Mooney, Blackwell help Stars home

The scorecard: New Zealand 8-253 (Satterthwaite 85, Wellington 3-52) lost to Australia (Blackwell 65, Mooney 57, Kerr 4-54) by four wickets in 47.2 overs at Mt Maunganui’s Bay Oval 

The match in a tweet: Stars square the series! 16yo spinner Kerr can’t do enough to halt Australia’s charge as the Southern Stars set up a thrilling #RoseBowl decider 

The hero: Australia vice-captain Alex Blackwell missed Australia’s opening ODI due to a mild hamstring strain suffered in the third T20I, but she returned with a flourish in Mt Mauganui. Coming in under pressure with Australia 3-109 to face a hat-trick ball from Amelia Kerr, Blackwell saw off a tricky period from the teenage spinner to form a series of key partnerships for Australia; putting on 29 runs with Beth Mooney, then 71 with Alyssa Healy. She brought up her 23rd one-day half-century and put the Southern Stars within 17 runs of victory when she was caught top-edging off Anna Peterson on 65 (74). 

The support cast: Beth Mooney continued her outstanding record on New Zealand soil, adding a half-century to the ton she scored in Auckland. She found the boundary four times in her 57 off 64, while skipper Meg Lanning overcame a scratchy start and looked in ominous form, scoring the sole six of Australia’s innings, before being bowled for 44 (43). When the chase was on the line, Alyssa Healy curbed her naturally aggressive instincts to share a crucial stand with Blackwell, scoring 36 off 41, her second highest score in ODIs. When Blackwell departed with 17 runs required, Jess Jonassen scored 19 off 24 to see the Southern Stars home. With the ball, Amanda-Jade Wellington continued her excellent start to her international career, picking up three wickets off her 10 overs.

The consolation effort: Australia seemed to be cruising at 1-109 in the 21st over, with Lanning looking in ominous form on 44. New Zealand captain Suzie Bates only looked to 16-year-old leg-spinner Amelia Kerr as a seventh bowling option, but she immediately turned the match on its head, bowling Lanning with a superb delivery on the fourth ball of her opening over, before repeating the dose to the in-form Elyse Villani, sneaking one around her legs a ball later. Alex Blackwell denied the teenager a hat-trick, but she didn’t have to wait long to pick up wicket No.3, bowling Mooney, to successfully swing the momentum back in New Zealand’s favour. Later, when Healy looked set to guide Australia home alongside Blackwell, Kerr struck again by having the 'keeper-bat caught and bowled. Playing in just her fifth ODI, Kerr – a high school student in Auckland – finished with figures of 4-54. She’s already building a cult following among White Ferns fans, with a large sign in the Bay Oval crowd reading, “Amelia, I’m skipping school too!”

The record bid: Amy Satterthwaite came into the second ODI having scored four consecutive one-day centuries. Satterthwaite didn’t show any of the fluency she displayed in her match-winning century in Auckland on Sunday, her first 20 runs coming off 44 deliveries. But her resilience shone through as she refused to be lured into any risky shots by the Southern Stars, the pressure greatly eased by the attacking Katey Martin at the other end. Satterthwaite’s fifty came off 85 deliveries, and while she was denied a record fifth-straight ODI ton when she holed out on 85 (117), her efforts to anchor the White Ferns’ innings in tough conditions were crucial in her team posting 8-253.

The injury: After missing Australia’s last four matches due to a hamstring injury, Ellyse Perry was finally ready to make her return on Thursday. She made an immediately impact, sending Rachel Priest’s stumps flying when the White Ferns opener was on five. Perry had taken 1-9 from four overs when she was dealt a major blow, injuring her elbow while diving in an attempt to save a boundary. She was forced from the field for treatment and didn’t return, nor did she come out to bat at her usual position at No.4. She was prepared to bat if need be, but fortunately for Australia, her services were not required.

The debutant: Ashleigh Gardner became the 134th woman to play an ODI for Australia, presented her cap by an injured Rachael Haynes. The 19-year-old allrounder came into the side at the expense of in-form leg-spinner Kristen Beams, with selectors looking for a tweaker who could turn the ball into the left-handed Satterthwaite. It was a tactic that severely curbed the Kiwi’s run rate but failed to win her a maiden wicket, Gardner taking 0-49 from her 10-over spell. Coming out to bat at No.8 with 17 runs required, Gardner struck three boundaries including the winnings runs.

The next stop: The series is now level at 1-1 with the third and final ODI to be played at the same venue on Sunday, March 5.