Australia 148 for 5 (Perry 36, Gardner 33, Carson 2-29) beat New Zealand 146 for 6 (Plimmer 53, Kerr 40, Wareham 2-21, Sutherland 2-23) by five wickets
Skillful all-round displays from Georgia Wareham and Ashleigh Gardner helped Australia secure a 3-0 series sweep over New Zealand following a six-wicket win in the final T20I in Brisbane. It was also the visitors' 10th loss in a row in T20I cricket.
Wareham took 2 for 21 with her legspin to help restrict New Zealand to 146 for 6 after Georgia Plimmer's maiden T20I half-century had put the visitors in a position to post something a bit more imposing.
Wareham was then promoted to No.3, in move that could be replicated at the T20 World Cup, and thumped 26 off 16 balls to ease any run-rate pressure in the chase before Ellyse Perry and Gardner compiled a 61-run stand to put Australia on the brink of victory with Perry making 36 and Gardner 33. Two late mistakes from the duo, that cost their wickets respectively, were the only blemishes in an otherwise controlled partnership. Tahlia McGrath and Phoebe Litchfield finished the job but did get some help from Fran Jonas who spilled a sitter off Litchfield.
Gardner, like the Player of the Match Wareham, also bowled beautifully to put the brakes on New Zealand, taking 1 for 27 to follow up her 3 for 16 in the second T20I and was named player of the series. New Zealand had reached 118 for 1 in the 17th over after Plimmer reached 50 off 47 balls while Amelia Kerr had also made 40 off 36 in a 73-run stand for the second wicket. But their dismissals, to Wareham and Gardner sparked a collapse. They lost 5 for 28 off the final 22 balls with Annabel Sutherland picking up two in an over. Maddy Green, playing her 100th T20I, made 12 not out off five balls to ensure they at least posted in excess of 140 but it was never enough.
Plimmer delivers on the promise
The pressure was mounting on Plimmer ahead of the World Cup. Her 23 T20I innings prior to this game had yielded a highest score of 28. She finally broke through with a hard-fought half-century. It wasn't fluent. She took six balls to get off the mark and was striking at well under a run-a-ball through her first 27 deliveries. She was also dropped twice having offered sharp return catches to Sophie Molineux and Tayla Vlaeminck. But she finally broke free in the 11th over with two crisp strikes off Sutherland, one a powerful blow over midwicket and another over long-on. The longer her innings went, the more balanced she was at the crease and her striking became crisper as a result. She shared a 45-run powerplay with Suzie Bates, which was New Zealand's best of the series before Bates was bowled trying to sweep Wareham off the first ball of the seventh over. Plimmer then added 73 with Kerr for the second wicket which appeared to lay an excellent platform for a final overs assault. There was palpable relief on her face when she reached her first half-century in international cricket off 47 balls. New Zealand were 118 for 1 with 22 balls left. Kerr was 35 from 33 and although the scoring rate was just over seven an over, there were enough wickets in hand to post a score of 160 with some good late hitting.
Late overs slump shakes the foundation
New Zealand's hopes of 160 disappeared in the blink of an eye as they lost 5 for 28 from the final 22 balls of the innings. Plimmer fell the very next ball after reaching her half-century. Wareham picking up her second victim in an outstanding spell. Gardner accounted for Kerr in the next over, clattering her stumps as she tried to cut. The bottom then fell out of New Zealand's order. Sophie Devine and Brooke Halliday both holed out in the penultimate over from Sutherland who was rewarded for some excellent death bowling have earlier been dispatched by Plimmer. There was a moment when New Zealand looked like they might not post 140. But Green proved again she is potentially batting too low in the order, cracking a six and a four off Molineux in the final over to finish with 12 not out off 5 and post 146 for 6.
Wareham at No.3 offers options
Healy said pre-series that Australia would not experiment ahead of the World Cup. So when Beth Mooney's lean series continued as she was clean bowled by a brilliant arm ball from Eden Carson for 6, it was a shock to see Wareham walk out at No.3. Wareham had done it once before, in Australia's most recent series in Bangladesh in April when she made 57 off 30. It proved another masterstroke and looks a genuine option for the World Cup. Wareham struck the ball as powerfully as anyone had in the series and looked very comfortable against pace and spin, scoring at a rate well above everyone else in the game bar those who faced five balls or less. While Healy battled for timing during a tortured 27 from 29, Wareham stood still and smashed four boundaries in 16 balls. She raced to 26 to remove any run-rate pressure from the chase. But she threw away a golden chance at another half-century when he miscued a low full toss off Hannah Rowe to deep midwicket. Her assault allowed Perry and Gardner to settle into a rhythm and the pair played with typical composure to close out the game with a 61-run stand. Perry shook off the rust she showed in the first two games to produce a classy 36 from 29 with five boundaries. She was frustrated not to finish the job when she sliced Jonas to cover. Gardner was scratchy by comparison but still found the rope consistently. She too was frustrated not to finish unbeaten after she failed to execute a paddle scoop attempt and was pinned lbw by Carson, who was the pick of New Zealand's bowlers finishing with 2 for 29.
