Aussies continue Rose Bowl domination with big final ODI win

Ashleigh Gardner's career-best innings has paved the way to an emphatic 75-run victory over New Zealand in the third and final Rose Bowl ODI in Wellington.

Gardner continued her return to form with the bat, as her 74 from 62 balls helped Australia to 290 all out after they opted to bat first at the Basin Reserve.

Needing to pull off the second highest run chase in women's one-day history, Suzie Bates led the charge for the hosts with a 59-ball 53, but a disciplined bowling and fielding display led by Alana King (3-34) and Annabel Sutherland (3-39) saw New Zealand bowled out for 215 in 43.3 overs.

Australia head home with the Rose Bowl in tow after completing a 2-0 series win, while they will also be crowned ICC Women's ODI Championship winners for a third consecutive cycle, now holding an unassailable lead over second-ranked India.

New Zealand meanwhile are in serious danger of missing automatic qualification for next year's ODI World Cup, and will be relying on results from next month's series between West Indies and Bangladesh if they want to avoid going to the qualifying tournament. 

Gardner had been lean on runs through the recent WBBL, but was in ominous form as she struck her second half-century in three innings on a sunny Wellington day.

Only the deadly wrong'un of Amelia Kerr (4-54) prevented Gardner from a maiden ODI hundred, the same weapon that also accounted for Alyssa Healy (39) and Ellyse Perry (14).

Gardner's assured innings, which included nine fours and one six, steered Australia out of mid-innings wobble of 4-39 that had left them 4-127 after 22 overs.

She shared a steadying 63-run fifth-wicket stand with the in-form Sutherland, who also looked on song as she raced to 42 from 43 balls before she was denied another milestone when she hit a return catch to Sophie Devine.

Gardner then kept the scorecard ticking over while Tahlia McGrath laboured her way to 10 from 33 deliveries, consistently troubled by Devine before becoming the White Ferns skipper's second victim.

She then escalated through the 43rd and 44th over as she pulled Molly Penfold for six, then helped take 21 from a Rosemary Mair over.

Australia looked on track for a total well above 300 until Gardner was bowled by Kerr in the 45th over, and the tail added 16 runs before Kim Garth became the final wicket to fall from the final ball of the 49th over. 

Earlier, Phoebe Litchfield's 50 from 59 deliveries helped lay the foundation for Australia, as she shared an 88-run opening stand with Healy.

The Australian captain again showed positive signs in her second innings back from a knee injury, finding the boundary four times in a 44-ball 39.

A classic Kerr wrong'un evaded the bat of Perry, who perished for 14, while Beth Mooney was tamely caught on short mid-wicket for two off the bowling of Mair. 

Pulling off the second-highest run chase in women's ODI history was always going to be a serious challenge for the White Ferns, but New Zealand opener Bella James (24 off 29) was full of intent in her second ODI innings, hitting four boundaries before she was bowled by Sutherland.

Bates was enjoying the excellent batting conditions, bringing up a fine half-century, but after she was brilliantly caught by Perry in the deep to hand Sutherland a second, the wheels started to come off for the hosts.

Kerr had to depart on 22 after she was called through for an ill-advised single by Devine, who had hit the ball directly to Litchfield at cover but took off nonetheless, and sharp work from Mooney behind the stumps saw Kerr caught well short. 

Devine steadied with a 42-run fourth-wicket stand with Brooke Halliday but Australia's disciplined bowling display ensured the required run rate continued to steadily rise.

When she was bowled by Darcie Brown on 25, any realistic hopes New Zealand had of pulling off a miracle rapidly evaporated, despite a defiant 40-run stand between Halliday and Maddy Green.

New Zealand's last six wickets fell for 26 runs, as Australia extended their ODI winning streak over their trans-Tasman rivals to 15, a run that stretches back to March 2017.

Australia will fly home early on Christmas eve for a well-deserved break ahead of the multi-format women's Ashes starting January 12 in Sydney.

Commbank tour of New Zealand

Australia squad: Alyssa Healy (c), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Heather Graham, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham

New Zealand squad: Sophie Devine (c), Suzie Bates, Eden Carson, Lauren Down, Izzy Gaze, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Bella James, Fran Jonas, Jess Kerr, Melie Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Molly Penfold

First ODI: Abandoned without a ball bowled

Second ODI: Australia won by 65 runs (DLS method)

Third ODI: December 23: Basin Reserve, Wellington, 9am AEDT

The rivalry resumes with a blockbuster series in Australia from Jan 12 - Feb 2. Learn about the remarkable 90-year history at the Women's Ashes Hub