That concludes the Guardian’s live coverage of the second T20 international between Australia and New Zealand. The third and final match of this series will be played at Wellington Regional Oval on Wednesday starting at 2.45pm local/12.45pm AEDT.
Until then, thanks for your company and enjoy your Sunday night!
Australia have continued their dominance of New Zealand with a thumping 82-run win in Tauranga to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match Twenty20 series.
After destroying the world champion White Ferns by eight wickets on Friday in Auckland, Australia picked up where they left off in the New Zealand capital.
Star opener Beth Mooney fired again to propel Australia to a whopping 3-204, smashing 70 from 42 balls, backing her a splendid unbeaten 75 two days ago in a player-of-the-match performance in her 200th international.
To win, New Zealand would have needed to pull off the second-biggest successful run chase in women’s T20 history. But their innings never got going, losing captain Suzie Bates in the second over as they slumped to 4-45.
After hitting an unbeaten 23 to help Australia power past 200, Annabel Sutherland also produced with the ball, knocking over opener Georgia Plimmer, as well as star veteran Sophie Devine for a first-ball duck.
She was only used for 2.1 overs, but Sutherland finished with career-best figures of 4-8 in an outstanding all-round performance from the reigning Belinda Clark Award winner.
Star allrounder Amelia Kerr was a lone hand for New Zealand with the bat, hitting 40 before falling to star Australia legspinner Alana King (3-27), who was left out of the team for the first T20, despite being player of the series in the Ashes whitewash this year.
Mooney, the fill-in wicketkeeper as Alyssa Healy recovers at home, combined for a 57-run opening stand with Georgia Voll (36) to again stun the White Ferns with an early onslaught. Kerr (1-27) was the pick of New Zealand’s bowlers, but the hosts have only managed five wickets across the first two games of the series.
- Australian Associated Press
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Here’s Player of the Match, Australia’s veteran wicketkeeper-batter, Beth Mooney:
Nice to contribute and hit a few out of the middle. I am getting on in age, so need to find different ways to get better. Have good people around me to help me do that. Bellsy (Sutherland) had an outstanding game too, wouldn’t be unhappy if she was standing here (winning this award). At the moment (I’m) making a conscious effort to hit the ball with more conviction early. Hopefully that keeps happening. (Georgia) Voll is absolutely flying at the other end, and when she does that, I don’t want her to get too ahead of me (smiles). Been a lot of fun. We have a production line of young players coming through so you can’t take it too easy as a senior player! That has been the beauty of this culture and the domestic tournaments we have back home. Love to see the energy and the enthusiasm from the young players.
Ms. Consistent worked her magic again and the Aussies post a massive 3-204 from their 20 overs 🔥
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) March 23, 2025
Live scores: https://t.co/6EWKorPfdd#NZvAUS pic.twitter.com/515eRnpLfD
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Australia defeat New Zealand by 82 runs to win second T20I
What a comprehensive win by Australia over the T20 world champions!
They have sent records tumbling with. dominant display with bat and ball. In addition to Annabel Sutherland taking 4-8 from 2.1 overs (the best-bowling figures ever for an Australian in WT20Is in New Zealand), Ellyse Perry has broken Meg Lanning’s record for most catches (46) in women’s T20 internationals.
Best of all, Australia has finally won a WT20I series in New Zealand!
Sutherland was a star with bat and ball, clubbing 23 not out before following up with four quickfire wickets. Alana King, stepping in fro the injured Ash Gardner, lent crucial support with 3-27 from four overs. Darcie Brown chimed in with 2-23.
But the Player of the Match was Beth Mooney whose 70 from 42 with 11 fours at the top of the order put the Australian jackboot on the Kiwi jugular from the get-go. While Mooney calmly piloted Australia to a record total of 204, Georgia Voll (36), Phoebe Litchfield (32) and Ellyse Perry (29) contributed pyrotechnics at the other end.
For New Zealand, the returns were meek and the successes sporadic and hollow. They took just three Australian wickets and only Amelia Kerr (40) and Maddy Green (22) got going with the bat. Their last five wickets fell feebly for just 13 runs in just three overs – a humbling collapse for the reigning world champions in this format.
Series secured 🔒
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) March 23, 2025
A mammoth win in Mount Maunganui for Australia to go 2-0 up against New Zealand #NZvAUS pic.twitter.com/iq26rZgPDF
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WICKET! Carson b Sutherland 4 (New Zealand 122-10)
Sutherland sends Eden Carson’s stumps flying! That’s the game and the series. Australia have won their first T20 series in new Zealand and Annabel Sutherland has four wickets and the best-bowling figures ever for an Australian in WT20Is in New Zealand!
