Australia power past New Zealand in Women’s Cricket World Cup

COLOMBO: Australia beat New Zealand by 89 runs to kick off their Women’s Cricket World Cup campaign on Wednesday in a one-sided affair between the two rivals.

Ashleigh Gardner starred for Australia with the bat, crafting a sparkling second ODI century as the White Ferns conceded 326 runs, the highest total ever in meetings between the sides.

The all-rounder produced a masterclass in both rescue and destruction, compiling 115 runs, first steadying the ship at 128-5, then launching a ferocious assault in the final overs to help Australia set a daunting target.

Gardner, one of the few Indigenous Australians to represent the national team, unfurled elegant cover drives and wristy flicks that split the field like a surgeon’s scalpel.

Her innings wasn’t all classy strokeplay, though — Gardner showed no hesitation in striding down the pitch to deposit spinners over mid-on and mid-off with disdain.

“It was really special. We had lost a few wickets at that stage and it was important that we didn’t get bogged down. So we took the attack to the opposition, and I suppose that gamble paid off,” Gardner said.

“We like to play with freedom. We know we bat deep, so we can take those chances. The ball wasn’t moving much, so we focused on running hard between the wickets,” the 28-year-old added.

Her 115 off just 83 balls, laced with 16 fours and a six, had the New Zealanders chasing leather all afternoon.

Much was expected of New Zealand — fresh from their T20 World Cup triumph last year — but the 50-over format proved a different challenge, demanding stamina over short bursts of brilliance.

The White Ferns made a horror start in their chase of 327, losing both openers for ducks, with Georgia Plimmer suffering the ignominy of a diamond duck — run out without facing a ball.

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Australia, seven-time champions, reminded everyone why they’re the team to beat — boasting not just batting depth, but also bowling variety and electric fielding. Two sharp run-outs summed up their clinical edge.

Sophie Devine, the New Zealand skipper bidding farewell after this campaign, waged a lone battle with a typically pugnacious 111 — her ninth ODI century.

Yet it was a case of a lone warrior fighting a lost cause, with little support from her teammates.

In the process, Devine also joined an elite club, becoming only the fourth New Zealander to surpass 4,000 ODI runs.

Leg-spinner Amelia Kerr also had a notable game, claiming her 100th ODI wicket, deceiving Phoebe Litchfield with a well-disguised googly to join an exclusive club of New Zealand bowlers.

Together with her elder sister Jess Kerr, the Kerrs accounted for five Australian wickets.