Australia thrash White Ferns to move closer to semis spot

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Australia have made a serious statement in the T20 World Cup, thrashing New Zealand by 60 runs to move a step closer to the semi-finals.

In a dominant night with bat, ball and in the field at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Beth Mooney (40 from 32) and Ellyse Perry (30 from 24) powered their team to 8-148.

It easily set a new mark for highest total at Sharjah for the tournament to date – but the Aussies had at one stage been eyeing off a total above 170, before a fightback led by Amelia Kerr (4-26) saw them lose 6-39 through the final 6.1 overs of their innings.

But it proved to be more than enough, as a superb bowling display led by Megan Schutt (3-3 from 3.2 overs), Sophie Molineux (2-15) and Annabel Sutherland (3-21) ensured the White Ferns never truly looked like threatening the target.

A 47-run second-wicket stand between Suzie Bates (20 from 26) and Kerr (29 from 31) was the only substantial partnership of their innings, but after the former was dismissed, New Zealand lost 9-34 to be bowled out for 88 in 19.2 overs.

The win – Australia’s 13th straight in T20 World Cups, a run that goes back to their round game against Sri Lanka in 2020 - leaves them undefeated in Group A with two games remaining against Pakistan and India, while New Zealand have taken a hit to their net run rate, with games against Sri Lanka and Pakistan to come.

After Australia opted to set their trans-Tasman rivals a target, Alyssa Healy (26 from 20) was given out lbw to Fran Jonas on two, but after overturning the decision the Australian captain handed her team a handy start, hitting four boundaries in the Powerplay and becoming the second Australian woman to pass 3000 T20I runs in the process.

Australia’s Powerplay of 1-43 was the second best for the tournament at Sharjah to date behind England’s 0-47 against Bangladesh.

Mooney took time to settle before upping the pace, with her 45-run partnership with Perry laying a solid foundation of 1-69 at the 10-over mark before the former holed out in the 12th.

The arrival of Phoebe Litchfield in the middle then brought about the two most dramatic overs of the innings.

First, Eden Carson through she had the left-hander caught in the deep for one, only for the third umpire to rule the ball had slipped through Kerr’s fingers as she dove forward.

Perry then rubbed salt into the off-spinner’s wound, hitting a six – Australia’s first in five T20I innings – and a four from the remainder of the 13th over.

She then pummeled two further fours from Kerr, before the leg-spinner struck back, bowling Perry with her googly and backing up next ball to knock over Grace Harris’ stumps.

Litchfield soon followed for a run-a-ball 18 as the boundaries dried up, and when Georgia Wareham and Ashleigh Gardner followed, Australia had lost 5-22 in 4.3 overs.

Tahlia McGrath (9no from 7) finally broke the boundary drought in the 19th, and Molineux (7no from 3) found the rope first ball to see Australia to 8-148.

It was a total that proved more than enough as Australia’s bowlers put New Zealand under pressure from ball one.

Opener Georgia Plimmer could not replicate the excellent start she handed the White Ferns against India, caught off the bowling of Schutt for four in the third over.

Bates dug in alongside Kerr without being able to put consistent pressure on the Australian attack and after reaching 1-54 at the midway point of the innings, Bates was bowled playing all round a shorter-pitched Molineux delivery with the first ball after drinks.

Schutt then returned in the 12th over and got the desired result as Kerr was well caught by Sutherland running in from the deep, leaving New Zealand 3-57 needing 92 from 48.

The veteran Australian bowler could have had a second the same over when Healy missed a sharp chance off the outer edge of Devine’s bat.

But the White Ferns got deeper in the mire when Brooke Halliday reverse swept Wareham directly to Molineux at short fine leg, and Sutherland removed Maddy Green and Izzy Gaze with consecutive balls.

At 6-60 a miracle was needed but the wickets continued to tumble and Sophie Devine’s dismissal for a 15-ball seven, bowled by Molineux after an ugly hoick that missed everything, was the final nail in a disappointing night for New Zealand.

Australia next head to Dubai International Cricket Stadium to play Pakistan on Friday, October 11 (1am Saturday AEDT).

New Zealand’s next engagement is on Saturday against Sri Lanka in Sharjah (9pm AEDT).

2024 ICC Women's T20 World Cup

Australia's Group A fixtures

October 5: beat Sri Lanka by six wickets

October 8: beat New Zealand by 60 runs

October 11: v Pakistan, Dubai International Cricket Stadium, 1am Oct 12 AEDT

October 13: v India, Sharjah Cricket Stadium, 1am Oct 14 AEDT

Finals

October 17: Semi-final 1, Sharjah Cricket Stadium, 1am Oct 18 AEDT

October 18: Semi-final 2, Dubai International Cricket Stadium, 1am Oct 19 AEDT

October 20: Final, Dubai International Cricket Stadium, 1am Oct 21 AEDT

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