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A devastating spell of fast bowling by Ellyse Perry helped Australia beat the White Ferns by three runs and lift the Women’s ICC World Twenty20 crown at Kensington Oval in Barbados.
Perry took three for 18 and held her nerve to bowl a tense final over that kept the White Ferns to 103 for six in pursuit of Australia’s 106 for eight.
The Australian bowling attack were superb in defence of their modest total, getting wickets at regular intervals and put in a highly polished fielding display that glossed over their mediocre batting effort.
The White Ferns reply got off to a disastrous start which saw them slump to 36 for five after 11 overs with opener Suzie Bates the only top order batsman to make an impression with 18.
All-rounders Sophie Devine and Nicola Browne slowly rebuilt the innings and managed to close the gap but Perry broke the partnership when she had Browne caught behind for 20.
Devine did her best to get the White Ferns home with a rearguard 38 not out off 35 deliveries that included 21 runs off her last eight balls but it wasn’t enough with the White Ferns falling desperately short.
Earlier, the White Ferns new ball bowlers Sain Ruck and Nicola Browne delivered a fiery opening spell that knocked the top off the Australian batting line up.
Ruck was the first to strike, trapping the dangerous Shelley Nitschke for just three before Browne broke through in the fourth and sixth overs to have the Australians reeling at 20 for three.
The loss of early wickets slowed the run-rate with Australia crawling to 38 for three at the end of ten overs.
Leah Poulton and Jess Cameron started to repair the innings but were pegged back again when Sophie Devine removed Poulton for 20 and Kate Broadmore castled Cameron for 14.
Their problems were compounded when Sara McGlashan ran-out Alyssa Healy for 10 as Australia headed into the last five overs with just four wickets in hand and only 76 on the board.
Lisa Sthalekar belted a quick 18 towards the end before being Devine’s second scalp.
The White Ferns finished off the innings with Aimee Watkins taking a stunning one handed catch to remove Rene Farrell for three.
The loss ended a nine match winning streak with their last defeat coming against England in the final of last year’s event.
Schedule
6/05/2010 White Ferns vs India - Group B match
Warner Park, St Kitts
+1day NZ, 6:00am
Result: White Ferns won by 10 runs
8/05/2010 White Ferns vs Sri Lanka- Group B match
Warner Park, St Kitts
+1day NZ, 6:00am
Result: White Ferns won by 47 runs
10/05/2010 White Ferns vs Pakistan - Group B match
Warner Park, St Kitts
+1day NZ, 2:00am
Result: White Ferns won by 6 wickets
14/05/10 White Ferns v West Indies – Semi-final
Beausejour Stadium, St Lucia
+1day NZ, 8:00am
Result: White Ferns won by 56 runs
16/05/2010 White Ferns v Australia – Final
Kensington Oval, Barbados
+1day NZ, 8:00am
Result: White Ferns lost by 3 runs
