The Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars have taken an unassailable lead in the T20 INTL series against the New Zealand White Ferns with a seven-run victory in Game 3 at North Sydney Oval on Sunday.
After winning the toss and electing to bat the hosts made a competitive 8-134, with Alex Blackwell (41 off 43) and Leah Poulton (35 off 30) the main contributors.
The White Ferns made a disastrous start to their pursuit and never really recovered after losing skipper Suzie Bates (one), Frances Mackay (13) and Sara McGlashan (six) to slump to 3-28.
Amy Satterthwaite (45 off 40) and Liz Perry (24 off 23) produced a steadying partnership to give the visitors an outside chance of victory before Lisa Sthalekar (4-18) imposed herself on the contest.
The wily off-spinner had Perry well caught in the deep by Meg Lanning before removing the dangerous Katie Perkins (two) and Kate Broadmore (zero) with consecutive deliveries to all but secure victory.
Any chance of a Kiwi win evaporated when Satterthwaite was brilliantly run-out by Julie Hunter before Sthalekar capped a brilliant performance by running out Lucy Doolan for a duck.
Norna Nielsen (22 off 12) and Katey Martin (10 off 13) produced a valuable 32-run stand at the death to help the visitors to 8-127, but it wasn't enough to avoid a 3-0 deficit in the best of five series.
Southern Stars captain Jodie Fields said after wrapping up the series: "I'm pretty happy with the performance today, I still think we've got some improvements to make with our batting but I'm really happy with the 3-0 series win."
"The confidence is high but we're not content with 3-0, we really want to keep winning each game and playing well in each game."
"We're aiming for a bit of a whitewash in the series so we won't be happy unless we can do that."
Earlier, Meg Lanning got the Southern Stars' innings off to a flying start with a massive six off Sian Ruck (0-33).
But the dangerous opener's stay ended when she was trapped lbw by Kate Broadmore (2-22) for 10 in the third over.
Game 1 star Jess Cameron got off the mark with a boundary first ball but her aggression quickly brought her undone when she picked out Frances Mackay at cover off Morna Nielsen (1-23) to depart for just four.
Poulton set a solid platform at the top of the order, smashing four fours and a six before she was caught on the boundary by Ruck off Lucy Doolan (2-25).
Sthalekar (8 off 11) fell in identical fashion off Doolan's next over, while the dangerous Sarah Coyte (11 off 11) was also caught attempting to clear the rope off Broadmore's bowling late in the innings.
Blackwell was the rock in the hosts' innings before she was bowled attempting to reverse-sweep Mackay (3-18) in the 18th over.
The vice-captain showed her experience throughout a patient knock, batting within herself to guide the Southern Stars to a competitive total.
Fields and Erin Osborne fell from consecutive balls in the final over but Mackay was denied her hat-trick by Jess Jonassen (14 off 8).
