ODI Introduction
Sutherland led Australia to a commanding 291 for 7, becoming the first batter from No. 5 to score consecutive ODI hundreds.
Australia defeated New Zealand 122 for 5 (Kerr 38, James 27, Garth 2-17), by 65 runs, via DLS, with 291 for 7 (Sutherland 105*, McGrath 34, Penfold 4-42, Carson 2-65).
Australia overcame New Zealand in a rain-affected second ODI at the Basin Reserve, with captain Alyssa Healy making a triumphant comeback before Annabel Sutherland hit her second consecutive century.
Sutherland helped Australia recover from a mid-innings sway in seaming conditions to end undefeated at 105 off 81 balls, following Thursday’s opening match of the three-match series being washed out on the same pitch. At the top of the order, Healy, a specialist batsman, smashed a clean 34 off 32, while Beth Mooney donned the gloves for New Zealand’s innings.
Sutherland became the first batter to knock consecutive ODI hundreds from No. 5, and she made the difficult batting circumstances seem easy as she led Australia to an overwhelming 291 for 7, fresh off a dominant 110 in the series-finale against India at the WACA.
To become the second-highest run chase in ODI cricket, New Zealand had a difficult task ahead of them. Seamer Megan Schutt was pulled for six into the terraces by debutant Bella James, who got off to a quick start and displayed her power hitting.
However, in the sixth over, opening partner Suzie Bates, who had previously given James her hat, was dismissed by fast-moving Kim Garth after she edged to Ashleigh Gardner in the gully. Replays supported the first soft ruling, despite questions about whether Gardner had put her fingers under a ball that was dipping low to the ground.
New Zealand was at 122 for 5, considerably short of the par score, when the bad weather finally arrived in the 31st over, much later than the 20-over minimum needed for a result. Australia defeated their neighbours in ODIs for the fourteenth time in a row before play was abruptly stopped.
It follows Australia’s 3-0 ODI series thumping at home against India and extends their winning streak since their T20 World Cup setback.
New Zealand was disappointed by ragged fielding and failed to capitalise on the ideal circumstances when Devine chose to bowl under cloudy skies. James, who is regarded as having a safe pair of hands, dropped three receptions after a difficult field debut.
Substitute fielder Jess Kerr’s failure to make a difficult catch low to her left at mid-off against Sutherland on 26 proved to be the most costly, though. When Sutherland was on 67, quick-thinking Molly Penfold missed a return catch, preventing her from taking her first five wickets. She did, however, put on a strong show, finishing with a career-best ODI score of 4 for 46.
Although Devine was a clever tactician, Sutherland made them pay in the end because her bowlers, aside from Penfold, were unable to generate enough pressure.
With their uneasy sixth-place ranking in the Women’s Championship standings, New Zealand’s chances of earning a straight spot in the 2025 World Cup have been dashed.
Healy, who made her international comeback as a specialist batter after rupturing her plantar fascia against Pakistan at the T20 World Cup, was the centre of attention at the beginning of the match. After suffering a knee injury early in the WBBL season, she went on to miss the India series.
Healy and Phoebe Litchfield returned to the top of the order, unfortunately forcing opener Georgia Voll, 21, to make way after she famously scored a century in her international debut series.
Determined to make up for lost time, Healy, who has been working hard in the nets lately, hammered a second ball boundary off Rosemary Mair, who did not pitch the ball up consistently enough with the fresh ball.
After the powerplay, Penfold went back on the attack, and Litchfield and Perry struggled, changing the course of the game. Before enticing Mooney to drive, she had Perry gloving an ascending delivery, and James caught a thick outside edge at Gully.
Similar to their performance against India in Perth, Sutherland and Gardner were left to rebuild, and they once again proved resilient with a partnership of 50 runs.
A self-assured Gardner, who had bounced back from a half-century in her most recent innings, attacked the spinners with her feet until she was tricked by an offspinner Eden Carson’s looping delivery that veered sharply past the bat and struck the stumps.
James dropped Tahlia McGrath at extra cover, frustrating Penfold, who had only claimed five wickets in her previous 12 ODIs. She then took care of business by clean bowling Australia’s vice-captain for 34 in the 41st over.
However, as she sped towards her third ODI century, Sutherland took over in the closing moments and made New Zealand pay for their careless fielding. In the last over, she sealed her century off 78 balls after sending Carson for two soaring sixes down the ground.
Sutherland’s incredible ascent in international cricket continued as she appropriately ended the innings with a boundary.
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