Ashleigh Gardner’s superb century ensured Australia began the defence of their ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup crown with victory over New Zealand.
Gardner’s sparkling 83-ball 115 carried the reigning champions to 326 and the White Ferns fell 89 runs short despite a superb run-a-ball 112 from Sophie Devine, who made a fine individual start to her final 50-over World Cup.
She was one of three scalps in a deadly Annabel Sutherland over as Australia wrapped up victory with 6.4 overs to spare.
Having opted to bat first, Australia made their intentions clear from the outset with a flurry of early boundaries.
Alyssa Healy fell in search of another, giving Bree Illing a maiden World Cup wicket, but Phoebe Litchfield continued the assault and helped her side to 81 for one at the end of the powerplay.
Litchfield departed from the very next ball, which was also the first of Amelia Kerr’s tournament, as New Zealand began to fight back.
Kerr also dismissed Sutherland while Lea Tahuhu accounted for Ellyse Perry and Beth Mooney as Australia slipped to 128 for five in the 22nd over.
From there, Gardner seized the initiative. She added 66 with Tahlia McGrath before bringing up her half-century with a six off Kerr, and continued to punish anything loose.
A boundary from the first ball of the 46th over made her the first centurion of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025, Gardner reaching the landmark from 77 balls, but her excellent knock was ended when she was caught behind off Illing for 115.
Jess Garth’s departure following a valuable 38 brought Jess Kerr’s third wicket and saw the innings wrapped up with three balls unused as Australia posted their highest women’s ODI score against New Zealand.
The White Ferns’ reply got off to a nightmare start as they lost both openers before a run was on the board. Georgia Plimmer was run out without facing a ball before Suzie Bates was clean bowled by Sophie Molineux.
Devine and Amelia Kerr steadied the ship, adding 75 for the third wicket before Kerr chipped Alana King to Litchfield at extra cover on 33. The same duo then combined to remove the dangerous Brooke Halliday, who holed out seeking a third consecutive boundary.
Devine showed no let-up, having received a life when a diving Gardner failed to hold a tough chance running in from deep mid-wicket. Four consecutive boundaries off Darcie Brown took her into the nineties, though she lost the company of Maddy Green after a mix-up led to another run out.
Isabella Gaze followed for an 18-ball 28 before New Zealand’s stalwart reached three figures in style, launching Gardner over deep mid-wicket for six to keep her side in the hunt.
Sutherland extinguished lingering Kiwi hopes with a triple breakthrough, however, finding a way through Devine’s defences before dismissing Jess Kerr and Eden Carson in successive deliveries.
Molineux sealed the victory with her third wicket as Illing was caught behind, ensuring the seven-time winners started this campaign on a high.
Scores in brief
Australia v New Zealand, Holkar Stadium, Indore
Australia 326 all out in 49.3 overs (Ashleigh Gardner 115, Phoebe Litchfield 45; Lea Tahuhu 3/42, Jess Kerr 3/59)
New Zealand 237 all out in 43.2 overs (Sophie Devine 112, Amelia Kerr 33; Sophie Molineux 3/25; Annabel Sutherland 3/26)
Result: Australia win by 89 runs
Starshine
Sport Trivia: Who was the first woman swimmer to win both the 100m and 200m breaststroke at the Olympics? Answer: Penny Heyns. She won both the 100m and 200m breaststroke events at the 1996 Olympics, the first woman to do so. She broke the world and Olympic records for the 100m breaststroke and broke the Olympic record for the 200m breaststroke. In 1999 she held 5 out of a possible 6 world breaststroke records, the first time this had ever been achieved (50m, 100m and 200m, plus same distances in 25m short course pool) — the one she \”missed\” was the 200m short course.
Feline Devil
The oldest cricketer to play the game is England’s Wilfred Rhodes while the oldest living Test cricketer is South Africa’s John Watkins. Rhodes was 52 years old while Watkins (born 1923) is in his late 90s. Rhodes also holds a distinction in first class cricket, taking down over 4,000 wickets.