AUSTRALIA has won its T20 series against New Zealand, after defeating its neighbour by 29 runs in the second match of the series last night. The Australians were bowled out for 142, before New Zealand could only make 7/113 from its innings.

Initially, Australia’s innings was fast and frenetic, going at almost 10 runs an over before losing its first wicket one ball shy of the end of the third over.

After Beth Mooney’s quick cameo, Alyssa Healy and Ellyse Perry built on the openers’ good start, and the runs continued to flow fairly easily for the home side.

But, as the tail end of the innings came and the wickets started to tumble, the run rate slowed a little. The Aussies went from 4/114 at the end of the 15th over to 9/138 four overs later.

Ultimately the Australians were bowled out with three balls left in their innings.

Most of Australia’s runs did come early in the innings, with Healy (38), Perry (34), Ash Gardner (18) and Mooney (10) the only ones to make a double figure score. Meanwhile, Amelia Kerr was the star with the ball for New Zealand, picking up four wickets, while Brooke Halliday picked up two.

New Zealand made a pretty solid start to its inning, going at about five runs an over, but as the innings progressed and Gardner started to cause mayhem for the Australians, the New Zealand run rate was able to be curtailed significantly, and in the end the White Ferns simply did not bat fast enough and ran out of time to complete their mission.

Much like the Australians, the New Zealand top scorer was at the top of the order, with Suzie Bates making 34, while down the order Maddy Green made 21.

Gardner was ultimately the star with the ball for the Australians, taking three wickets, while Darcie Brown, Georgia Wareham and Annabel Sutherland all picked up a wicket each.