Ashleigh Gardner hit 84 off 45 balls and took two wickets as Australia beat New Zealand by 40 runs in the second T20I at North Sydney Oval. Georgia Wareham added 3 for 18, and the win retained the Rose Bowl with one match still to play.
Sydney, Australia: Australia were 41 for 3 after 6.5 overs on Tuesday night, with Georgia Voll gone for a duck and Ellyse Perry back in the pavilion for 11. Then Ashleigh Gardner walked in at No. 5, and the evening belonged to her. By the end she had top-scored with the bat, taken two wickets with the ball and collected the Player of the Match award as Australia secured an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
Gardner turns a wobble into a total
New Zealand captain Melie Kerr chose to field, and early wickets seemed to justify it. Voll fell to Bree Illing, and by the time Perry went, Australia had lost three wickets inside the first seven overs.
Gardner and Beth Mooney then took the innings apart. Mooney struck six fours in a 39 off 28 balls, and their stand carried Australia beyond 100 before Jess Kerr removed her in the 13th over. Gardner kept going. She finished with 84 off 45 balls, with ten fours and four sixes, a strike rate of nearly 187, and was run out off the final delivery of the innings. Australia closed on 167 for 7, with Annabel Sutherland adding 10 and Nicola Carey an unbeaten 5.
New Zealand never find a way in
Chasing 168, New Zealand never got close. Melie Kerr top-scored with 32 off 38 balls and Maddy Green made 26 off 22, but the pair could not give the innings the pace it needed. Polly Inglis hit three fours in a 10-ball 19 at the end, and Flora Devonshire and Izzy Sharp reached double figures, but the innings finished on 127 for 8.
Georgia Wareham led the bowling with 3 for 18 from four overs. Gardner followed her 84 with 2 for 17 from three, Kim Garth took 1 for 21 and Lucy Hamilton 1 for 17. Green was run out.
The Rose Bowl stays put
The result keeps the trophy in Australian hands, where it has sat for more than a quarter of a century. Gardner credited captain Sophie Molineux for the positive culture in the group, as Australia continued the form that carried them through their unbeaten run to a record seventh T20 World Cup title at Lord’s. Gardner was also central to the record chase that ended India’s tournament earlier in that campaign.
The third and final T20I is on Thursday at the same ground. The Rose Bowl will be contested again in a three-match ODI series in March, the first time the trophy has been played for twice in one season.
Result: Australia 167 for 7 (20 overs; Ashleigh Gardner 84, Beth Mooney 39; Jess Kerr 2 wickets, Nensi Patel 2 wickets) beat New Zealand 127 for 8 (20 overs; Melie Kerr 32, Maddy Green 26; Georgia Wareham 3/18, Ashleigh Gardner 2/17) by 40 runs.
Player of the Match: Ashleigh Gardner, 84 off 45 balls and 2 for 17.
Series: Australia lead the three-match T20I series 2-0 and retain the Rose Bowl.
