KEY POINTS:
New Zealand's women cricketers added to a weekend of rare domination over Australia in trans-Tasman sports on Sunday.
Aimee Mason scored 102 and took three for 15 as New Zealand walloped Australia by 35 runs to level the Rose Bowl cricket series 1-1 in Darwin.
It closely followed the New Zealand Warriors' 28-16 victory over Wests Tigers in Sydney and the Wellington Phoenix's 3-0 win over Australian soccer league's glamour team Sydney FC in the Pre-Season Cup in Wellington.
The 5-0 pummelling of the Australians was started by the All Blacks Bledisloe Club/Tri-Nations 26-12 rugby test win over the Wallabies in Auckland last night.
The Silver Ferns overcame some confusing time-keeping to stun Australia 67-65 in extra time after trailing by 10 goals to level the three-test netball series 1-1. The final test will be played in Adelaide on Tuesday.
Mason's century at Gardens Oval in Sydney followed up by her three wickets overshadowed the international debut of Sydney teenager Ellyse Perry, who at 16 years, 261 days became the youngest Australian cricketer of all time.
Perry became the 109th woman to play one-day international cricket for Australia and had a solid day -- taking two for 37 from eight overs -- including the first wicket of the match -- and a handy 19 with the bat in the lower order.
But opener Mason career-high 102, including 13 fours, from 128 balls pushed behind the White Ferns' disappointing batting effort yesterday, when they lost by sevens wickets, and built their total throughout the middle overs of their innings.
Mason's previous highest in 57 matches was 71 and her score was the only one higher than Sara McGlashan's 28 for the side for the challenging total of 209. Australia managed just 174, with Mason capturing the wickets of Shelley Nitschke (24), Kate Blackwell (0) and Sarah Edwards (2).
Sarah Tsukigawa took three for 27 off five overs and Sophie Devine two for 47 in her 10 overs.
The third one-day international in the Rose Bowl Series will be staged on Wednesday at Gardens Oval.
- NZPA
