Litchfield rescues Australia after Gardner’s disastrous pre-game injury

After a severe wobble against New Zealand in Mackay, Australia triumphed thanks to a brilliant half-century from Phoebe Litchfield. However, the victory was marred by an odd head knock to Ashleigh Gardner prior to the game, which resulted in her being ruled out as a precaution due to her history of concussions.

The throw was postponed because Gardner and teammate Georgia Wareham clashed while playing a colourful warm-up game in which players had to throw and catch vortices. Players collided as they attempted to capture Sophie Molineux’s vortex. Gardner, who is said to have passed her initial concussion test, performed poorly and was removed from the team. Kim Garth (knee) and Grace Harris (calf) were ruled out of the series completely, but both are anticipated to be eligible for the T20 World Cup in 2024. Heather Graham was called in.

With skipper Sophie Devine left out owing to a foot problem that had troubled her during the women’s Hundred, New Zealand experienced their own shocking withdrawal. Captain Suzie Bates assumed command.

The night was Phoebe Litchfield, despite the controversy surrounding the injuries.

After 6.1 overs, with Australia at 44 for 3, needing to reach 144, she unleashed a nearly faultless 64 not out from 43 balls with 11 boundaries, leading her team home with five wickets remaining and eight balls remaining. When Molly Penfold, a standout bowler for New Zealand, took her second wicket in a session of 2 for 24 in the 12th over, Australia had collapsed to 85 for 4. Wareham provided her with superb assistance in a 50-run stand.

Earlier, New Zealand’s innings never really managed to escape the constraints placed upon it, and Australia’s bowlers split the spoils, with all six of them taking a wicket. Both Bates (33 from 27) and Maddy Green (35 from 33) passed 30 but were unable to continue. Australia’s fielding was lacking, as captain Alyssa Healy let up 12 byes despite their economical bowling attack.

However, they were still strong enough to win and make it eight games in a row that New Zealand’s unwelcome women’s T20I losing record continues.

Variety is the powerplay spice of Australia.

Healy stated that Australia will not try new things in this series and that they would definitely need variation in their World Cup bowling strategy. New Zealand struggled to score in the powerplay, finishing at 35 for 2, largely due to the swing and skill of Megan Schutt, the extra pace of Tayla Vlaeminck, and the cunning of Molineux.

The predicament of Georgia Plimmer on a global scale persisted. She struck a boundary once in a run-a-ball eleven, but she was in a panic at the crease and ultimately miscuted a hesitant cut shot to backward point. After a slow start, Bates eventually settled into a rhythm, hitting two boundaries from Vlaeminck over mid-on and midwicket. On the other hand, she had no backup. Molineux’s opening delivery was a slog sweep that Amelia Kerr mishandled, right to mid-on. When Wareham attempted a calculated paddle, Brooke Halliday missed a rank full toss.

Graham, a late addition, took a wicket as Healy skilfully shuffled her bowlers. Only Vlaeminck was exceptionally costly; Molineux and Schutt were extraordinarily thrifty. Green, who made a busy 35 off 33 balls to ensure that New Zealand posted something they could defend, found it difficult to reach the rope. Litchfield exceeded that mark on her own in the run chase, while the visitors managed just 10 boundaries overall. Jess Kerr and Leigh Kasperek ended up at the same end of the final over, which marked the disastrous run out that terminated New Zealand’s innings.

Penfold induces fear

The day prior to the start of the series, Devine had pointed out Penfold’s enormous ceiling as a fast bowler, both literally and figuratively, and she displayed her amazing skill by going 2 for 24 to terrorise Australia. Fran Jonas gave a careless opening over for twelve runs, but Penfold quickly and energetically brought Australia back. With a cracking bumper that hurried her, she claimed Beth Mooney and brushed the glove. after that, made blunders at the other end and pinned Healy and Ellyse Perry down with six dot balls. Australia was down 44 for 3 after 6.1 overs when Healy misplayed Kasperek to cover and Perry lost her leg stump trying to set up Lea Tahuhu’s first ball.

With an outstanding 2 for 24 from four overs, Penfold came back to dismiss Tahlia McGrath in the 12th over, giving New Zealand a fleeting chance to break their seven-match losing skid. She did, however, run out of overs after failing to take the vital breakthrough, despite hitting four dot balls to Litchfield, who won the match.

Mackay is lit up by Litchfield

In an interview on Tuesday, Litchfield expressed uncertainty about her spot in Australia’s starting lineup for the World Cup. It’s possible that she made history by saving Australia with an incredible innings. It was not until Litchfield went to the crease that any hitter in the game had attained any fluency on a two-paced surface.

Her first boundary was a stroke of luck; at short third, she beat Jess Kerr with a thick edge. Her incredible skill and bravery were demonstrated in her following three, though. She successfully lap-scooped Tahuhu in the same sweep, carved her over cover, then mauled her over mid-on to relieve any pressure during the pursuit. After losing McGrath, she saw out the threat posed by Penfold by smashing three more boundaries against spin in the next two overs.

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With that, she pulled out the entire repertoire from her trick bag. After two consecutive reverse sweeps off Kasperek found the rope, she hammered Penfold through a square leg and reached her second T20I half-century in thirty-two balls. In a crucial 50-run stand, Wareham contributed with a superb 26 off 20. Litchfield completed the task with elegance, utilising a reverse sweep up and over cover.