Lanning Ton Ensures Australia Remain Unbeaten

Lanning Ton Ensures Australia Remain Unbeaten

Australia's opening bowlers restricted New Zealand before Bates' fourth century took the White Ferns past 200.

©ICC/Solaris Images

Australia Women 228-3 (Lanning 112) beat
New Zealand Women 227-6 (Bates 102) by 7 wickets
Women’s World Cup Group B, Cuttack
Scorecard

Meg Lanning hit 112 to help Australia comfortably beat arch-rivals New Zealand and take maximum points through to the Super Six stage of the ICC Women’s World Cup. Lanning’s fourth ODI century meant that Australia easily overhauled the White Ferns’ total of 227 for six, which had been built around a fourth career century from the prolific Suzie Bates.

Bates has now scored 513 runs from her last seven ODI innings at an average of 102.6 and has single-handedly held New Zealand’s batting together over the past couple of months - something that was again true today. They had slipped to 39 for four in the 13th over after being asked to bat as 20 year-old fast-bowler Megan Schutt struck three times in her first five overs.

Bates, though, found support from Katie Perkins and Nicola Browne and took New Zealand up to a score that was at least competitive. She added 103 with Perkins in 25 overs for the fifth-wicket and then a further 69 with Browne in 11.1 overs before her departure in the penultimate over of the innings to Sarah Coyte.

Lea Tahuhu then bowled Rachel Haynes in the fifth over of Australia’s run chase, but Lanning and Jess Cameron took the Australians to the brink of victory with a fine stand of 182. It spanned just 28.1 overs as both women scored at around a run a ball against a New Zealand change attack that struggled to contain them. Only Sian Ruck (one for 47) of the change bowlers conceded less than six an over, with Lucy Doolan, Amy Satterthwaite and Bates all going at over eight and Browne conceding 16 from her solitary over.

Cameron was eventually caught by Rachel Priest off Ruck for 82 off 87 balls to end the epic second-wicket partnership, with Lanning following soon after for 112 off 104 deliveries. 20 year-old Lanning now averages almost 50 in her 17-match ODI career and strikes at more than 100 runs per 100 balls.

The finishing touches to Australia’s successful run chase were applied by Alex Blackwell and Lisa Sthalekar, with the pair adding the final 14 runs from 11 balls to end on 14 not out and eight not out respectively.

© Cricket World 2013