ICC Women’s World Cup: New Zealand v Australia – live! | Sport

10th over: Australia 37-1 (Meg Lanning 0, Rachael Haynes 18)

The Australians start with a very quick single, followed by a dot and then another very quick single. They look like they’re getting into their groove now, but Healy tries to go too big too soon and gives away her wicket. Lanning comes to crease and aims to steady the ship.

A mis-timed slog from Healy proves her downfall and she sends an easy catch to Amelia Kerr at deep mid-wicket.

9th over: Australia 35-0 (Alyssa Healy 14, Rachael Haynes 17)

Hayley Jensen comes in to bowl now and starts with a wide, but isn’t deterred. Her next delivery from Ella is still a little leg side-ish but Haynes just takes a single from it and gives Jensen a look at Healy. Healy plays out a couple of dots to get her eye in her and then flicks a ball to fine leg for a single. Jensen gives away a no ball late in the over and offers up a free hit to Haynes, but her line and length of her are good enough that she’s not punished for it. However the very next ball Haynes opens up with a lovely pull shot that is misfielded by Rowe and goes over the boundary for four.

8th over: Australia 27-0 (Alyssa Healy 13, Rachael Haynes 12)

Frankie Mackay comes into the attack now and Haynes immediately gets her away for a single. Healy plays her more cautiously, feeling her way in with the new bowler and plays out five dots.

7th over: Australia 26-0 (Alyssa Healy 13, Rachael Haynes 11)

Jess Kerr starts the over with a wide – the first of the match – but doesn’t let the over get away from her and gets straight back into her in-swinging, full deliveries that have proved so hard to score from. Haynes looks to be in an attacking mindset, always looking for runs as soon as she makes contact with the ball, but Kerr ensures they’re hard to come by. Healy finishes the over with a confident boundary from a front foot flick over fine leg.

6th over: Australia 20-0 (Alyssa Healy 9, Rachael Haynes 10)

Healy finds a bit more space against Rowe immediately and picks up three runs to start the over and Haynes follows it up with a nicely timed drive to almost make it to the boundary, but some superb fielding from NZ keeps it to two runs. Rowe has been a bit loose with her early deliveries, but she pulls her line back late in the over with three dots to finish.

5th over: Australia 14-0 (Alyssa Healy 6, Rachael Haynes 8)

Jess Kerr is finding some beautiful length this over and Haynes is doing her best to dig the ball out, but hasn’t been able to get it past the field early in the over. Kerr maintains her line and length and finishes with a valuable maiden.

4th over: Australia 14-0 (Alyssa Healy 6, Rachael Haynes 8)

Close to a wicket from the first ball of this over from Rowe as Healy flirts with a ball outside off, but misses edging it to the keeper. She plays out one more dot ball, before two quick singles for each of the batters to keep the strike rotating. It’s a nice, tight over from Rowe, but NZ will be looking to take a wicket soon and not let these two settle into the game.

3rd over: Australia 12-0 (Alyssa Healy 5, Rachael Haynes 7)

Jess Kerr continues and Healy starts with a confident stroke, but it can’t beat the field. Katey Martin comes up to the stumps to try to cramp Healy up a bit, but it doesn’t pay off and she immediately opens her scoring with a boundary past long on. It’s an interesting battle between the two teams so far – still plenty of dot balls, but Healy and Haynes are making sure to not let the pressure build too much with regular scoring.

2nd over: Australia 7-0 (Alyssa Healy 0, Rachael Haynes 7)

Hannah Rowe opens from the other end and her first ball is a bit too straight and Haynes flicks it past a fine leg for the first boundary of the match. Rowe tightens it up and pulls back the scoring with five dots – a very similar pattern to the previous over.

1st over: Australia 3-0 (Alyssa Healy 0, Rachael Haynes 3)

Jess Kerr opening the bowling for NZ, with the breeze behind her. A good start from Haynes and aggressive running right from the start to get off the mark with three. Healy is more guarded and cautious against the in-swing of Kerr, playing out five dots to start her innings.

A very interesting line up from Australia, who have gone with their two leg spinners in Alana King and Amanda-Jade Wellington for this one. This means Jess Jonassen misses out, but Ash Gardner has returned from Covid isolation to add some off spin to the attack. On the batting side of things, Australia will be hoping for a repeat performance from Alyssa Healy who scored an impressive 72 against Pakistan. Australia bat deep, with even King at eight capable of smashing some quick runs. So they will be looking to put on a big score in this first innings and take the game out of New Zealand’s reach before they even pick up their bats.

New Zealand have won the toss and chosen to bowl. No surprises there, if you win the toss against Meg Lanning, you make her do what she’s not comfortable with.