White Ferns wilt under Aussie heat
Alyssa Healy and her Australian team-mates ensured the grim summer for the White Ferns had no fairytale ending.
Opener Healy made a quickfire 46 as New Zealand went down meekly by 21 runs in the final game of their threematch ODI series in Mount Maunganui last night, despite another 3-wicket haul from offspinner Leigh Kasperek.
In a match reduced to a 25-overs-per-side contest after rain and showers throughout the afternoon, Ferns captain Amy Satterthwaite won the toss and opted to bowl under lights at Bay Oval. That didn’t pay immediate dividends as Australia put on 73 for the first wicket within 11 overs on their way to 149-7, before the hosts crumbled in pursuit to finish on 128-9.
It was the 24th consecutive ODI victory for Australia, extending their world record and meant the visitors took the Rose Bowl series 3-0, keeping hold of the silverware they’ve held since the start of the millennium.
Three wickets in an over from Kasperek did help give the hosts a shot at ending the Australian streak and the White Ferns must have sniffed an upset after putting the brakes on the visitors’ batting in the second half of their innings.
But NZ’s run chase was unfathomably hesitant, albeit against quality bowling. They managed just 15 runs in the fiveover power play and tallied only three boundaries in the first 18 overs of their pursuit.
Kasperek, who became the first NZ woman to take six wickets in an ODI against Australia on Wednesday, again showed all her wiles to slow down Australia’s charge with the bat, spearheaded by Healy.
Soon after delivering a 38kph slower ball, the Scottish-born offie took three wickets in five balls, first removing Healy before deceiving Ashleigh Gardner and Rachael Haynes through the air in successive deliveries.