Gardner takes Australia to solid 89-run win over New Zealand to start title defence in style

Australia began their Women's World Cup title defence with a solid 89-run victory over their trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand during their opening match at the Holkar Stadium in Indore. 

After opting to bat first, all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner (115) struck her second ODI century to revive Australia from a mini collapse and take them to a big total of 326 all out in 49.3 overs. This was padded up with a brilliant bowling effort from pacer Annabel Sutherland (3/26) and the spin duo of Alana King (2/44) and Sophie Molineux (3/25) as the Aussies restricted New Zealand to 237 in 43.2 overs to notch a comprehensive win.

New Zealand captain Sophie Devine made a heroic attempt with a 112-ball 111, studded with 12 fours and three sixes, but ultimately the target of 327 proved to be too big for the White Ferns.

New Zealand began their task in a dramatic fashion, losing two wickets- one each in the first and second overs- without even ticking the scoreboard. Georgia Plimmer was run out in a terrible mix-up with her opening partner, Suzie Bates, who was in turn cleaned up by Sophie Molineux three balls later as New Zealand were reduced to 0/2 in 1.3 overs.

New Zealand never recovered from there. They opened their account in the fourth ball of the third over, and it was slow and grinding batting after that. They crawled to 100 for three at the halfway stage, needing 227 and more than nine an over.

Devine and Brooke Halliday (28) defied the Australian bowlers for 10.5 overs, stitching 52 runs for the fourth wicket, before the latter became King's second victim of the day. By the 30th over, the asking rate had gone up to 10 per over, and New Zealand were 164 for 5 in the 35th over.

The 10 overs from the 30th to the 40th yielded 90 runs, leaving them to get 110 off the last 10 with four wickets in hand, an arduous task by any standard. Devine departed in the 43rd over, and it was all over for New Zealand.

Earlier, Gardner, who came in the 19th over when Australia were 113 for 4, struck her second ODI hundred off just 77 balls, to play the sheet anchor of their innings. Playing in her 81st match, Gardner eventually got out for 115, her highest ODI score.

Before that, Australia scored at a brisk pace but lost three wickets for 20 runs in four overs in a mini collapse early in their innings after opting to bat first. Captain Alyssa Healy (19) and Phoebe Litchfield (45) began brightly, finding boundaries with ease. But Healy fell to Bree Illing (2/75) in the fifth over as the batter holed out to Suzie Bates at cover.

Litchfield was not going to be affected by the dismissal of her opening partner as she punished Illing with a six and four in the seventh over. It was left to New Zealand leg-spinner Amelia Kerr (2/64) to get rid of Litchfield in the 11th over and get her 100th wicket with her googly that crashed into the batter's stumps.

Australia were 81 for 2 then, and the scoring rate dropped a bit as they reached their 100 in the 17th over. Ellyse Perry (33) departed in the next over, falling to Lea Tahuhu (3/42) as New Zealand made an impressive fightback after Australia's strong start.

At 113 for 4 in the 19th over, Australia were losing too many wickets. Beth Mooney (12) also did not last long as she was out in the 22nd over with her side being reduced to 128 for 5. But from there on, Gardner took charge, holding one end together. She stitched 64 valuable runs with Tahia McGrath (26) for the sixth wicket and then another 69 with Kim Garth (38).

From 252 for 7 at the end of the 40th over, Australia added 74 runs to be all out in 49.3 overs. Jess Kerr got the wickets of three lower-order batters.

(With PTI inputs)