Australian captain Meg Lanning led from the front with a superlative hundred as her team defeated New Zealand by four wickets in Brisbane on Monday (October 5) to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match women's ODI series. This was Australia's 20th consecutive win in the format.
Lanning stayed 101 not out in 96 balls in Australia's eventually successful quest of the 253-run target. Her knock was adorned with intelligent rotation of strike and timely boundaries, including nine fours and three sixes.
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While Australia's middle-order had an off day, Lanning's magnificent ton and opener Rachael Haynes' (82) superb half-century were enough to see the team through.
Amelia Kerr (3/47), Sophie Devine (2/50) were the pick of the bowlers among the Kiwis, but there weren't enough runs to play with at the end.
In the first half, Jess Jonassen (4/36), Megan Schutt (2/54) and Sophie Molineux (2/49) picked up eight wickets between them to restrict the visitors to just 252/9 in 50 overs.
Amy Satterthwaite (69), skipper Sophie Devine (79) made fifties but a middle-order collapse that saw the White Ferns lose five wickets for just two runs left them with a largely under-par score for the cause.
The defeat meant that New Zealand now haven't won an ODI series against Australia since 1998-99.
The third and final game of the series will be played on Wednesday (October 7).
New Zealand women 252/9 in 50 overs (Sophie Devine 79, Amy Satterthwaite 69; Jess Jonassen 4-36) lost to Australia women 255/6 in 45.1 overs (Meg Lanning 101*, Rachael Haynes 82; Amelia Kerr 3-47) by six wickets
(Inputs from Cricbuzz)
