New Zealand Defeat Australia In Women's World Cup

New Zealand has made a terrific start to its ICC Women's World Cup campaign, beating Australia in a rain-marred encounter at North Sydney Oval.

The match was abandoned at 5.22pm (AEDT) with Australia 6-132 in the 33rd over chasing New Zealand's 205.

Under the Duckworth-Lewis method, the White Ferns were declared victors.

New Zealand pace bowler Kate Pulford, who took 3-32, was named player of the match.

Australia, the pre-tournament favourite and five-time World Cup winners, did well to restrict the Kiwis in the field but batted poorly to throw away any hope of victory.




Karen Rolton


The home side's run chase began badly, opener Alex Blackwell out for just four in the third over.

Skipper Karen Rolton (21) joined Shelley Nitschke at the crease and took the score to 49 before mistiming a pull shot to present McGlashan an easy catch at mid-on off Kate Pulford's bowling.

The Southern Stars sunk deeper into trouble when Lisa Sthalekar (six) was brilliantly caught one-handed by wicket-keeper Rachel Priest, leaving Australia a shaky 3-58.

The White Ferns continued to take wickets at regular intervals, Nitschke (27), Jessica Cameron (15) and Lauren Ebsary (one) all falling before rain forced play to be halted with the hosts 6-100.

The Aussies moved the score on to 6-132 when play resumed before the rain returned to wash play out for the day.

New Zealand's 205 looked a little skinny on the postage stamp-sized North Sydney Oval.

The Kiwis were looking at a large score after moving to 3-171 in the 41st over before a dramatic late collapse saw them lose 7-34.

New Zealand skipper Haidee Tiffen (59) played a lone hand at the top of the order, with cameo knocks from Suzie Bates (29), Amy Satterthwaite (38) and Sara McGlashan (29) setting up what should have been a 250-plus score.

But some poor shot selection and steady bowling from Sthalekar (2-35) and Ellyse Perry (3-40) brought the Kiwis undone.

Perry made a brave and remarkable return after earlier leaving the field with a dislocated finger.

Australian won the toss and sent New Zealand into bat in overcast conditions.

The Kiwis made a disastrous start, losing opener Pulford (three) in the fourth over to a brilliant piece of fielding from Sthalekar.

Sthalekar picked the ball up at mid-wicket and through the stumps down at the keeper's end to leave Pulford well short of her ground.

Bates and Tiffen moved the score on to 42 before Bates (29) was bowled after failing to get her feet moving to a beautiful Rene Farrell (1-20) inswinger.

Tiffen was joined by Satterthwaite and the pair was untroubled in posting 67 for the third wicket.

But there was no keeping Sthalekar out of the game.

She enticed Satterthwaite (38) into an ill-advised drive which ballooned to skipper Karen Rolton at mid-off.

Tiffen's well-crafted knock came to an end on 57, the skipper lofting Erin Osborne (2-37) down the throat of substitute Jessica Cameron in the deep.

The captain's departure triggered a dramatic collapse, the visitors going from 3-171 to all out 205 in the 48th over.

But the modest total proved beyond Australia, with rain eventually ending their unlikely bid for victory.

New Zealand innings

Pulford run out (Sthalekar) 3 (12)

Tiffen c sub (Cameron) b Osborne 57 (113)

Bates b Farrell 29 (24)

Satterthwaite c Rolton b Sthalekar 38 (51)

McGlashan c Fields b Perry 29 (54)

Mason c Nitschke b Sthalekar 0 (2)

Browne b Osborne 3 (2)

Tsukigawa c & b Sampson 2 (9)

Priest c Sthalekar b Perry 7 (9)

Devine c Rolton b Perry 13 (7)

Burrows not out 3 (7)

Extras: 21 (3lb, 2nb, 16w)

Total: 205 (10 wickets; 48 overs)

FOW: 1-6, 2-42, 3-109, 4-171, 5-171, 6-174, 7-176, 8-180 9-187, 10-205

Bowling

Sampson 9 – 0 – 33 - 1

Farrell 7 – 1 – 20 - 1 (6w)

Perry 6 – 1 – 40 – 3 (2nb, 2w)

Nitschke 6 – 0 – 37 - 0 (2w)

Osborne 10 – 0 – 37 - 2 (2w)

Sthalekar 10 – 1 – 35 – 2 (2w)

Australia innings

Nitschke lbw b Pulford 27 (41)

Blackwell c Mason b Devine 4 (8)

Rolton c McGlashan b Pulford 21 (28)

Sthalekar c Priest b Pulford 6 (12)

Fields not out 26 (53)

Cameron c Browne b Devine 15 (27)

Ebsary c Priest b Mason 1 (5)

Perry not out 17 (27)

Extras: 14 (3lb, 2nb, 9w)

Total: 132 (6 wickets; 33 overs)

FOW: 1-12, 2-49, 3-58, 4-71, 5-98, 6-100

Bowling

Devine 7 – 2 – 19 – 2 (1nb, 1w)

Burrows 3 – 0 – 15 – 0 (2w)

Browne 7 – 0 – 25 – 0 (1nb, 1w)

Pulford 7 – 0 – 32 – 3 (4w)

Mason 6 – 1 – 21 – 1 (1w)

Bates 3 – 0 – 17 - 0