Bowlers save the day, Australia extend streak to 24

A brilliant display with the ball and in the field has seen the Australia defend 149 to seal an ODI series whitewash against New Zealand and stretch their winning streak in the format to 24 matches.

In a rain-affected affair reduced to 25 overs a side, Alyssa Healy’s aggressive 46 handed Australia a strong start before a triple-wicket maiden from spinner Leigh Kasperek (3-24) swung the momentum firmly back in the hosts’ favour.

Having stuttered to 7-149 on an aged pitch hosting its third game in the space of a week, Megan Schutt (2-22) set the tone early before spinners Jess Jonassen (1-14), Ashleigh Gardner (1-26) and Georgia Wareham (2-25) capitalised on the conditions, restricting New Zealand to 9-127 and sealing a 21-run win.

Image Id: 51A103FA157B45B1A6DA849332631EFD Image Caption: Australia were too classy with the ball and in the field // Getty

It means Australia depart New Zealand with the Rose Bowl trophy, having claimed an 18th straight ODI series win, while the T20I series ended 1-1 after the decider in Auckland was washed out.

They also depart with crucial intel about the local conditions before they return in 11 months’ time for the ODI World Cup.

Needing a disciplined bowling performance to defend what appeared a below-par total, the Australian attack produced exactly that early, tying down New Zealand openers Katey Martin and Hayley Jensen, as just 15 runs were scored from the five-over Power Play.

Schutt’s first three overs went for just six runs and as the pressure built, Martin looked to attack a rare full toss from the Australian swing bowler, only to hit it straight down the throat of Ellyse Perry at long on, out for five from 14 deliveries.

Jensen scored just 13 runs from the first 28 balls she faced before her sedate knock ended when she mishit Wareham’s first ball of the match to Darcie Brown at mid-on, and Amelia Kerr was forced to depart after a disastrous mix-up with captain Amy Satterthwaite saw her run out for four.

Image Id: 6A24A4EE3F1A4589B9CD04DEB7890467 Image Caption: NZ's batters struggled to get any momentum // Getty

With the surface providing prodigious turn, Gardner reaped the rewards, removing Satterthwaite (20) with a superb delivery that caught the edge and found Meg Lanning at slip.

As the required run rate crept above 10 an over, Brooke Halliday went on the attack, hitting Wareham for six, but an attempt at repeating the effort next ball only brought about her dismissal for 15.

Late fireworks from Jess Kerr (17) and Lea Tahuhu (21no) provided some entertainment, but to no avail as the White Ferns finished 21 runs shy of their target, losing a 12th straight one-dayer to their trans-Tasman rivals.

Earlier, Jess Kerr (1-22) and Tahuhu (2-30) backed up Kasperek’s heroics to restrict Australia to 7-149.

After persistent rain in Tauranga delayed the toss by four hours, the skies finally cleared and brought with them a cap presentation, with teenage fast bowler Darcie Brown presented with Australia ODI cap No.144 by a fellow South Australian, assistant coach Shelley Nitschke.

With Satterthwaite sending Australia into bat, the shortened match triggered a change in the tourists’ batting order, as they reverted to their T20 opening pair of Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney.

They reached 0-73 from the first 10 overs thanks largely to the aggression of Healy, who found the boundary five times in the first seven overs.

The reintroduction of Tahuhu to the Kiwi attack brought about the breakthrough, with Mooney caught at point for 28.

Then for the second consecutive match, it was off-spinner Kasperek who turned the game on its head with a triple-wicket maiden.

Bowling as slowly as 38 kph on a waring Bay Oval pitch, Kasparek first had Healy caught at long on, before Gardner (1) was stumped two balls later and Rachael Haynes chopped on for a duck next ball.

Image Id: 170F22A656E440929949AE495AA4588E Image Caption: NZ appeared to have restricted Australia to a below-par total // Getty

Perry saw off the hat-trick delivery but Australia had lost 4-7 in the space of 10 deliveries, with the collapse sapping the momentum from their innings.

Perry's innings ended in bizarre circumstances when she sliced a full toss from Amelia Kerr to Kasperek at short third, with the ball deemed to have been slightly below waist height.

Lanning looked to accelerate but only managed to pick out Maddy Green on the deep square leg boundary, out for a 23-ball 15.

After seven boundaries were hit in the first seven overs, just four came from the remainder of the innings as Carey (13) and Wareham (18no) rotated the strike before Jonassen hit a boundary from the final ball of the innings.

Australia XI: Alyssa Healy (wk), Rachael Haynes, Meg Lanning (c), Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Ashleigh Gardner, Nicola Carey, Jess Jonassen, Georgia Wareham, Megan Schutt, Darcie Brown

New Zealand XI: Hayley Jensen, Lauren Down, Amy Satterthwaite (c), Amelia Kerr, Brooke Halliday, Maddy Green, Katey Martin (wk), Jess Kerr, Leigh Kasperek, Lea Tahuhu, Rosemary Mair

CommBank tour of New Zealand 2021

Australia ODI & T20I Squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Hannah Darlington, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Molly Strano, Georgia Wareham, Belinda Vakarewa, Tayla Vlaeminck

New Zealand ODI squad: Amy Satterthwaite (capt), Lauren Down, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Hayley Jensen, Leigh Kasperek, Amelia Kerr, Jess Kerr, Frances Mackay, Rosemary Mair, Katey Martin (wk), Hannah Rowe, Lea Tahuhu

1st T20: Australia won by six wickets

2nd T20: New Zealand won by four wickets

3rd T20: Play abandoned due to rain

1st ODI: Australia won by six wickets

2nd ODI: Australia won by 71 runs

3rd ODI: Australia won by 21 runs

All matches will be shown live in Australia on Fox Cricket and Kayo