Ferns not walking the talk

White Ferns captain Amy Satterthwaite bemoaned a lack of accountability from her side as they tumbled to another Rose Bowl series defeat to Australia.

Australia retained the transTasman one-day international series trophy, which they have held since 1999, with a crushing 95-run win in the second match in Adelaide on Sunday.

That has left New Zealand with just pride to play for in the ‘dead rubber’ third ODI, their last match of the summer, on Sunday at Melbourne’s Junction Oval.

The White Ferns should have won the opening match in Perth on Friday, losing by five runs, and imploded with the bat in Adelaide. Their last eight wickets fell for just 59 runs, chasing 248 to win.

Another loss to Australia raises further questions about the ability of the White Ferns to deliver in important matches against quality opposition.

On Sunday, there were patches of brilliance from the White Ferns, especially with the ball, where they had Australia in a spot of bother at 183-6 in the 42nd over, before Ellyse Perry’s unbeaten 107 lifted the hosts to 247-7.

Satterthwaite said they were losing the crucial moments in games.

She was disappointed with their accountability with the bat and said some of the plans they had set for the Australian bowlers wasn’t being implemented.

‘‘Probably the most frustrating thing for me is the chats we’re having in the changing room. I don’t think we’re necessarily transferring it out into the middle,’’ she told media postmatch.

‘‘If we were doing it and getting out you could take it easier, but I think we’re probably letting them dictate terms a little bit too much and it’s paying in the wrong way in terms of us being a bit timid and getting out.’’

Opener Sophie Devine and Satterthwaite were building a promising third wicket partnership after they were in early trouble at 26-2.

When Devine (47) was dismissed lbw, one of five wickets from Australian left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen, the White Ferns crumbled with the bat, being skittled for 152 in 38 overs.

Three dropped catches earlier stung the White Ferns with Hayley Jensen gifting opener Alyssa Healy, who went on to score 46, two lives. Both chances were sitters and Jensen would have been livid at herself.

Star Australian allrounder Perry was dropped in the deep by Anna Peterson off the penultimate ball of the innings, which trickled for four to bring up her maiden ODI ton.

Perry then smashed the next ball from Jensen for six to close their 50 overs in style and send them into the innings break full of confidence.

‘‘Catches really hurt us at times,’’ Satterthwaite lamented.

‘‘We could have got them out for a lot less if we’d been able to hold onto those and kept them to a score we were happy to chase.’’

Satterthwaite believed Australia’s total was achievable on a decent batting wicket, but they lost a clump of wickets in the middle stages of their innings after she and Devine had rebuilt.

While the dream of capturing the Rose Bowl for their first time in 20 years had again faded, Satterthwaite said they were determined to finish the series strongly in Melbourne.