Lanning, Haynes' record stand powers Australia to easy win

Australia pulled off an excellent come-from-behind 6-wicket win over New Zealand in the first Twenty20 International at the picturesque North Sydney Oval on Saturday (September 29).

The hosts were reduced to 45 for 4 in the sixth over chasing a challenging target of 163, but captain Meg Lanning and vice-captain Rachael Haynes strung in a record fifth-wicket stand for Australia in T20Is to stun the visitors. From a precarious position to cruising home with 14 balls to spare, was a remarkable turnaround.

Earlier, Australia opted to bowl and Ellyse Perry got them off to a good start, by removing Suzie Bates with the first ball of her spell and also ensured a wicket-maiden. Sophie Devine and Jess Watkin took their time and then changed gears to set a good platform.

Just as the 43-run stand looked threatening, a lazy effort from Watkin to get back into the crease after overbalancing on the flick shot meant Alyssa Healy had an easy leg-side stumping off a wide. The 19-year old Georgia Wareham, who made her debut, was hammered for 15 runs from the only over she bowled but ended up with the wicket of Watkin.

Nine balls later, Devine was controversially given out caught at backward point - Beth Mooney look a low grab and the case was sent upstairs for perusal with the on-field soft signal being not out. However, despite the ball appearing to have bounced just from the fielder's hands and there being no conclusive evidence that it was a clean catch, the third umpire pressed the OUT button.

Australia took control of the game with Amy Satterthwaite too departing for 2, but Katey Martin managed to steady the innings with a 42-run stand for the fifth wicket. New Zealand looked dull with the scoreboard reading 126 for 5 in 18 overs and then came a spectacular display of power-hitting at the death from Martin and Bernadine Bezuidenhout.

Bezuidenhout was on 4 off 8 balls and struggling to connect early on, but she whacked back-to-back sixes over mid-wicket in the penultimate over to lift the mood of the visitors. Katey Martin then finished the innings off in style with a six and two fours off the final three balls of the innings to help New Zealand finish with 162 - 36 runs were scored off the last two overs.

In the chase, Australia were off the blocks quickly with a 13-run first over from Lea Tahuhu, but Leigh Kasperek had Beth Mooney caught in the next over to delight New Zealand. Devine next delivered a killer over trapping Alyssa Healy and Elyse Villani plumb in front in a space of three balls to rock the Aussie batting line-up.

Lanning then made a big statement by smashing Amelia Kerr for three fours off four balls as if to say her side was hardly bothered by the early wickets. New Zealand further pegged the hosts back by dismissing Ashleigh Gardner to make it 45 for 4.

Haynes joined her captain but wasted no time to pick up a couple of boundaries, while Lanning herself played smart cricket nudging the ball in the gaps. Haynes though had a clear mind and attacked all the bowlers and expertly escaped the fielders. She spoiled Devine's bowling figures by taking her for four fours in her final over as she got to her second T20I fifty off just 31 balls.

Eventually, Lanning too reached her fifty as the unbeaten 119-run fifth wicket stand overpowered the target in the 18th over on what was a beautiful batting pitch. Haynes, was named Player of the Match for her 40-ball 69 - also her highest score in the shortest format. The two sides will meet again on Monday at the Allan Border Field for the second of the three T20Is.

Brief scores: New Zealand 162/5 in 20 overs (Katey Martin 56*, Sophie Devine 43; Ashleigh Gardner 2-22) lost to Australia 164/4 in 17.4 overs (Rachael Haynes 69 not out, Meg Lanning 56 not out; Sophie Devine 2-31, Leigh Kasperek 2-28) by six wickets.