Australian Openers Set Up Series-Levelling Win

Australian Openers Set Up Series-Levelling Win

Meg Lanning cracked an aggressive half-century to get Australia's run chase off to a flying start

©REUTERS / Action Images

Australia Women 289-6 (Lanning 72) beat
New Zealand Women 288-6 by 4 wickets
Second One-Day International, Sydney
Scorecard
Report by John Pennington
Post-Match Audio: Rachael Haynes

Australia Women levelled their One-Day International series with New Zealand Women after winning the second game in Sydney by four wickets.

Batting first, New Zealand posted 288 for six thanks to Amy Satterthwaite's 109 but Australia passed their score in 46.4 overs after openers Meg Lanning and Rachael Haynes both scored half-centuries.

It proved to be a bittersweet day for Satterthwaite, whose maiden ODI century wasn't quite enough to lift her side to victory in another high-scoring match.

Lanning made 72 and Haynes 70 but Australia needed an unbeaten 51 from Sarah Coyte to get them over the line. It was Coyte's maiden ODI half-century.

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Satterthwaite and Suzie Bates had put on 168 together to help their side win the opening match by eight wickets and they were together early again after Frances Mackay was caught behind off Sharon Millanta for 16.

Bates made 59 as they put on 125 this time to put New Zealand in a strong position and the runs continued to flow as Sara McGlashan scored 51 and Katie Perkins 31 not out in 15 balls.

Coyte returned two for 55 as Millanta, Jess Jonassen and Erin Osborne took a wicket apiece.

Lanning then thumped 72 in 53 balls and Haynes 70 in 75 as they scored 131 for the first wicket. When Lanning was run out by McGlashan, Jess Cameron maintained the tempo with 36 in 30 deliveries but New Zealand then fought back by again quickly getting through Australia's middle order.

Lisa Sthalekar (0 and Alyssa Healy (2) fell cheaply as Australia stumbled before first Fields, who made 31, and then Coyte and Osborne (15 not out), steadied the ship and saw the game through to level the series.

The third game is on Monday 17th December.

© Cricket World 2012