Perry’s fifty helps Australia edge spirited New Zealand by two wickets in T20I series opener

Sydney: Star all-rounder Ellyse Perry's half-century helped Australia survive a late collapse and edge past a spirited New Zealand to win by two wickets and seven balls to spare in the first women's T20I at the North Sydney Oval on Sunday.

Chasing 163, Australia, playing their first T20 match since lifting the T20 World Cup in July, were cruising before losing wickets in a heap to slip to 145/7 in the 16th over. Captain Sophie Molineux took them to the brink of reaching home, but was bowled by Rosemary Mair while attempting a lap sweep with four runs still required.

Kim Garth then square-drove for four to seal the win and help Australia take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Ellyse smashed 52 off 30 balls, and reached her fifty off 27 deliveries with a straight drive. She added 86 for the second wicket with Beth Mooney (38) after Georgia Voll was trapped lbw by left-arm pacer Bree Illing on the second ball of the chase.

Beth, who had to remove her contact lenses early on, was run out in a bizarre fashion after setting off for a non-existent single amidst a loud lbw appeal. Ellyse marched forward, but holed out to deep backward square off a Jess Kerr long hop.

Jess (3-25) had Ashleigh Gardner trapped lbw on review, and Nicola Carey was run out in a mix-up as the hosts stumbled. It didn’t help New Zealand that skipper Amelia Kerr went for 50 runs in her four overs, the most expensive figures of her T20I career.

Earlier, put in to batting first, New Zealand posted 162/2, with Georgia Plimmer hitting a career-best unbeaten 85 off 68 balls and Maddy Green making 56 not out off 37 deliveries. The pair shared an unbroken 129-run stand. Georgia was reprieved on 15 and 39 by Beth, who missed a stumping and dropped a catch while keeping up to the stumps.

Australia were without Phoebe Litchfield, ruled out with a hip injury, and brought in Tahlia McGrath. Returning left-arm pacer Lucy Hamilton went wicketless for 23 in two overs, but took a superb diving catch to dismiss Amelia.

Brief Scores: New Zealand 162/2 (Georgia Plimmer 85 not out, Maddy Green 56 not out; Annabel Sutherland 1-28, Kim Garth 1-34) lost to Australia 165/8 in 18.5 overs (Ellyse Perry 52, Beth Mooney 38; Jess Kerr 3-25) by two wickets.

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