Annabel Sutherland's all-round excellence helped Australia seal a 2-0 series win over New Zealand ⚡#NZvAUS 📝: https://t.co/N9UpMDBimg pic.twitter.com/7pH0a7GUdZ
— ICC (@ICC) March 23, 2025
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16th over: New Zealand 122-9 (Carson 4, Mair 3) What a dervish of wickets that was by Australia. New Zealand’s fresh – and final – batters are Rosemary Mair and Eden Carson and they survive this Alana King over as the target inflates to 83 run from 24 balls.
WICKET! Tahuhu c Sutherland b Brown 3 (New Zealand 116-9)
And another one gone! This time it’s Lea Tahuhu lobbing one down the gullet of Annabel Sutherland. New Zealand are dropping like flies out there. That’s two wickets in four balls for Darcie Brown after a double-wicket over from Alana King. This innings has gone deep south in rapid-fire fashion.
WICKET! Inglis c Voll b Brown 3 (New Zealand 115-8)
The dominoes continue to fall at Bay Oval! This time it’s Polly Inglis attempting a tricksy reverse ramp and edging Darcie Brown to Georgia Voll in the gully. New Zealand lose an eighth wicket and surely they are cooked now.
WICKET! A.Kerr c Perry b King 40 (New Zealand 112-7)
Alana King strikes again! This time it’s the other Kerr sister, Amelia, slog sweeping a ball drifting wider of the crease and losing control. Perry makes no mistake on the deep mid wicket fence and New Zealand’s big hope holes out for a fighting 40.
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WICKET! J.Kerr c Sutherland b King 14 (New Zealand 109-6)
Great catch Annabel Sutherland! Alana King tossed it up and Jess Kerr swung it hard down the ground. Sutherland had to go back and across and she did well, showing off those AFL skills to take a superb grab above her head and a metre inside the rope. Big wicket Australia!
13th over: New Zealand 106-5 (A.Kerr 37, J.Kerr 14) New batting pair Amelia and Jess Kerr have a brilliant bloodline. Mother Jo and father Robbie both represented Wellington at domestic level and their grandfather, Bruce Murray played Test cricket for New Zealand. Cousin Cilla Duncan also played international soccer for New Zealand’s Football Ferns.
The Kerr sisters are doing their families and nation proud today. Jess Kerr starts the 13th over by clubbing three fours in a row from the bowling of Kim Garth! A single swaps the strike but Amelia Kerr emulates her big sister’s action and thrashes Garth to the rope. Good over for the Kiwis – 18 runs from it.
New Zealand need 99 runs from 42 deliveries. Have they got a sniff?
The Kerr sisters cash in on the 13th over! Follow LIVE and free in NZ on TVNZ 1 & TVNZ +📺 and @SportNationNZ 📻 Live scoring | https://t.co/uutTHOLhtC #NZvAUS #CricketNation pic.twitter.com/poYWsOaJrb
— WHITE FERNS (@WHITE_FERNS) March 23, 2025
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WICKET! Green lbw Wareham 22 (New Zealand 87-5)
Wareham traps Green! Big wicket for Australia as they turn the screws on the home side. This will bring Jess Kerr to the crease to bat with her sister Amelia.
12th over: New Zealand 80-4 (Kerr 31, Green 17) With these two Kiwi batters now established, Australia call back their offspinner Georgia Wareham for a second over. Wareham starts with a marginal wide before Kerr taps a single. Now Green goes the whole hog, whacking it over midoff for FOUR. Huge appeal now as Green attempts a reverse slog sweep and is caught lowdown in front of the pegs. Onfield decision is OUT but New Zealand review. This could be trouble for the home side…
11th over: New Zealand 80-4 (Kerr 31, Green 17) Great shot Maddy Green! Australian quick Darcie Brown hurled it in at pace and Green stepped down and swung sweetly down the ground. Now she goes again, sending a slightly over-pitched delivery down the ground at grass height. Brown throws in a bouncer by way of riposte. Now a slower ball. Two dots and a single settles things for Australia.
10th over: New Zealand 75-4 (Kerr 31, Green 8) Australia’s captain Tahlia McGrath is going to roll the arm over… and straight away we have a shout for caught behind. Big appeal from the bowler but precious little from anyone else. Onfield decision is NOT OUT. But what’s the point of being skipper if you can’t throw one up for review? McGrath does so but replays back up the original decision. Amelia Kerr clubs the next couple but tight fielding turns boundaries into singles. Finally the Wellington wonderkid – the youngest female cricketer to score a double century in ODIs – gets the length she wants and wallops it square for a much-needed FOUR.
