Australia looking to continue their recent winning record against New Zealand, who have not won the Rose Bowl Trophy in more than 20 years
Aussies looking to extend two decades of dominance
Meg Lanning has no intention of becoming the first Australian captain in more than 20 years to lose a one-day series to the New Zealand White Ferns, as she prepares for her team’s first international outing in more than six months.
The CommBank limited-overs series in Brisbane will begin with three T20I matches at Allan Border Field, the first of which is on Saturday, followed by three ODIs.
Australia have not lost to New Zealand in any format since early 2017, but it’s the 50-over format where they have held the edge over their trans-Tasman rivals for two decades. The Aussies have kept the Rose Bowl trophy in their possession since winning it back in early 2000 and won 60 of 74 completed ODIs across that period.
Since winning a three-match series in February 1999, New Zealand have gone 17 ODI series against Australia without a win, with 16 defeats and a drawn campaign in 2009.
Keeping that extraordinary record intact will be priority one for Lanning’s team over the coming weeks, but New Zealand have no shortage of star power in their squad, which is captained by the world’s top-ranked T20 allrounder, Sophie Devine.
"That’s a really good record Australia have, especially considering New Zealand is a good team with good match-winners," Lanning told The Scoop podcast from Brisbane.
"I’ve heard the Kiwis are pretty keen to get the trophy back and we’re certainly very keen to keep it.
"It’s a really good rivalry, it’s changed a bit over the last few years because we know each other so well on and off the field through the WBBL.
"There’s nowhere to hide against these guys, both us and they would say we know each other’s games really well and that makes it a really competitive series and a really good challenge as well.
"They’ve got some world-class players who are match winners, led by Sophie Devine, who is extremely dangerous.
"It’s going to be a great series and we know we’re going to have to play really good cricket across the six games to get the result we want."
Australia have won five T20Is and six ODIs in a row against New Zealand since early 2017, a streak Lanning puts down to her team’s ability to deliver in the biggest moments.
Their most recent meeting during the T20 World Cup earlier this year went down to the wire with Australia claiming a four-run victory.
"I think we’ve definitely done well in the crunch moments especially over the last two years," Lanning said.
"That’s become a real strength of our group, playing well in the big moments and the big games.
"I think that’s been the difference, some (of the matches against New Zealand) have been very close and could have gone either way.
"I’m sure the games coming up will be really similar, but the fact we’ve had experience in big moments goes give us a lot of confidence to play well."
Speaking on arrival into Brisbane earlier this month, former New Zealand captain Suzie Bates spoke of her desire to help New Zealand snap their drought.
Image Id: C3415C108D894E4CA143CD4551C651D7 Image Caption: NZ's Rebecca Rolls against Australia in 2000, the last time the Kiwis held the Rose Bowl Trophy // GettyBates is her country’s most experienced player, but in more than 14 years at the highest level has yet to be part of a one-day series win against Australia.
It has not been as long between drinks in the 20-over format, with New Zealand claiming a series win on Australian soil in early 2017, and it is that result they want to replicate this time around.
"But if we think back to that World Cup where we lost to them by four runs and played some of our best cricket, if we turn up this is going to be a really competitive series," Bates said.
"We’re just really desperate to get those wins.
"We've been really close the last two years, the 50-over series in Australia and the World Cup, so it's our turn to get one up on them."
Australia and New Zealand will meet in a practice match on Thursday ahead of the first T20I on Saturday.
CommBank T20I and ODI series
Australia squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Maitlan Brown, Erin Burns, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Molly Strano, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham, Belinda Vakarewa
New Zealand squad: Sophie Devine (c), Suzie Bates, Natalie Dodd, Deanna Doughty, Lauren Down, Maddy Green, Holly Huddleston, Hayley Jenson, Amelia Kerr, Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Katey Martin, Hannah Rowe, Amy Satterthwaite, Lea Tahuhu, Jess Watkin
All matches to be played at Brisbane's Allan Border Field
September 26: First T20, 1:50pm AEST
September 27: Second T20, 1:45pm AEST
September 30: Third T20, 1:45pm AEST
October 3: First ODI, 10:10am AEST
October 5: Second ODI, 10:10am AEST (11:10 AEDT)
October 7: Third ODI, 10:10am AEST (11:10 AEDT)
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