infonews.co.nz
INDEX
CRICKET

Australian snatch two wicket win over White Ferns

Thursday 4 March 2010, 7:43AM

By New Zealand Cricket

650 views

QUEENSTOWN

The Australian Southern Stars have clawed their way back into the Rose Bowl with a last gasp win in the third match of the series at Queenstown Events Centre.

After the White Ferns won back to back Twenty20 matches to go up two-nil the Australian’s have bounced back with a two wicket win as they chased down 228 in the first of three One-Day Internationals.

Needing 14 of the final over Australian tail-enders Erin Osborne and Julie Hunter managed ten off the first five deliveries before Hunter got a streaky inside edge off the final delivery which screamed past leg stump and raced to boundary to win the match.

A superb half century from Jess Cameron late in the innings was the key to Australia getting home after the White Ferns had them on rack at 90 for five.

There were useful contributions from opener Shelley Nitschke (51), Rachael Haynes (23) and Ellyse Perry (27) to back up the match winning 68 from Cameron.

White Ferns captain Aimee Watkins blamed some sloppy fielding for the defeat saying, “when we had them five down we let the foot off a bit. We lost concentration with a few midfields and overthrows and were too complacent.”

Amy Satterthwaite was the pick of the White Ferns bowling attack taking two for 24, including a brilliant penultimate over that went for two runs and contained the wicket of Cameron.

Earlier, the White Ferns recovered from a shaky start to amass a respectable 228 for six from their 50 overs.

After winning the toss and electing to bat the White Ferns top order crumbled with four of the first five batsmen falling for single figures scores to leave the home side reeling at 56 for four.

A resilient 74 run partnership for the sixth wicket between opener Lind and middle order batsman Devine sparked a revival with both players bringing up their highest One-Day International scores in the process.

Lind was eventually out in the 41st over for 68 off 100 deliveries leaving Devine and Nicola Browne to close out the innings.

Devine freed arms towards the end to propel the total and along with Browne managed to add 69 runs off nine and half overs.

Twenty year old Devine was unbeaten on 74 off 82 in an innings that included seven boundaries and two sixes with Browne producing a lively cameo of 26 off 24 deliveries.

Watkins was full of praise for the young all-rounder, “Sophie has had a good Twenty20 series and proved herself up the batting order at seven today. It was important innings for the team and goes to show her quality.”

Scorecard - http://scoring.blackcaps.co.nz/livescoring/match858/scorecard.aspx

Rose Bowl Series

Twenty20 Series
Fri 26 Feb – White Ferns won by 59 runs
Sun 28 Feb - White Ferns won by 17 runs

One-Day Internationals
Wed 3 Mar – Australia won by 2 wickets
Sat 6 Feb - White Ferns v Australia, Queens Park, Invercargill
Sun 7 Feb - White Ferns v Australia, Queens Park, Invercargill