That’s halfway. New Zealand need 134 runs in 60 balls.
Grinding away. Melie Kerr with a boundary to finish the 10th over. Kerr (31*) and Green (8*) are at the crease. Follow LIVE and free in NZ on TVNZ 1 & TVNZ +📺 and @SportNationNZ 📻 Live scoring | https://t.co/uutTHOLhtC #NZvAUS #CricketNation pic.twitter.com/i8Yi2FiRoH
— WHITE FERNS (@WHITE_FERNS) March 23, 2025
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9th over: New Zealand 63-4 (Kerr 25, Green 6) Here comes Alana King for another over. She struck with the second ball of her opening over. Can she do it again? Not immediately, anyway. Instead Kerr lofts her for a couple of runs… and then gets another deuce, this time much dicier as the miscued shot almost finds the sticky mitts of Ellyse Perry in the outfield. Six from the over but New Zealand’s run-rate is just 7.11.
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8th over: New Zealand 57-4 (Kerr 20, Green 5) Australia have thrown Georgia Wareham the ball. Kerr and Green exchange strike with four singles and a deuce to keep things ticking over. New Zealand now need 147 runs from 72 deliveries.
7th over: New Zealand 50-4 (Kerr 16, Green 1) Superb bowling by Annabel Sutherland! With three New Zealand notches on her belt already, she now cuts Amelia Kerr in half with a fastball angling back. Finally Kerr escapes with a squeaky single to third man. New batter Maddy Green brings up her side’s fifty with a deft dab to the same spot.
WICKET! Halliday c McGrath b Sutherland 1 (New Zealand 45-4)
Sutherland has three! First ball of her second over the tall allrounder plops it on a spot just outside leg. Halliday advances, senses the slower pace and pulls her punch. The result is a dolly catch taken with ease by Australian captain Tahlia McGrath.
6th over: New Zealand 45-3 (Kerr 15, Halliday 1) A two-wicket over by Annabel Sutherland has swung this match firmly back in Australia’s direction. But Amelia Kerr isn’t beaten yet. She gets a happy half-volley on the pads from Darcie Brown and clips it to the mid on fence. Shot! Brown’s response is superb, three dot balls with variations of pace. Finally Kerr works a run and Brooke Halliday finishes the power-play with a rushed single to mid-on that gets her off the mark.
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WICKET! Devine c Mooney b Sutherland 0 (New Zealand 38-3)
Sutherland strikes again! Devine is gone for a golden duck and New Zealand are in major trouble needing 166 runs from 91 balls with only seven wickets in hand. Superb bowling from Sutherland who whipped that one in back of a length outside off with a wobble-seam. It moved away from Devine who got a thick outside edge while attempting to cut.
WICKET! Plimmer b Sutherland 14 (New Zealand 38-2)
Sutherland strikes! That was fast and angling back and Plimmer got cramped up trying to cut and it beat her blade and thundered into the top of the stumps. Key breakthrough by Sutherland after a superb set-up. Australia back in the ascendency.
5th over: New Zealand 36-1 (Kerr 9, Plimmer 14) Here is Annabel Sutherland into the attack and she delivers two badly needed dot balls straight away before spraying a wide ball down legside. Next ball is fast in the corridor and Kerr brings down the hammer but it’s only a single. Good bowling by the big Australian allrounder.
4th over: New Zealand 36-1 (Kerr 9, Plimmer 14) Here comes Darcie Brown and Georgia Plimmer advances straight away. She makes good contact but can’t break the field. Manages to do so on the next to pinch a single. Kerr does well to jam another run into the offside. Plimmer cuts on the up but it falls short of the fielder at third man. Swing and a miss from Plimmer and it rattles her to the point that she top-edges the next one. It’s gone eight miles high and should’ve been caught by Grace Harris at long on but she loses it in the sun and Plimmer survives.
3rd over: New Zealand 30-1 (Kerr 6, Plimmer 11) A second over from Kim Garth but Georgia Plimmer is on the attack, stepping out and lofting for FOUR. And she’s done it again… or has she? Desperate fielding on the rope by Georgia Voll has stopped it on/ before the rope. No, there’s contact between hand and rope and it’s confirmed as a boundary. The promising start continues for the home side.
