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Women's T20 World Cup: Ashleigh Gardner runs riot as Australia annihilate New Zealand

image-le0ua9b9Australia Women in action [Source: Twitter]

The third game of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup witnessed Australia maul New Zealand by a whopping 97-run margin to open their account of the points table. 

Batting first, the Aussies posted a gigantic total of 173 runs, while the White Ferns failed to chase, falling prey to Ashleigh Gardner's bowling masterclass. 


Healy, Lanning and Perry take Australia to a par score

image-le0uc7q3Alyssa Healy slammed a fantastic fifty [Source: Twitter]

After being put into bat, Australia Women had a poor start to their innings, as Lea Tahuhu got Beth Mooney for a duck. However, Alyssa Healy and skipper Meg Lanning kept the scoreboard ticking, stitching a vital 70-run stand for the second wicket. 

After Amelia Kerr knocked over Lanning, Tahuhu came back to dismiss the dangerous Ashleigh Gardner in the 11th over. However, Ellyse Perry and Healy resurrected the innings again, adding crucial 50 runs for the fourth wicket. 

After Healy became Tahuhu's third victim, Perry pressed the accelerator, ensuring Australia crossed the 150-run mark. The tail contributed some crucial runs to take them to 173 runs in 20 overs. 

For New Zealand, Kerr and Tahuhu scalped three wickets each, while Jess Kerr and Hayley Jensen claimed one wicket apiece. 

Ash Gardner runs through the White Ferns' batting lineup

image-le0ud2xpAsh Gardner recorded a spectacular fifer [Source: Twitter]

Chasing 174, New Zealand Women began their innings miserably, with their two pillars, Suzie Bates and Sophie Devine, being dismissed for a golden duck by Megan Schutt. 

Bernadine Bezuidenhout and Amelia Kerr formed a 21-run stand, but as soon as Ellyse Perry removed the former, the floodgates opened for the White Ferns. 

Ashleigh Gardner ripped through the New Zealand batting order, claiming five out of the remaining seven wickets. 

Besides cleaning up Amelia and Jess Kerr, the veteran all-rounder trapped Hannah Rowe and Eden Carson, restricting New Zealand to a paltry 76. 


Brief Scores

Australia Women: 173/9 (20)
Alyssa Healy 55 (38), Meg Lanning 41 (33);
Amelia Kerr 3/23 (4), Lea Tahuhu 3/37 (4)

New Zealand Women: 76 (14)
Amelia Kerr 21 (30), Bernadine Bezuidenhout 14 (10)
Ashleigh Gardner 5/12 (3), Megan Schutt 2/8 (2)

Australia Women won by 97 runs.