GG's XI down New Zealand in rain-affected clash

A triple-wicket over from rising Sydney Thunder allrounder Lucy Finn has helped the Governor-General's XI secure a soggy 19-run DLS win over New Zealand in Sydney.

The 20-over annual GG's XI game at North Sydney Oval served as the White Ferns' warm-up for their T20I series against Australia starting on Sunday, but showers on Thursday evening threatened to ruin the match for the second time in three years.

The GGs XI innings was cut short after 10 overs at 2-77, before New Zealand fell short of a difficult revised target of 105 off 60 balls, restricted to 6-85.

"It was certainly very on and off, a bit frustrating, but very glad that we ended up getting the win in the end and delivering the Governor-General (Sam Mostyn) her first win, which is always exciting," GGs XI vice-captain Charli Knott said.

"It's always a really fun and exciting game ... it's always a mixed team with new up-and-coming players coming through, which is always really exciting, you get to see who's coming through the ranks, and they all stood up today with the ball, so that was really exciting."

New Zealand skipper Amelia Kerr won the toss and unsurprisingly opted to chase, and GGs XI opener Knott gave the hosts a solid start, hitting six boundaries in her 20-ball 31 because she was bowled by leggie Kerr.

Anika Learoyd was looking ominous on 29no from 21 deliveries when the heavens opened, forcing the players from the field with the GGs XI 2-77 after 10 overs.

When play resumed, the White Ferns were set a tricky target of 105 from 10 overs and a tidy start from quicks Tayla Vlaeminck, Lucy Hamilton and Chloe Ainsworth - who removed opener Flora Devonshire - had the Kiwis under early pressure before a further rain delay 4.3 overs into the chase.

Spinner Hasrat Gill got the key wicket of NZ captain Kerr (6) upon resumption, and an already difficult position became near-impossible when Finn (3-5) had Georgia Plimmer caught in the deep then bowled Izzy Sharp and Jess Kerr in the space of one over.

Ainsworth chipped in removing Polly Inglis - who played a delightful scoop before she was bowled for four - leaving New Zealand 6-37 in the eighth over.

A late flurry from Bella James (31no from 13) backed up by veteran Maddy Green (15no from 9) boosted the New Zealand total, but they finished 19 runs shy of their target.

"It was nice to be able to get some cricket in, considering the weather around," Kerr told cricket.com.au following the match. "I thought how we started with the ball, I thought we bowled really well and missed a little bit full at times, but I thought our energy and effort in the field was brilliant.

"Then the Duckworth-Lewis came in and we had to go pretty hard, lost some wickets, but I thought Bella and Maddy at the end there were also outstanding.

"We've come off not much cricket as of late, so to just be out there on the field in terms of the movement, even for me getting to captain around bowling combinations and different things like that, getting to bat in the middle, just the intensity is different, so it was such good practice for us heading into Sunday's match."

The Governor-General's XI had fielded a crop of Australia's best young quicks, with Hamilton (0-29) making her return from a quad injury before joining the T20I squad ahead of Sunday's series opener.

It was a tough return for the 20-year-old, who went for 22 runs from her second over, which included four no balls and a wide. Vlaeminck (0-25) meanwhile bore the brunt of James' late hitting, going for 20 off her second over.

New Zealand will now turn their attention to Sunday's opening T20I, where they are set to face a full-strength Australia side with Sophie Molineux expected to return from a hip injury alongside Hamilton.

NRMA Insurance Women's T20 Series v New Zealand

First T20I: Sunday, October 18

Second T20I: Tuesday, October 20

Third T20I: Thursday, October 22

* All matches played at North Sydney Oval starting at 7:15pm AEDT

Australia T20I squad: Sophie Molineux (c), Ashleigh Gardner (vc), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Nicola Carey, Kim Garth, Lucy Hamilton, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham 

New Zealand T20I squad: Melie Kerr (c), Eden Carson, Flora Devonshire, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Bree Illing, Polly Inglis (wk), Bella James, Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Nensi Patel, Molly Penfold, Georgia Plimmer, Hannah Rowe, Izzy Sharp

All women's international matches will be shown live on Seven, 7Plus, Kayo Sports and Foxtel