The meteoric rise of Annabel Sutherland shows no signs of slowing down, as the young allrounder once again starred with both bat and ball to propel Australia to a comprehensive 75-run victory over New Zealand in the third and final ODI in Wellington. Sutherland’s sizzling summer reached new heights as her all-round brilliance sealed a 2-0 series win for the dominant Australians.
Sutherland Shines as Australia’s Future Star
Long touted as one of Australian cricket’s most promising talents, the 23-year-old Sutherland has truly arrived on the international stage this season. After smashing an unbeaten 105 off just 81 deliveries against India in Perth, she backed it up with a blistering 110 in the second ODI against New Zealand.
In Wellington, Sutherland showcased her full repertoire. Coming in at a precarious 175-5, she counterattacked with a vital 42 off 39 balls to lift Australia to a competitive 290. She then ripped through the White Ferns top-order, snaring the crucial wickets of the hard-hitting Bella James and the experienced Suzie Bates to return stellar figures of 3-39.
Gardner Finds Form Ahead of Ashes
Ashleigh Gardner, the reigning Belinda Clark Medalist, roared back to her best with a career-best ODI score of 74 off just 62 deliveries. After an underwhelming WBBL campaign, Gardner looked in ominous touch as she tore into the New Zealand attack.
Gardner was the only batter to truly get on top of legspinner Amelia Kerr, driving and pulling her for two fours in an over as she raced to a half-century off 45 balls. She looked set for a maiden ODI ton before falling to a Kerr wrong’un for 74.
Australia’s Spin Twins Tie Down New Zealand
While Sutherland stole the headlines, Australia’s spin duo of Alana King and Ashleigh Gardner played a key role in suffocating the New Zealand chase. King (3-34) extracted prodigious turn, regularly beating the outside edge, while Gardner tied down the middle overs with her offbreaks.
New Zealand were well placed at 106-1 in the 20th over before Sutherland removed Bates for a well-made 53. From there, the home side collapsed, losing 6-26 to be bundled out for 215 in the 44th over. It was an all-too-familiar story for the White Ferns, who struggled to keep pace with Australia throughout the series.
Perfect Preparation for Upcoming Ashes
The convincing series win provides the perfect springboard for Australia heading into next month’s highly anticipated multi-format Ashes series against England. With Sutherland developing into a world-class allrounder and the batting lineup finding form, Meg Lanning’s side look well placed to continue their dominance of the women’s game.
For Annabel Sutherland, this summer marks her arrival as a bonafide international star. If she can maintain her sizzling form against England, Australia’s women may prove an unstoppable force for years to come. The future is blindingly bright for this rising superstar of the game.
