Cricket: White Ferns sweep Aussies

SYDNEY - A superior batting performance and economical bowling from Suzie Bates enabled New Zealand to complete a Rose Bowl Twenty20 cricket sweep over Australia in Tasmania last night.

New Zealand's resurgence after a 0-5 drubbing in the one-day series continued at Hobart's Bellerive Oval as they defended an imposing 141 for seven by limiting Australia to 137 for seven in reply.

Bates, recalled for this series after missing the ODIs due to basketball commitments, again struggled with the bat but her two for 18 from four overs was pivotal as New Zealand added a seven-run victory to a two-run win in the series opener and yesterday's comfortable five-wicket margin.

Australia needed 14 from the last over, entrusted to Bates, and got only half way while losing two wickets.

Kate Pulford secured the key scalp in the 15th over when opener Shelley Nitschke was caught in the gully by Sophie Devine for 56 from just 45 deliveries, leaving the middle and lower order to find 43 from 34 balls.

Maria Fahey, one of three changes to the side that wrapped up the series with a five-wicket win yesterday, anchored the New Zealand innings with 42 from 48 deliveries.

She shared a 65-run stand for the second wicket with Watkins who contributed a canny 33 from 32 with just two boundaries.

Watkins and Fahey scored relatively sedately until left arm spinner Nitschke joined the attack in the 14th over.

Fahey clipped her first offering to the ropes - a sign of things to come for Nitschke who copped plenty of punishment in taking two for 52 from her four over allocation.

Nitschke's second over summed up her night with the ball - the dangerous Devine was dropped at mid off and celebrated by clubbing two sixes before she was run out.

The allrounder's 17 from six was followed by quickfire cameos by Sara McGlashan and Pulford as Nitschke's accuracy wavered and Australia's fielding deteriorated. Crucially, New Zealand piled on 87 runs in their final 10 overs.

Pace bowler Rene Farrell (2-25) was the pick of the Australian bowlers while teenage quick Ellyse Perry was economical again, her four overs costing 18.

The teams now head to New Zealand for two Twenty20 matches as curtain raisers to the men's matches in Wellington on Friday and Christchurch two days later.

They also play three one-day matches in Queenstown and Invercargill.

- NZPA