Ashleigh Gardner’s blistering 115 off 83 balls turned Australia’s shaky start into a commanding 89-run victory over New Zealand as the defending champions launched their Women’s ODI World Cup campaign in style at the Holkar Stadium on Wednesday.
Coming in at 128/5 after a mid-innings wobble, Gardner struck 16 fours and a six in her maiden World Cup century, adding crucial lower-order stands to lift Australia to 326. It was the first century by a No. 6 or lower in women’s World Cup history.
It was really special. I had some pretty clear plans to stick to my strengths but also score off as many balls as possible. Once I got in, I really capitalised.
Devine’s Lone Battle Not Enough
In reply, Sophie Devine fought a lone battle with a sparkling 112, her ninth ODI century, but New Zealand folded for 237 in 43.2 overs. Devine admitted the milestone was bittersweet.
I’d throw it all away to make sure we won. It’s a hard one to digest at the moment, but I’m proud of the fight we showed.
Her century, which took her past 4,000 ODI runs, kept New Zealand in the contest until Australia’s bowlers, led by Sophie Molineux (3-25) and Annabel Sutherland (3-26), snuffed out the chase.
Healy Praises Gardner’s Maturity
Australia captain Alyssa Healy credited Gardner for steering the side out of trouble after early wickets.
Gardner is just continuing to mature as a cricketer, and it’s really impressive to watch. The fact that the middle order can get runs when we’re in strife is huge.
Phoebe Litchfield (45 off 31) and Healy (32) gave Australia a fast start, but Amelia Kerr’s landmark 100th wicket and Lea Tahuhu’s three-wicket burst had the champions wobbling before Gardner’s counterattack.
Black Caps Undone by Errors
New Zealand’s chase unravelled early with two wickets inside two overs, including a mix-up run-out of Georgia Plimmer. Despite Devine’s heroics, frequent misjudgements and another costly run-out stalled their momentum.
We probably missed line and length a bit on a flat surface. But the way we stayed in the fight is what makes this group different now.
Australia Underline Title Credentials
Australia’s depth once again stood out, with the lower order contributing alongside Gardner, and their bowlers executing with precision in windy conditions. The victory extended their winning streak against New Zealand in ODIs to 16 matches.
We bat genuinely all the way down, so we have that freedom and confidence. Even if we’re five down for not too many, we know we can still change the game.
Brief Scores: Australia 326 all out in 49.3 overs (Ashleigh Gardner 115, Phoebe Litchfield 45; Lea Tahuhu 3-42, Jess Kerr 3-59) New Zealand 237 all out in 43.2 overs (Sophie Devine 112, Amelia Kerr 33; Sophie Molineux 3-25, Annabel Sutherland 3-26) Australia won by 89 runs.
