Australia has secured a 3-0 series whitewash over trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand after winning Tuesday’s third T20 in Brisbane by five wickets.
Chasing a 147-run target for victory at Allan Border Field, the hosts got the job done with five balls to spare, handing New Zealand its tenth consecutive defeat in the game’s shortest format.
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The White Ferns posted 6-146 after a maiden T20I half-century from young gun Georgia Plimmer, who cracked a career-best 53 (48) at Allan Border Field.
Plimmer combined with Kiwi all-rounder Amelia Kerr for a 73-run partnership for the second wicket as the tourists posted their highest team total of the series despite a late collapse of 5-14.
However, Australia reeled in the target in the final over courtesy of a 61-run partnership between superstars Ellyse Perry (36 from 29 balls) and Ash Gardner (33 off 26 balls) for the fourth wicket.
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Earlier, New Zealand captain Sophie Devine won the toss and chose to bat first, with openers Suzie Bates and Plimmer surviving the Powerplay unscathed.
However, Australian leg-spinner Georgia Wareham broke the opening stand on the first delivery after the fielding restrictions were lifted, with Bates walking across the crease and bowled around her legs for 19.
In the ninth over, Kerr survived a marginal LBW chance that Australian captain Alyssa Healy sent upstairs, with a Umpire’s Call verdict handing the New Zealander an early reprieve. Meanwhile, spinner Sophie Molineux and quick Tayla Vlaeminck dropped tough return chances with Plimmer on 9 and 16 respectively.
Plimmer brought up her half-century in 47 balls but departed the very next delivery, bowled by Wareham after charging down the deck. The following over, Kerr chopped on while facing spinner Gardner, bowled for 40.
New Zealand lost a cluster of wickets at the death, with all-rounder Annabel Sutherland snaring two scalps in the penultimate over, but a late cameo of 12* (5) from Maddy Green, playing her 100th T20I, steered the visitors towards a defendable total.
Australian opener Beth Mooney fell early in the run chase, deceived by an arm ball from Kiwi spinner Eden Carson and bowled for 6, while opening partner Healy notched 27 before top-edging a wild slog against leggie Kerr to short third man.
Wareham, promoted to No. 3, raced towards 26 before slapping a low full toss from seamer Hannah Rowe to cow corner, caught near the boundary rope.
However, Perry and Gardner combined to knock off a large chunk of the deficit, both departing within touching distance of the target. Australian vice-captain Tahlia McGrath, who finished unbeaten on 6, sealed the victory with a pull shot through square leg.
Australia’s attention shifts towards the T20 World Cup, which gets underway in the United Arab Emirates next month.
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