Australia launched its defence of the World Cup title with a commanding 89-run victory against New Zealand in a high-stakes match on Wednesday. The depth and quality of the Australian team was still stunning. They recovered from early losses and scored an impressive 326 all out in 49.3 overs. New Zealand found no answer in response, only scoring 237 runs before their innings terminated in the 43.2 overs mark.
Australia’s historic Melbourne Cricket Ground created an electrifying atmosphere for a dramatic Final match. Led by Captain Alyssa Healy, the Australian team dominated to demonstrate once again their incredible perseverance and talent. Among those players was Ash Gardner as the star performer, making a stunning lower-order century. When it looked like all hope was lost at 128-5, our team knew this would be the most critical junction. Gardner responded with a brutal knock of 115 in only 83 deliveries to lead the squad to an imposing total.
Australia’s batting depth was on full display, with Gardner’s efforts complemented by contributions from other players. If you thought this year’s Ashes squad was strong, look at how many stars the ODI squad has leaving out Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham, Heather Graham and Megan Schutt. Early wickets soon had Australia on the ropes.
New Zealand had a tough slog from the outset. Sophie Devine, who walked in with the score at 0-2, played heroically, ultimately making a century of her own. But try as she might, her energy and commitment weren’t enough to carry the day for her pro-side to victory {…}
Over the course of the game, Australia’s bowlers simply had far more discipline, accuracy and ruthlessness than their counterparts. Australian bowler Annabel Sutherland shone the brightest, only giving away 25 runs in her first eight-over spell. She put on a demonstration of her amazing bowling prowess to remove Sophie Devine, Jess Kerr and Eden Carson with three balls in a row. What an unbelievable over. It also completed a phenomenal triple-wicket maiden over!
Alana King then made a significant impact, taking important middle-order wickets to spark a dramatic collapse. She removed Melie Kerr and Brooke Halliday, which completely broke New Zealand’s grip on the game. With the clock ticking, Molineux put the game to bed, getting Bree Illing trapped in the back.
Post-match, Alyssa Healy described the game as “relieving”, noting it was nervy at moments but her team were happy to get the result on the board.
“It felt tighter at times than I would have liked!” – Alyssa Healy
Here’s what New Zealand captain Sophie Devine had to say about the match and the difficulties in countering the opposition. Her focus has always been on the greater good of the team, even if that meant losing.
“It is bittersweet. I would throw it all away to make sure this team won.” – Sophie Devine
Leave a Reply