Another big day and not surprisingly another big game. The Trans-Tasman rivals are up tomorrow for a blockbuster of a game. The hosts, New Zealand Women, will play against Australian Women in the eleventh match of this World Cup on March 13, 2022. The Basin Reserve at Wellington will host its first game in the ongoing showpiece tournament.
These teams are currently playing the best cricket and are in the top half of the points table. The Aussies are in the second position; the White Ferns are in third place.
New Zealand have played three games so far, winning two and losing one. They are coming off a victory against India Women. Amelia Kerr and Amy Satterthwaite are living up to the expectations by delivering back-to-back top performances both with bat and ball. Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates are the other powerhouses with the bat, while Lea Tahuhu and Jess Kerr are the bowlers for the opponents.
During the pre-match press conference, Maddy Green congratulated Katey Martin and Amelia Kerr, playing their 100th ODI and 50th ODI, respectively.
Green said, “Yeah, it’s special for both of them. Katey is playing for the team I think around something for 18 years. So it’s really special for her. And I think the way she is performing in the last few games will please her. She is a quality player and has been such a great servant to the team. Playing 100 games for the White Ferns is really great and will bring joy in the face of her family. Great human on and off the field. And also, Amelia playing her 50th game and that too against Australia. It will not get any better for her.”
It’s the home game for Maddy Green, Sophie Devine, and Jess Kerr and they will like to impress the local crowd with their performances.
They said in an interview to local media, “Every time we get to play at the Basin Reserve and represent our country is very special.”
On the other hand, Australia are very comfortable after winning two-in-two. They are the only team yet to see defeat in the ongoing tournament. They held their nerve to defend a big total in a last-over thriller against England Women and chased down a below-par total to march on against Pakistan Women.
Meg Lanning, Alyssa Healy, and Rachel Haynes are in top form with the bat. Alana King and Megan Schutt are the bowlers in their top-notch at this moment.
The form of Ellyse Perry is something that the team will discuss before the game, but she hardly had a bat in the competition as it was all top-order shows in the two matches they played. But she had a pretty good amount of stay at the crease in the previous game, which will boost her confidence.
After testing positive for COVID-19 and getting into isolation for about 10-days, Ashleigh Gardner has rejoined the squads. She was seen in the practice before the blockbuster against the hosts. In the first match, Tahlia McGrath is set to return after suffering from a sore heel.
“This is a big game. There is no doubt about it. There is a lot riding on it and New Zealand are in great form. They play here really well and their big players are performing well.”, Lanning cited in her pre-match interview.
These two sides met during the warm-up games, and it was a run-fest. The fifties from Healy, Lanning, Mooney, and Gardner propelled them to 321. But a superb unbeaten century by captain Devine (161) and supportive fifties from Bates and Kerr made that total look like a miniature. So one can expect something similar to this tomorrow.
Match Details
New Zealand Women vs Australia Women - Match 11
Date and Time - March 13, 2022, 3:30 AM IST
Venue - Basin Reserve, Wellington
Broadcast- Star Sports Network, Disney+Hotstar
Pitch Report
The Basin Reserve pitch will help the seamers. The batters have to apply themselves to score runs. This is the first time the game is being played here. Since it’s one of the windier cities in the world, it is the thing for the players to deal with. A Toss-winning captain will think to bowl first. The average score batting first is around the 250s.
Weather Conditions
There is a slight chance of rain during the match, but it will be the passing showers. The wind will be the factor that blows heavily in this part of the world. But we can get a full match according to the forecasts.
Squads
New Zealand Women
Sophie Devine (c), Suzie Bates, Amelia Kerr, Amy Satterthwaite, Maddy Green, Frances Mackay, Katey Martin (wk), Hayley Jensen, Lea Tahuhu, Jess Kerr, Hannah Rowe, Rosemary Mair, Brooke Halliday, Fran Jonas, Georgia Plimmer
Australia Women
Alyssa Healy (wk), Rachael Haynes, Meg Lanning (c), Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Annabel Sutherland, Nicola Carey, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Amanda Wellington, Megan Schutt, Ashleigh Gardner, Grace Harris, Darcie Brown, Tahlia McGrath
Probable Playing XI
New Zealand Women
Sophie Devine (c), Suzie Bates, Amelia Kerr, Amy Satterthwaite, Maddy Green, Frances Mackay, Katey Martin (wk), Hayley Jensen, Lea Tahuhu, Jess Kerr, Hannah Rowe
Australia Women
Alyssa Healy (wk), Rachael Haynes, Meg Lanning (c), Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Annabel Sutherland, Ashleigh Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Megan Schutt
CE Fantasy XI
Sophie Devine, Suzie Bates, Amy Satterthwaite, Alyssa Healy, Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Lea Tahuhu, Jess Jonassen, Megan Schutt
Captain- Amelia Kerr
Vice-Captain- Meg Lanning