2nd over: New Zealand 20-1 (Kerr 6, Plimmer 1) Spin queen Alana King has drawn first blood for Australia but Amelia Kerr offers a sharp riposte, sinking to one knee and walloping the spinner over mid wicket! Kerr takes another two runs from the last
WICKET! Bates b King 12 (New Zealand 12-1)
Alana King strikes! Second ball of the over and she’s dropped it from a height and sent it skidding through Suzie Bates’s attempted cross-bat swipe. There goes the good start!
1st over: New Zealand 12-0 (Bates 12, Palmer 0) Here we go. Kim Garth will deliver the first over for Australia and it will be Suzie Bates facing up for New Zealand. Nice start as the second ball is stroked between cover point and backward point for a couple of runs. Bates then dabs past backward point for another couple. She crouches and ramps the last ball and it’s beautifully executed and eludes the fine leg fielder for a FOUR. Lovely start by the home side and they make it magnificent cutting hard to the fence for FOUR.
Twelve off the first over and it is GAME ON!
Australia set New Zealand 205 to win second T20I
Superb batting by Australia and loose bowling by New Zealand has resulted in a massive total of 204 in the second women’s T20 international at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui. The home side will have to pull off a record run chase to square the series.
Georgia Voll led the way with a swashbuckling 36 during the power-play but Beth Mooney’s composed 70 did the damage. With the help of Phoebe Litchfield (32), the veteran Australian opener steered Australia to an imposing total which Ellyse Perry (29 not out) and Annabel Sutherland (23 not out) iced in a five-over flurry of 52 runs.
Can New Zealand, already 1-0 down in the series, find something special to square the ledger? We’ll be back in a few minutes to find out.
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20th over: Australia 204-3 (Perry 29, Sutherland 23) Sophie Devine will deliver the 20th over and Annabel Sutherland hammers a couple of twos before receiving a bouncer which she helps over the keeper’s head for a lovely FOUR. Sutherland swings hard at the next too but it hangs in the wind and yields only a single. Ellyse Perry shows her how, swinging hard and heaving a cracking four over the offside. Perry finishes the innings with a flourish, ramping over the ‘keeper’s head for another FOUR. Great batting!
That’s 52 runs off the final five overs and it sets New Zealand an imposing total of 204!
19th over: Australia 187-3 (Perry 21, Sutherland 14) Two overs to go. Can Australia club their way to 200? Rosemary Mair is the bowler tasked with stopping them. She goes wide outside off on the first and Sutherland’s swipe catches a faint edge but is dropped by the keeper. Ouch! Another wide one follows – this one called as such by the umpire. Sutherland finally collars one but it’s only a single to long on. Perry takes a run. Sutherland now rides a wide short one all the way OVER the boundary for SIX! Great power hitting from the Australian allrounder.
18th over: Australia 177-3 (Perry 20, Sutherland 6) First ball of the Jess Kerr over and Perry puts it away for a thickly edged FOUR through third man. And she goes again! Kerr wafts it down short, slow and wide and Perry bludgeons it to the backward point fence.
17th over: Australia 164-3 (Perry 12, Sutherland 3) Big shout first ball and Annabel Sutherland is given OUT! Australia will review… and there’s no edge so it’s NOT OUT. Good review by Australia. Sutherland leaves that golden duck behind her by driving Amelia Kerr for a breezy couple of runs to fine leg.
WICKET! Mooney c Bates b A Kerr 70 (Australia 160-3)
Mooney swings hard at Amelia Kerr but miscues the stroke and is OUT caught at mid-on. That’s the end of a fabulous innings from the Australian veteran – her 25th half-century of her 111-game T20 career and the sixth straight score over 40.
16th over: Australia 159-2 (Mooney 70, Perry 10) Down legside by Sophie Devine and Beth Mooney sends it there at pace for another FOUR. And now the ramp! What a shot. This delivery was outside off stump and Mooney stepped down and flicked over the right shoulder for another boundary – her 11th of this innings. On the final ball of the over Devine gets whacked on the wrist for her trouble. That will need treatment and she is rushed from the field.
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15th over: Australia 148-2 (Mooney 61, Perry 8) That’s fifty to Beth Mooney! Lovely way to notch the milestone – the 25th of her T20 career – as she rocks back and smashes it to the deep backward square leg fence. Now an attempted swipe draws a vociferous shout and New Zealand will review despite it being way outside off stump. Poor review and it is dismissed quickly. Mooney rubs it in by caning consecutive boundaries, the first backward of point and the second a swipe over short fine leg. Mooney enters the sixties swinging!
