NZvsAUS : Lannings, Jonassen secure win for Australia in 2nd ODI: It was definitely a mega innings from the Aussie skipper, Meg Lannings that ensured a victory for Australia in the second of the three-match ODI series against New Zealand.
Having lost the first encounter by a sheer 9 runs, the Aussie eves had to win the second one to stay alive in the series which is now levelled at 1-1.
Lannings, who leads the ICC Chart for top run getters in ODIs for women, brought up her seventh ODI century and also was involved in an unbroken partnership of 147* runs in 28.1 overs for the third wicket with the flamboyant all-rounder, Elysse Perry.
Having to chase 207 runs for a win, Aussies lost both the openers, Beth Mooney (5) and Nicole Bolton (25) with the team score at 63/2. Lanning and Elysse came together at this juncture and ensured no further damage took place.
Lanning’s century came in 104 deliveries with 9 fours and 3 sixes.
Suzie Bates, skipper of New Zealand, used as many as seven bowlers (including herself) but none of them could put a break on the run spree indulged by the two Aussie eves.
Perry played equal fiddle with her skipper, bringing up her 14th ODI half-century, in the process, which came in 79 deliveries with 5 fours.
Lanning ended up scoring an unbeaten 114* runs off 113 deliveries at a strike rate of 100.88, studded with 12 fours and 4 sixes in a stay of 137 minutes at the wicket.
Her partner finished with an unbeaten 64* runs off 85 deliveries with 8 hits to the fence.
Aussies scored 210 runs for the loss of two wickets in 41 overs and won the game by 8 wickets and 9 overs to spare.
Earlier, put into bat, NZ batswomen who had done well in the first encounter, which they won, could not do much this time. Except for a well made 61 runs by the skipper-opener, Bates and another 67 runs by Sophie Devine, the other batswomen clearly disappointed.
The two Kiwi women also added 73 runs in 19.1 overs for the fourth wicket that gave some kind of respectability to the score.
Bates brought up her 17th ODI half century in 84 deliveries with 3 fours and ended up scoring 61 runs off 92 deliveries with 5 fours, while Devine contributed 67 runs off 102 deliveries aided by 6 hits to the fence, brought up her 7th ODI half century in 85 deliveries with 4 fours.
She (Devine) was also involved in a sixth-wicket partnership alongwith Katey Martin (39) that realised 66 runs in 12.4 overs which helped the Kiwis to end their innings at 206 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in 50 overs.
Aussie left-arm spinner, Jess Jonassen picked up her maiden ODI ‘five-wicket’ haul, being instrumental in dismissing Bates (61), Devine (67), Martin (39), Newton (6) and Tahuhu (0), giving away 50 runs in her 9-over spell.
