New Zealand women 8 for 113 (Bates 31, Wellington 4-16) beat Australia women 66 (Blackwell 30*, Huddleston 2-9, Tahuhu 2-13, Kerr 2-16) by 47 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Holly Huddleston removed Elyse Villani for a duck © Getty Images
New Zealand routed Australia for their lowest Twenty20 score to complete a comeback series victory in the decisive match at Adelaide Oval.
After being comfortably beaten in the opening match at the MCG, the visitors roared back in the second and third fixtures to complete a memorable boil-over against Australia, rounded off by the second biggest-ever margin of defeat for the three-time World champions in the shortest format.
Chasing 114 to clinch the match and the series, the hosts tumbled to 66 all out in 16 overs, with only the vice-captain, Alex Blackwell, offering any sort of resistance with an unbeaten 34-ball 30. A pair of run-outs topped and tailed a disastrous innings, as Lea Tahuhu, Holly Huddleston, and Amelia Kerr shared six wickets between them.
Huddleston picked up the critical wicket of captain Meg Lanning in the fourth over of the Australian pursuit, coaxing an edge behind that was well held by Rachel Priest. Australia caved in dramatically thereon – reeling at 5 for 9 in the fifth over – a hole from which there was to be no escaping.
By contrast, New Zealand’s innings had been underpinned by firm starts from Priest, Amy Satterthwaite and captain Suzie Bates. The tourists lost much of their early momentum in the face of a fine spell of leg breaks from Amanda-Jade Wellington, who finished with figures of 4 for 16 from her four overs.
Bates’ all-round performance earned her both the Player-of-the-Match and the Player-of-the-Series honours.
Australia and New Zealand now move into 50-over mode for the Trans-Tasman Rose Bowl series. Ellyse Perry is expected to make her return in this series following a hamstring strain, ahead of the ODI World Cup in England later in the year.
Daniel Brettig is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo. @danbrettig
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Source: ESPN Crickinfo