T20 Cricket followers know that Australia and New Zealand may be neighbors but they are huge rivals, and Australia got to cheer today as they beat the Kiwis by 33 runs. The Kiwis tried hard, and especially in the middle overs, went for it, but they were bowled out for 120 on the 18th over. The Australians, on the other hand, managed 7/153 in 20 overs.
T20 Kiwi Women's team have a hard path
The loss to Australia by the Kiwis puts them on a hard path. The Guardian notes that India would have to crash out against Ireland for the Kiwis to have any chance going forward.
That probably won't happen, but there are the vagaries of any sport to contend with. So, it just might not be over for them yet - which would be bad news for the bookmakers. The Kiwi team seemed to be all over the place during the match, expending a lot of energy, but never really settling in.
Australia got a good start to the match with Beth Mooney and Alyssa Healy. Healy managed to snaffle 53 runs while Mooney got 26. The joint 71 run tally came to an end when Mooney was caught in the 9th over. But Healy again put the pace on, racking up her half-century fast, just days after managing the fastest T20 half-century against Ireland.
But we'll give her a new graphic anyway!
— ICC World Twenty20 (@WorldT20) November 14, 2018
Alyssa Healy is playing out of her mind right now 🔥 #WT20 #AUSvNZ pic.twitter.com/HKT5UXhqcZ
Australian middle order as Kiwis fight back
The Kiwis fought back after Healy, Mooney and Meg Lanning went out and the Australian middle order was well contained.
Elyse Villani never really managed to get the flow and was out for 14. Ash Gardner was gone for 10 and Ellyse Perry only managed three runs. But thankfully, Rachel Hayne managed to hang on and brought the Aussies back on track to win with 29 off 18 balls.
At the end of the day, Radio NZ noted that New Zealand will be counting the costs of the missed opportunity to take Healy out after "dropping her off a straightforward chance to Amelia Kerr at cover when she was on 11." Those extra runs could have put the Kiwis in contention.
A third successive fifty for Alyssa Healy against the @WHITE_FERNS helped Australia along to a solid total!
— Australian Women's Cricket Team 🏏 (@SouthernStars) November 14, 2018
We'll be back to defend 153 in Guyana very soon... đź‘Š
Tune in LIVE on @FoxCricket and @9Gem ! pic.twitter.com/n96WeugSGb
India and Australia
India will meet Australia on the weekend and that game could be tense.
But to secure their spot Inda has to beat Ireland. Assuming they will beat Ireland, who previously lost to Australia, GQ India noted that India beat New Zealand by almost the same runs in the opening game as Australia did today. They took that game with a 34-run victory. India will hope that a clear run at Ireland will bring them in a strong position against Australia.
India, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and Pakistan make up Group B. South Africa, England, Bangladesh, the West Indies, and Sri Lanka make up Group A in the Women's World T20.