All You Need To Know: Aus v NZ ODIs

The final leg of the Australian international summer begins on Friday with the start of the Commonwealth Bank Women’s ODI series between Australia and New Zealand at the WACA Ground.

With the Rose Bowl trophy – which Australia has held since 2000 – and ICC Women’s Championship points up for grabs, it looms as a must-watch series between two of the game’s fiercest rivals.

The fixtures

First ODI: WACA Ground, Perth, February 22, 10.20am AWST

Second ODI: Karen Rolton Oval, Adelaide, February 24, 10.20am ACDT

Third ODI: Junction Oval, Melbourne, March 3, 10.50am AEDT

How to buy tickets

The players have called on cricket fans across Australia to #WATCHME, so make sure you buy your tickets for what promises to be a hugely entertaining series! Tickets are just $15 for adults and kids are free (with a valid ticket).

How to Watch

Fans in Australia will be able to watch every ball live on the Seven Network and Fox Cricket, or live stream via Kayo Sports.

For those who can’t watch, you will be able to follow the live scores and radio coverage from ABC and Macquarie Sports Radio on cricket.com.au and the Cricket Australia Live App.

Cricket.com.au will also be producing highlights, reports and behind-the-scenes content throughout the series, and keep an eye on the Australian Women’s Cricket Team Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts for exclusive insights into life on tour with the Aussies.

The squads

Australia: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Nicola Carey, Lauren Cheatle, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Elyse Villani, Georgia Wareham

New Zealand: Amy Satterthwaite (c), Suzie Bates, Sophie Devine, Lauren Down, Maddy Green, Hayley Jensen, Leigh Kasperek, Amelia Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Katey Martin, Katie Perkins, Anna Peterson, Hannah Rowe, Lea Tahuhu

How's the Aussie preparation?

Australia haven’t played an ODI since last October, but they’ve got plenty of cricket under their belts. Since that 3-0 series win over Pakistan in Malaysia, they’ve won the T20 World Cup, completed a Rebel WBBL season and played the final round of the 50-over domestic Women’s National Cricket League. The squad also came together in Perth this week for three days of training ahead of Friday’s opening game.

The last time they met

Australia and New Zealand last met in a Rose Bowl ODI series in early 2017, when Meg Lanning’s team claimed a come-from-behind 2-1 win to keep the trophy in Australian hands. Losing the opening game of the series in Auckland, it took back-to-back victories at Mt Maunganui to win the series – and continue a remarkable winning streak that’s seen Australia win every Rose Bowl series since 2000. The sides also met during the World Cup in mid-2017, where a brilliant bowling display from Megan Schutt and Jess Jonassen and 71 from Ellyse Perry saw the Aussies home by five wickets in the penultimate over.

Form Guide

Australia have won their past six one-day matches, taking out whitewash wins over India and Pakistan in 2018. They also completed a 3-0 T20I series win over the White Ferns last September-October.

The White Ferns suffered an upset ODI series loss to India on home soil earlier this month, going down 2-1, but bounced back well to win the T20Is 3-0, a result that will provide them with confidence coming into this series.

Key Players

Ellyse Perry is coming off a record-breaking WBBL season that saw her score an incredible 777 runs. She’s been starved of opportunities with the bat for Australia in recent times given her lower position in the T20I batting order, so expect her to be extremely motivated to make the most of coming in at No.4 during this ODI series.

Meg Lanning averages more than 60 against New Zealand and has scored five of her 12 ODI tons against her trans-Tasman rivals, a remarkable record. She comes into the series in good form after posting five knocks above 70 in the WBBL as well as a century in the WNCL.

Lea Tahuhu is considered the world’s quickest female bowler and the New Zealand spearhead will be relishing the idea of bowling at the WACA. She’s had many battles with Lanning over the years and could be the key to removing the Australian skipper cheaply.

Sophie Devine is a force to be reckoned with, be it with bat or ball. The pace-bowling allrounder has just enjoyed her best-ever WBBL season and is no stranger to two of the three venues being used this series, having played for both Western Australia and the Adelaide Strikers.  

The ODI Championship

ICC Women’s Championship points will be on offer in the three-match ODI series. Running every four years, the Championship determines which four teams, alongside hosts New Zealand, gain automatic qualification for the 2021 World Cup.

After playing three rounds of matches (out of seven), Australia sit top of the table on 16 points, two points ahead of New Zealand, who have played four rounds.

CommBank ODIs v NZ 

Australia squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Nicola Carey, Lauren Cheatle, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Elyse Villani, Georgia Wareham

New Zealand squad: Amy Satterthwaite (c), Suzie Bates, Sophie Devine, Lauren Down, Maddy Green, Hayley Jensen, Leigh Kasperek, Amelia Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Katey Martin, Katie Perkins, Anna Peterson, Hannah Rowe, Lea Tahuhu

February 22: First ODI, WACA Ground, Perth

February 24: Second ODI, Karen Rolton Oval, Adelaide

March 3: Third ODI, Junction Oval, Melbourne