The White Ferns batting woes continued as they slumped to the second defeat in as many days in the Rose Bowl series with Australia securing a four wicket win at the Adelaide Oval today.
White Ferns captain Aimee Watkins won the toss and elected to bat, though the decision back fired as the Australian bowlers had a virtual stranglehold from the start of the innings, restricting the tourists to 89 for six in 18.1 overs and then had them all out for a disappointing 142 in 37.3 overs.
Victoria Lind was the shining light in the top order, striking 33 off just 32 deliveries on a scorecard that closely mirrored yesterday’s. Wicketkeeper batsman Katey Martin propped up the innings with a fighting 22 but a string of low scores at the top of the order let them down.
Once again it was a solid all round bowing display that restricted the White Ferns to a low score with Ellyse Perry, Sarah Andrews, Lisa Sthalekar and Shelley Nitschke picking up two wickets each. Left-arm spinner Nitschke was particularly accurate going for just seven runs in her seven overs.
In reply, Australia were cruising at 78 for one but stuttered in the middle stages, with Nicola Browne removing the leading run scorer Nitschke for 38 before Amy Satterthwaite took two wickets in two balls to reduce the home side to 79 for four.
But the White Ferns chances of victory faded when Alex Blackwell (34) combined with Lauren Ebsary (12*) to get them within reach of victory.
The target was reduced to 111 off 32 overs after rain stopped play and that was hit with 13 balls to spare and only six wickets down.
Satterthwaite finished with tidy figures of three for 18 with Sophie Devine, Kate Pulford and Browne chipping in with one scalp each.
The team head to Melbourne for the remaining three One-Day Internationals with the next match on Sunday 14th February.
