The World Twenty20 hopes of Australia’s women have been hit by a six-wicket defeat against New Zealand in Nagpur.
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Traditionally, Australia’s World T20 tournaments have seen them start slow and produce their best cricket in the finals, so they will still be feeling confident with two group matches remaining.
The match was dominated by spin, Leigh Kasperek and Morna Nielsen bowling eight overs between them up front after Australia had won the toss and elected to bat on the same pitch on which the BLACKCAPS had defeated India.
Bates and her opening partner Rachel Priest gave New Zealand a rollicking start, putting on 58 for the first wicket by the eighth over.
All-rounder Ellyse Perry struck 42 from 48 balls as Australia mustered 103-8.
Skipper and star player Meg Lanning prevented a hat-trick but was run-out off the first ball she faced, before Kasperek had Erin Osbore caught behind in the fourth over. She also joined the club of 1000 runs and 50 wickets in T20Is when she trapped Perry leg before. So the plan was to start with the spinners, but Leigh bowled so well that it was stretched to eight overs of spin at the start.
New Zealand were widely tipped to be the Southern Stars’ toughest challengers at the tournament, having won a recent T20 series between the two sides.
The unsafe Australian captain Meg Lanning was run out without scoring.
“I am really proud of the way we played today but we are under no illusion that we will win the title”, the New Zealand captain said.
“Playing in World Cups you’ve got games coming thick and fast so I think everyone is very much looking forward to getting out there and playing again”.
The Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars leave the city of Nagpur with Australia one win and one loss, with a few things to work on, and a simple goal: win their last two matches and qualify for the semi-finals.
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Devine then made an impressive diving catch to dismiss Megan Schutt off spinner Amy Satterthwaite as the New Zealanders restricted Australia to their lowest Twenty20 worldwide total: 103/8. “We never expected Australia would be four for five”. “We just did not play well enough and New Zealand did”.
