The New Zealand WHITE FERNS will face a Rose Bowl decider on Wednesday at Mount Maunganui after Australia stormed back from their opening loss to level the ODI series 1-1 with an eight-wicket win.
View the scenes and reaction as the match unfolded
An unbeaten century from Australia captain Meg Lanning, who made her 114 at run-a-ball pace, and a five-wicket haul for spinner Jess Jonassen were the headline acts at Bay Oval.
The aggressive skipper, who hit three sixes in her outstanding knock, was capably supported by Ellyse Perry who made an unbeaten half century as the pair shared a matchwinning, unbroken 147-run stand for the third wicket.
Australia removed Amy Satterthwaite, MVP from the first ODI, for a duck. Photo: Annette Johnston
Sent in, the WHITE FERNS had been rocked early in the match when Megan Schutt put herself on a hat-trick by bowling both dangerous opener Rachel Priest and the classy first drop Amy Satterthwaite in the fourth over, both for no score.
When Sara McGlashan was stumped off Sarah Coyte, it forced captain Suzie Bates and vice-captain Sophie Devine to put their heads together and lead a cautious recovery from 33/3.
Each would reach half centuries, however the Australians bowled a tight line and kept up the pressure. Katey Martin (39) combined well with Devine following Bates' dismissal on 61, before Jess Jonassen zeroed in at the death to put herself on the second possible hat-trick of the match with the wickets of Thamsyn Newton and Lea Tahuhu in the final over of the New Zealand innings.
Jess Jonassen had a field day
Lea Tahuhu had to depart
Erin Bermingham slamming a six off the final ball of the innings, the WHITE FERNS had to knuckle down, and recovered enough to make their way to 206 for nine.
Erin Berningham slams the last delivery for six
But it soon became apparent that the Australians had learned their lessons from their opening loss chasing a similar total on the same deck on Saturday.
Opener Beth Mooney fell cheaply and quickly to a diving left-handed catch from point patrolwoman Katie Perkins.
Nicole Bolton would prove the last wicket to fall, however, when she was trapped by legspinner Bermingham in the 13th over.
Perry and Lanning took it from there, ticking off the winning runs with nine overs to spare.
Besides setting up a Rose Bowl decider, the win secures two ICC International Women's Championship points for world number ones Australia to extend their lead on the 2017 ICC Women's World Cup qualifying table.
WHITE FERNS coach Haidee Tiffen says she has "full faith" in her team's ability to bounce back.
"The Rose Bowl means a huge amount to the WHITE FERNS and we've been working hard. If we can stick to our processes and believe in ourselves, we certainly have a chance on Wednesday."
The decider is at the same venue, with free entry from 10.30am.
