Australia’s rising star all-rounder Annabel Sutherland continued her sensational run of form, blasting an unbeaten 105 off just 81 deliveries to power the tourists to a 65-run victory over New Zealand in the rain-affected second ODI at Wellington’s Basin Reserve.
The 21-year-old’s second consecutive ODI century, coming on the back of her maiden ton in the last match, helped Australia recover from a shaky start after being put into bat and post an imposing total of 291/7 in their 50 overs. New Zealand’s reply was repeatedly disrupted by rain before the match was eventually called off, with the hosts stranded at 122/5 after 30.2 overs, well short of the DLS par score.
Sutherland Shines Amidst Top-Order Struggles
Sutherland walked out to bat with Australia in a spot of bother at 83/3 in the 21st over. New Zealand quick Molly Penfold (4/42) had made early inroads, sending back the returning Alyssa Healy for 34 and then accounting for the prize scalps of Ellyse Perry and Beth Mooney. But the young all-rounder took the attack to the bowlers from the get-go.
Unleashing an array of shots all around the wicket, Sutherland raced to her fifty off just 50 balls. She was particularly severe on anything pitched up, smashing Penfold for back-to-back boundaries when the Kiwi pacer overpitched in her final over. A dropped chance off her own bowling when Sutherland was on 67 came back to haunt Penfold.
Shifting Gears and Motoring To a Ton
That reprieve proved the trigger for Sutherland to go into overdrive mode. The right-hander tore into Eden Carson’s off-spin, launching her for two humongous straight sixes before taking 16 runs off an Amelia Kerr over. As she closed in on three figures, there was no letting up in intensity despite the loss of partners at the other end.
Fittingly, Sutherland brought up her century with a brace of twos, reaching the landmark off 78 deliveries – five balls quicker than her previous ton. The last recognized batter standing, she ensured Australia batted out their full quota of overs and lifted them to a total that looked far beyond them at one stage. Her unbeaten 105 was studded with 10 fours and three towering sixes.
Annabel Sutherland is an immense talent, a genuine match-winner with both bat and ball. To boss an international game like that at just 21, she’s going to be a superstar for years to come.
– Lisa Sthalekar, former Australia all-rounder
Rain Halts New Zealand’s Chase in its Tracks
Faced with a daunting required rate of nearly six an over from the outset, the White Ferns struggled to put together any substantial partnerships in their chase. Pacer Kim Garth struck twice with the new ball to leave the hosts reeling at 18/2 in the 6th over.
Brief resistance came from the experienced duo of Amy Satterthwaite and Sophie Devine, but it wasn’t enough to keep pace with the climbing run rate. With ominous dark clouds hovering, New Zealand found themselves well behind on DLS when the heavens finally opened up after 30.2 overs, with their score at 122/5.
The win gave Australia an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, helping them retain the Rose Bowl trophy. The two sides will square off in a dead rubber third ODI at the same venue on Monday before attention shifts to the T20I leg of the tour.
Key Takeaways
- Annabel Sutherland hammers unbeaten 105 off 81 balls to propel Australia to 291/7
- Kim Garth impresses with the ball, picks up 2/17 in 6 overs
- Rain interrupts New Zealand’s chase multiple times before forcing abandonment
- White Ferns fall 65 runs short on DLS method, slip to a 2-0 series defeat