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14th over: Australia 134-2 (Mooney 48, Perry 7) Jess Kerr, the medium pacer from Wellington has struck but now she has the great Ellyse Perry from Wahroonga striding out. And bang! Perry receives a sweet half-volley outside off and swings it to the extra cover fence. What a shot to get off the mark! Perry takes another couple backward of square.
WICKET! Phoebe Litchfield c A.Kerr b J.Kerr 32 (Australia 126-2)
Litchfield holes out! That was a slightly slower ball from Jess Kerr and Litchfield stepped down and could only find the toe end. Amelia Kerr took a simple catch at mid-on.
13th over: Australia 125-1 (Mooney 46, Litchfield 32) This is Beth Mooney’s sixth consecutive 40+ score. Wonderful consistency from the veteran opener and she celebrates by stepping out and lofting Amelia Kerr down the ground for a sixth boundary. Three sharp singles follow as Australia keep the run-rate a touch under 10. Kerr finishes well, fielding a bludgeoned drive from Litchfield to save four on the last
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12th over: Australia 117-1 (Mooney 40, Litchfield 30) Another bowling switch as Rosemary Mair returns. Litchfield isn’t fazed. She skips down and belts it over mid on. Amelia Kerr gives chase but cannot get there. Another four – her fifth from 25 balls. Mair is mixing up her pace now and it’s working as Mooney hops down and misses a couple. Now she connects to a wide one but at full stretch it’s only enough for two runs. Mooney flicks fine on the last ball and a great lunge by Jess Kerr saves four.
11th over: Australia 105-1 (Mooney 36, Litchfield 24) We are back and New Zealand have introduced their seventh bowler for the day. It will be Suzie Bates, the 37-year-old medium pacer from Otago. And straight away her experience shows as she cramps up Beth Mooney who steps down and misses the attempted flick shot. Alas, Inglis cannot snaffle it one-handed to effect the stumping. Good bowling by Bates.
10th over: Australia 99-1 (Mooney 36, Litchfield 22) Driven on the up by Beth Mooney but safely deposited over the infield and it’s another four for the Australian wicketkeeper-batter who has quietly powered to 31 from 19. Make that 35 off 20 as Lea Tahuhu strays onto the offside and Mooney cracks it to the backward point fence. Now the Australian dances down and straight drives. She gets to the pitch and gives it some welly but Tahuhu gets a finger on what was a very tough chance. Tahuhu beats Litchfield’s bat twice to close the over as New Zealand bring the run-rate below 10.
9th over: Australia 88-1 (Mooney 27, Litchfield 21) Amelia Kerr returns but she still hasn’t found her radar. Mooney takes a two and a single before Litchfield gets a look. Her eye is in too. A fat full toss outside leg is walloped over backward square leg.
8th over: Australia 81-1 (Mooney 26, Litchfield 16) More loose bowling from New Zealand! This time it’s Eden Carson who finishes a mixed bag over with a full toss on Litchfield’s pads. The ball is smashed to the square leg boundary.
7th over: Australia 72-1 (Mooney 23, Litchfield 10) A more sedate over for the visitors as they move out of the power play and into regulation mode. Three singles ensue until Amelia Kerr rips one across Mooney and hams her up. There’s an inside edge into her pad but the ball flies over the keeper. Close!
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6th over: Australia 67-1 (Mooney 20, Litchfield 8) New batter is Phoebe Litchfield and the 21-year-old gets off the mark in style with a gift-wrapped ball on the pads that she rolls her wrists on and clips it behind square for an easy boundary! Oh no, a misfield at long leg has turned a single into a four. That’s the end of the power play for Australia.
WICKET! Voll c Inglis b Devine 36 (Australia 57-1)
Voll is gone! Sophie Devine had just dropped a catch on the fence but she got her revenge with the first ball of her bowling spell, digging one in short and drawing the edge from Georgia Voll’s attempted swipe across the line. Initial decision was not out and it rose so sharply it must’ve been close to a no ball. But New Zealand review and it’s successful. The dangerous Queensland opener is gone!
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5th over: Australia 57-0 (Mooney 20, Voll 36) Skied but safe! New bowler Lea Tahuhu pinged it in a little slower on off stump and drew the false stroke. The attempted pull shot came off the toe of Voll’s bat but still had enough timber on it to clear the fielder at fine leg. The Australians take two. Now Mooney gets width and finds the fence. Tahuhu tries to waft it wider outside off but Voll swings hard and high. It should be caught… but it’s dropped by Sophie Devine! And to salt the wound four becomes six as the dropped catch flies over the rope.
