tasman rivals.
On a dream batting pitch and fast outfield it was a familiar story.
As happened in England against the hosts, the White Ferns’ batting depth was exposed when they needed a total of 170-plus.
Bates played freely and confidently without the captaincy, which she handed over to Amy Satterthwaite pre-series after six years at the helm.
Dropped on seven, Bates punished the Australian bowling to the tune of 11 fours and two sixes. She advanced on the spinners and quicks and moved around the crease, unfurling some savage cuts and deft reverse sweeps.
Bates was removed by some Healy brilliance behind the stumps with five overs left, and New Zealand could only muster 24 more runs.