Cricket World Cup: Australian remain unbeaten after taking down New Zealand

Before the tournament, New Zealand pumped Australia, but when it mattered most the result was reversed big time.

Australia and Tahlia McGrath were too good for New Zealand in Wellington Photo by Marty MELVILLE / AFP)

Two batters getting their first hit of the World Cup showed Australia’s batting dominance before the bowlers went to work in a muscle-flexing take-down of New Zealand in Wellington to stamp the favourite’s tournament credentials.

After being “towelled up”, the words of Australian coach Matthew Mott, in a pre-tournament warm-up match by the Kiwi batters, the tables were turned significantly as Darcie Brown and spinner Amanda Jade-Wellington tore through the hosts in a failed pursuit of the Aussies 8-269.

New Zealand scored 320 off just 43 overs in that warm-up match but the value of having held back some of their bowlers in that game played for Australia who rolled the tournament hosts for just 128.

Australia’s 141 run win came after powerhouse Ash Gardner, fresh out of 10-days Covid isolation, hit her first ball for four, her last ball for six and nearly every one in between in a whirlwind score of 48 off just 18 balls, with four fours and four sixes, to make her World Cup mark.

Even Australian one-day captain Aaron Finch was moved by Gardner’s hitting calling it “Unbelievable striking” on Twitter.

Gardner’s blast came after Tahlia McGrath made her own stunning World Cup entrance with 57 off 56 balls, batting for the first time in the World Cup, in a crucial rescue mission with Ellyse Perry.

McGrath and Perry (68 off 86) came together with Australia reeling at 3-56 in the 16th over, and put on 101 runs before Gardner strode to the crease and showed no ill-effects of the Covid diagnosis which forced he to miss the opening two matches.

Unbelievable striking! One of the best swings of the bat in world cricket!! https://t.co/xO3rtkC1jO

— Aaron Finch (@AaronFinch5) March 13, 2022

Gardner said she had a “heavy chest” at times in her comeback game but otherwise felt fine.

“Today was always going to be a test about how I was going to feel,” Gardner said after her Covid experience

“Early on I was getting a little bit puffed fielding on the boundary, but the main thing out of the game was I had a really heavy chest at some points.

“It was a kind of weird feeling but other than that I’m feeling pretty good.”

Perry was named player of the match and the said the “momentum” created by McGrath and Gardner followed in to the early bowling effort which reduced the Kiwis to 5-35 with no way out of trouble.

Teenager Brown finished with 3-22 and Wellington took two wickets in two balls to give New Zealand no chance.

“Darcie (Brown) bowled amazingly well, getting wickets up front was crucial today,” Perry, named player of the match said,

“The way we bowled as a group, everyone took wickets, it was absolutely brilliant, especially on a good batting deck.

Teen speedster Darcie Brown took 3- against New Zealand in Wellington . (Photo by Marty MELVILLE / AFP)

Australian selectors made a move to leave out the world number one spinner, Jess Jonassen with Brown returning and opting to stick with two-leg spinners after captain Meg Lanning made a pre-match declaration to

“We wanted to be aggressive,“ Lanning said post-game.

“It worked today, but it may not be the same approach next game. That’s the way we are going to approach every match and make selection choices accordingly.”

Despite losing steady wickets early with the bat, the Aussies showed their depth having only used five batters through the first two wins of the tournament.

Ash Gardner smashed 48 off just 18 balls against, New Zealand. (Photo by Mark Tantrum/Getty Images)

Gardner was emphatic and now has 108 off 38 balls in last two digs against New Zealand having smashed 60 off 20 in a pre-tournament warm-up.

Australia remains unbeaten in three World Cup games and has not lost to New Zealand, considered their main tournament rivals, since 2018 with a showdown against the West Indies to come on Tuesday.

Originally published as Cricket World Cup: Australian remain unbeaten after taking down New Zealand