4th over: Australia 43-0 (Mooney 9, Voll 33) Bowling change for New Zealand. It will be Rosemary Mair. First ball is wide down legside and Voll works the second behind square for two. Mair now goes wide outside off and Voll gives it the axeman’s jazz but can’t pierce the field. Again, Mair strays wide down leg and Voll doesn’t miss out, swatting it off the hip for another once-bounce boundary into the fine leg fence. And again! This one is precision mixed with power as the Toowoomba tornado thumps it to the fence between cover and extra cover. Ouch! Australia’s run-rate has rocketed to 10.75.
3rd over: Australia 32-0 (Mooney 9, Voll 23) Jess Kerr returns and Mooney greets her with a ripped boundary over mid-on. A quick single brings Voll on strike and she gets down on one knee and thumps it over mid wicket! Georgia Voll is on fire today.
2nd over: Australia 22-0 (Mooney 4, Voll 18) Good attacking move from the home side as leg spinner Eden Carson gets the second over. First ball however is a long hop and Voll sweeps it over her left shoulder for a boundary. A single from the second. Mooney swats square for another easy run. Now some turn for Carson! That ball pitched and gripped, shooting low and straight and Voll had to chop down to prevent her castle exploding. Carson tries the same trick but Voll is ready for this one. Bang! She cuts for four. And wallop! Another short ball is met by Voll’s fast crouch and crunching cross bat shot. Four!
1st over: Australia 8-0 (Mooney 3, Voll 5) Mooney works Kerr’s second delivery for a single. Voll take an aerial aproach, getting down on one knee and slog sweeping for a boundary. She follows it up with a swipe that bounces awkwardly for the square fielder. They pinch a run. Strong start for the visitors.
Here come the Australian openers Beth Mooney, in her 111th match, and her rookie partner Georgia Voll. For New Zealand it will Jess Kerr, in her 40th T20, opening the bowling. Here we go, folks!
We have blue skies at Mount Maunganui as the players take the field.
Our officials for today’s fixture are umpires Shaun Haig & Tina Semmens with Kim Cotton as third umpire and Richard Hayward as the match referee.
A stirring rendition of Advance Australia Fair rings out as strong winds stir the flags.
😘🤌🏼 #NZvAUS pic.twitter.com/F2GSxTMnrO
— Laura Jolly (@JollyLauz18) March 23, 2025
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Here are the 11 women charged with keeping the series alive for New Zealand: Suzie Bates (c), Georgia Plimmer, Amelia Kerr, Sophie Devine, Brooke Halliday, Maddy Green, Jess Kerr, Polly Inglis (wk), Lea Tahuhu, Rosemary Mair, Eden Carson
Here’s how the first game of this series unfolded…
Australia have won the toss and elected to bat first
As predicted Alana King has come in for the injured Ash Gardner.
Australia’s XI looks like this: Beth Mooney (wk), Georgia Voll, Phoebe Litchfield, Ellyse Perry, Annabel Sutherland, Tahlia McGrath (c), Grace Harris, Georgia Wareham, Alana King, Kim Garth, Darcie Brown
Preamble
Hello cricket fans. Welcome to the Guardian’s live coverage of the second women’s T20 international between Australia and New Zealand at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui.
Australia lead the three-match series 1-0 after a thumping eight-wicket triumph over the T20 world champions New Zealand at Eden Park on Friday.
That victory was led by Beth Mooney and Georgia Voll’s unbroken 77 run stand during the six overs of the power-play. The blitzkrieg partnership fired Australia to within 25 runs of their target by the halfway mark of the chase. Ultimately, the visitors cantered home with 39 balls to spare.
However, Australia’s win came at a huge cost with all-rounder Ash Gardner breaking her right index finger while attempting a catch off her own bowling. She has been replaced in the squad by Queensland all-rounder Charli Knott for the rest of the tour. However, it’s more likely leg-spinner Alana King will replace Gardner for today’s game.
This will be the first time Australia has played a T20I at Mount Maunganui but it has won its past eight ODIs at the venue. Play starts at 2.45pm local/12.45pm AEDT.
Rest that finger, Ash! 🤕
— Australian Women's Cricket Team 🏏 (@AusWomenCricket) March 22, 2025
Looking forward to having young gun Charli Knott join us in New Zealand! #NZvAUS pic.twitter.com/guq7z9Lt4y
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