All-round Sophie Molineux delivers warm-up win for Australia after Sophie Devine cuts loose

Australian XI 8 for 247 (Mooney 80 ret, Molineux 57, Haynes 54) beat New Zealand XI 236 (Devine 89, Satterthwaite 48, Molineux 5-29) by 11 runs

Super Over New Zealand XI 1 for 13 beat Australia XI 0 for 8 by five runs

Sophie Molineux produced a fine all-round display, scoring a half-century and taking five wickets, as Australia held on for an 11-run win in a 40-over warm-up match against New Zealand with Sophie Devine‘s powerful 89 not quite enough for the visitors as they prepared for the T20I series which begins on Saturday.

However, it remains uncertain if Ellyse Perry, who is on the comeback trail from a severe hamstring injury, will be fit to return for the start of the series having sat out today’s match although she did train in the adjacent nets.

Molinuex (57 off 60 balls) was one of three players to make half-centuries for the Australians in their 8 for 247 with Beth Mooney top-scoring with 80 and Rachael Haynes making 54 after both Alyssa Healy and Meg Lanning had departed early during an impressive spell from Holly Huddleston.

Twice in the chase New Zealand appeared on course, first when Devine and Amy Satterthwaitethe latter playing her first innings since returning from maternity leave – added 90 for the third wicket and again when they were 6 for 220 with five overs to go before the lower order was undone by Molineux and Molly Strano.

Molineux, who finished with 5 for 29, claimed the key wickets of both Satterthwaite and Devine, who was about to be retired to give others a bat, while the recalled Belinda Vakarewa claimed 2 for 31 by removing both openers.

The day had started well for New Zealand when Huddleston castled both Healy and Lanning with excellent deliveries. The home side recovered through a stand of 69 between Haynes, who needed just 45 balls for her 54, and Mooney before Molineux joined for a 103-run fourth-wicket partnership.

Mooney was retired out on 80 and the innings fell away somewhat in the latter overs as Amelia Kerr and Lea Tahuhu claimed a brace each.

Following the main match, the two sides took part in a Super Over which the New Zealanders managed to win as Tahuhu defended 13 against Healy and Haynes. Satterthwaite had struck her one delivery for six.

“Thought it was a really good hit out, not often you play a warm-up against the Australian team,” Suzie Bates said. “In the first game for six months it was really nice to get a bit of a bowl and good for Amy Satterthwaite to bat really nicely. It would have been nice from the position we were in to finish it and get one up early, but it was one of those games that it wasn’t until the end when it got close that it got really serious.”

Source: ESPN Crickinfo

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