March 26 | 3rd T20I | Sky Stadium
AUSTRALIA WOMEN TOUR OF NEW ZEALAND 2025
Australia Women in New Zealand 2025 - Series Digest
Maddy Green and Amelia Kerr put on a sensational stand that brought New Zealand very close in the chase. © Getty
New Zealand lost the third and final T20I to Australia by 8 runs in Wellington, ending the series in a 3-0 defeat at home. Chasing 181, Maddy Green led a strong fightback with a brilliant 62 off 35 balls but the hosts couldn't cross the line in the final over.
Green hit 2 fours and 5 sixes in her belligerent knock and added 99 runs for the fifth wicket with Amelia Kerr, who scored 66 off 47. Their partnership gave New Zealand hope after a poor start in the 181-run chase, but once both were dismissed in a short span of time, Australia were able to squeeze out a win.
Earlier in the day, Australia made 180 for 4, largely thanks to a poor fielding effort from New Zealand. Georgia Voll was dropped six times during her innings and went on to score 75 off 57 balls. Ellyse Perry finished unbeaten on 32 off 19 balls.
Chasing 181, New Zealand had a shaky start. Megan Schutt dislodged both the openers and they were tottering at 54 for 4, which included the wicket of Sophie Devine to Georgia Wareham for just 1. That's when Green and Kerr came together and almost changed the game. Their positive strokeplay kept New Zealand in the hunt, but Green was run out in the 18th over and Kerr was caught in the next, putting paid to what would have been a wonderful comeback win.
Brief Scores: Australia 180/4 (Georgia Voll 75, Ellyse Perry 32*) beat New Zealand 172/8 (Amelia Kerr 66, Maddy Green 62; Annabel Sutherland 4-35, Megan Schutt 2-42) by 8 runs
March 23 | 2nd T20I, Bay Oval
Beth Mooney (70) and Annabel Sutherland (23* & 4-8) helped Australia thump New Zealand by 82 runs to clinch the three-match series 2-0 with a game to spare. Mooney continued her good form and cracked 70 off 42 balls, laced with 11 boundaries, but it was Georgia Voll who did the bulk of the damage in the PowerPlay with her 36-run cameo in 20 balls in the 57-run stand. Mooney took charge in the 69-run partnership with Phoebe Litchfield, who chipped in with a handy 32.
Ellyse Perry (29*) and Sutherland provided the finishing touches with their big hits towards the end as Australia posted a strong 204/3 from their allotted 20 overs.
Suzie Bates got the hosts off to a strong start but Alana King cleaned her up for just 13. Sutherland then lent the double blow, dismissing Georgia Plimmer and Sophie Devine in successive deliveries in the fifth over, and then sent back Brooke Halliday cheaply on the first ball of the seventh over to leave them reeling at 45/4 in the tall chase. Amelia Kerr fought a lone battle, with Maddy Green (22 off 18 balls) and sister Jess Kerr (14 off 7 balls) briefly supporting her at the other end but eventually the scoreboard pressure consumed the lower order. King finished with figures of 3 for 27 from her four overs while Sutherland came back to pick her fourth in Eden Carson, thus shooting down the home side for just 122 in 16.1 overs.
Brief scores: Australia 204/3 in 20 overs (Beth Mooney 70, Georgia Voll 36) beat New Zealand 122 in 16.1 overs (Amelia Kerr 40; Annabel Sutherland 4-8, Alana King 3-27) by 82 runs
March 21 | 1st T20I, Eden Park Oval
Beth Mooney (75*) and Georgia Voll (50) hit destructive half-centuries to floor current T20 world champions New Zealand with a comprehensive eight-wicket win well set-up by a disciplined bowling effort in Auckland on Friday. Mooney and Voll struck off 77 runs in the PowerPlay alone in the modest chase of 138 - the highest-ever for Australia in the format - with a slew of boundaries as their sustained attack on the home team's bowlers meant Australia chowed down the target with 39 balls to spare. The 123-run opening stand came in just 11 runs, another record for Australia, that all but put them on the brink before Lea Tahuhu picked up a couple of wickets that came too late in the day for the hosts.
Earlier, New Zealand opted to bat in the series opener but were kept on a tight leash by the Australian bowling attack. They could muster only 40/1 from their PowerPlay after a brisk start, but lost both the openers on either side of it to be reduced to 47/2 in the eighth over. Amelia Kerr (51 not out in 46 balls) and Sophie Devine (39* off 36 balls) - on international return after a well-being break - put on a 90-run stand thereafter for the third wicket but could only muster 137 from their allotted overs that was never going to be enough to test the Australians.
Meanwhile, star allrounder Ash Gardner sustained a blow to her index finger while attempting a return catch and remains a doubtful starter for the next game, on Sunday, at the very least.
Brief scores: New Zealand 137/2 in 20 overs (Amelia Kerr 51*, Sophie Devine 39*; Darcie Brown 1-22) lost to Australia 138/2 in 13.3 overs (Beth Mooney 75*, Georgia Voll 50; Lea Tahuhu 2-31) by 8 wickets
© Cricbuzz
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