Aussies level series with NZ

Australia fought back against the White Ferns to level the series at one apiece with two games to go thanks to a four wicket win at North Sydney Oval.

Australia won the toss and chose to field first and got the early wicket of Frances Mackay, but then Suzie Bates and Amy Sattherthwaite carried on from where they left off in the first match of the series. They added  115 for the second wicket in 25 overs before Bates (59) was run out by Sarah Coyte. But that just brought Sara McGlashan to the crease and she and Satterthwaite added another 102 runs before McGlashan (51) was bowled by Jess Jonassen. The score by this time had moved onto 240 and Satterthwaite, who fell for 98 in the first match, had made her maiden ODI century. Satterthwaite (109) finally fell as the White Ferns tried to up the momentum at the end of their innings, with Katie Perkins smashing 31 from just 15 balls, including a six and four 4s, to take the total to 288 for 6.

New Zealand must have been quietly confident that they could defend this total if they could take early wickets, but the Aussies had other ideas. Meg Lanning (72) and Rachael Haynes (70) took the score to 131 in just a little over 18 overs before Lanning fell to a run out. Her 72 had come from just 53 balls, including two maximums. Morna Nielsen sparked a mini collapse when she got the wickets of Haynes, Lisa Sthalekar and Alyssa Healy to leave the Aussies on 199 for 5, but none of the other White Ferns could match her efforts and Jodie Fields (31) and Sarah Coyte (51*) took the Southern Stars to within 30 of their required total before Fields was run out. But Coyte and Erin Osborne saw their team home with plenty of balls to spare.

The teams meet again at the same venue on Monday.

Scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/584547.html

Match report (Aus) - http://www.cricket.com.au/news-list/2012/12/14/stars-silver-ferns

Match report (NZ) - http://www.blackcaps.co.nz/match-report/womens/9/australia-level-rose-bowl-series/1498/report.aspx

MD
14/XII/12