New Zealand Women vs Australia Women, ICC Women’s World Cup 2022 Live Updates: Australia and New Zealand to lock horns in a battle of equals in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2022 match no 10 on Sunday. Both teams have won two games each and are placed 2nd and 3rd on the points table respectively. The one who wins will dethrone India and take the top spot with six points.
Australia are one of the two sides that are yet to lose a game in the tournament. They thumped defending champions England in the opening encounter and then clinched a close win against Pakistan. They next face the white-ferns who will be enter the contest on the back of a stellar win against India.
Ahead of the clash against the Trans-Tasman rivals, opener Alyssa Healy said that her team’s aggressive approach is the result of a ‘long-term strategy’, adding that it is paying rich dividends in the ongoing tournament.
Healy said that the aggressive approach was the result of a revamp in the system after the six-time champions lost to India in the 2017 semi-finals, which led to a lot of soul-searching.
“It was almost a challenge that (coach) Matthew Mott gave me and our top order to see how we could revamp the way we wanted to play one-day cricket,” Healy, who scored a superb 72 against Pakistan in the previous World Cup match here, said on Saturday.
Australia will be banking on vice-captain Rachael Haynes, who scored a superb 130 with 14 boundaries and a maximum in their first match against England. She stitched together a 196-run partnership with Meg Lanning which helped them post that massive total of 310, which proved a bit too much for the English. Haynes also got her side off to a fast start against Pakistan, scoring at a run-a-ball for her 34.
Besides, Healy too is rated as the best ODI batter in the world on the ICC Women’s Batting Rankings, with her ability to score quickly at the start of an innings. Healy has three ODI centuries and 13 half-centuries to her name, but it’s her impressive strike rate (99.39) in 50-over cricket that stands out.
For New Zealand, all-rounder Amelia Kerr came into the World Cup in sublime form and offers genuine quality with both bat and ball. She was all aggro against Bangladesh in her side’s second game, smashing an unbeaten 47 from 37 balls to help the tournament hosts to victory. She was superb against India too, stroking a half-century before picking up three wickets.
Also, skipper Sophie Devine’s experience with bat and ball will be invaluable. The White Ferns skipper is known to set good fields and generally rotates her bowlers well to ensure batters don’t become too comfortable. She can also turn a game with bat or ball and will be crucial to the fortunes of the home side.
Australia squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Darcie Brown, Nic Carey, Ash Gardner, Grace Harris, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Amanda-Jade Wellington. Travelling reserves: Georgia Redmayne, Heather Graham.
New Zealand squad: Sophie Devine (c), Amy Satterthwaite (vc), Suzie Bates, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Hayley Jensen, Fran Jonas, Jess Kerr, Melie Kerr, Frankie Mackay, Rosemary Mair, Katey Martin, Georgia Plimmer, Hannah Rowe, Lea Tahuhu. Travelling Reserve: Molly Penfold.
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