Australia Women Dominate New Zealand Women by 82 Runs

On March 23, 2025, the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui played host to a lopsided affair as Australia Women thrashed New Zealand Women by 82 runs in the second T20I of their three-match series. This commanding victory handed Australia an unassailable 2-0 lead, marking their first-ever T20I series triumph on New Zealand soil—a historic milestone for the world’s top-ranked women’s T20 team. Powered by Beth Mooney’s scintillating batting, Annabel Sutherland’s devastating bowling, and a clinical all-round performance, Australia underscored their dominance, leaving the White Ferns searching for answers on a day that showcased the gulf between the two sides.

Australia captain Tahlia McGrath won the toss and opted to bat first on a pristine Mount Maunganui surface known for favoring high scores. The decision proved inspired as openers Beth Mooney and Georgia Voll launched a ferocious assault, setting the tone for what would become an insurmountable total. The duo plundered 57 runs in the first 5.1 overs, with Voll’s blistering 36 off 20 balls—including six fours—providing the early fireworks. Her aggressive intent, particularly against the new ball, echoed her 51 from the first T20I in Auckland, reinforcing her reputation as a rising star.

Mooney, celebrating her 111th T20I, took over seamlessly after Voll’s departure, caught off Rosemary Mair. The veteran opener crafted a masterful 70 off 42 balls, her fourth 70-plus score in her last five T20Is. With ten boundaries and a six, Mooney’s innings was a blend of elegance and power—lofted cover drives mixed with pick-up shots over midwicket. She anchored the innings, forming a 69-run stand with Phoebe Litchfield (32 off 29), before Ellyse Perry (29 not out off 18) and Annabel Sutherland (23 not out off 12) applied the finishing touches. The pair’s unbeaten 52-run partnership in the final five overs propelled Australia to a formidable 204 for 3—their highest T20I total against New Zealand.

New Zealand’s bowlers struggled to find answers. Lea Tahuhu (1 for 36) and Amelia Kerr (1 for 27) offered some resistance, but Jess Kerr (0 for 47) and Eden Carson (0 for 36) bore the brunt of Australia’s onslaught. Sophie Devine, bowling the 20th over, conceded 14 runs, including a lovely four from Sutherland over the keeper’s head. The White Ferns’ fielding lapses and inability to stem the flow of boundaries left them staring at a record chase—205 runs, well beyond their previous best T20I chase of 171.

Chasing 205 was always going to be a tall order for New Zealand, the reigning T20 World Cup champions, but their batting imploded in spectacular fashion. Australia’s bowlers, led by Annabel Sutherland, tore through the top order with ruthless precision. Alana King, replacing the injured Ashleigh Gardner, struck first, removing Suzie Bates (4) in the third over, caught at mid-off. Sutherland then unleashed a spell for the ages, claiming three wickets in her first seven balls—Georgia Plimmer (6), Amelia Kerr (40 off 36), and Brooke Halliday (1)—to leave New Zealand reeling at 19 for 4 in the fourth over.

Sutherland’s figures of 4 for 8 from 2.1 overs were the best ever by an Australian in a women’s T20I in New Zealand, her back-of-a-length deliveries nipping back to dismantle the stumps of Kerr and, later, Eden Carson (4). King complemented her with 3 for 27, dismissing Sophie Devine (11) and Maddy Green (10), while Darcie Brown (2 for 23) cleaned up the tail with two wickets in the 16th over. Georgia Wareham (1 for 15) chipped in with Jess Kerr’s scalp, ensuring no respite for the hosts.

Amelia Kerr provided the lone spark for New Zealand, crafting a defiant 40 off 36 balls with five boundaries. But her effort was a solitary beacon in an otherwise dismal batting display—no other batter crossed 22, and the White Ferns folded for 122 in 16.1 overs. The collapse was stark: after Kerr’s exit at 96 for 6, the final four wickets fell for just 26 runs, with Sutherland’s final blow—uprooting Carson’s off stump—sealing an 82-run drubbing.

Beth Mooney (70 off 42): Named Player of the Match, Mooney’s fourth fifty-plus score in five T20Is anchored Australia’s total. Her 42-ball knock, with a strike rate of 166.66, set an unattainable target and underlined her status as one of the game’s premier batters.
Annabel Sutherland (4 for 8): The all-rounder’s career-best T20I figures decimated New Zealand’s top order, her three wickets in seven balls effectively ending the contest by the powerplay’s end.
Alana King (3 for 27): Stepping in for Gardner, King’s early breakthrough and middle-over strikes ensured New Zealand never recovered.
New Zealand’s Early Collapse: Losing four wickets for 19 runs in the first four overs crushed any hope of a chase, exposing their frailty against Australia’s pace and spin.

Tahlia McGrath, jubilant at securing the series, praised her team’s all-round effort: “Beth gave us a fantastic start, and all five batters contributed. Bellsy [Sutherland] was outstanding with the ball—it’s a great feeling to win here.” Sophie Devine, visibly deflated, admitted the gulf in quality: “We were outplayed today. Credit to Australia—they batted brilliantly, and we couldn’t match them. We’ve got to regroup quickly.”

The 82-run margin was Australia’s largest victory by runs against New Zealand in T20Is, surpassing their previous best of 60 runs from the 2024 T20 World Cup. It also marked their ninth consecutive T20I win over the White Ferns, a streak dating back to 2018. For New Zealand, the defeat was a sobering reminder of their struggles against the world No. 1 side, despite their World Cup triumph in October 2024. Only Amelia Kerr showed fight, but the lack of support from senior players like Devine and Bates (who managed just 4) highlighted the hosts’ batting woes.

Australia’s depth was on full display. Mooney’s consistency—she now has 26 T20I fifties and two centuries—paired with Voll’s emergence (87 runs across two matches) gives their top order a formidable edge. Sutherland’s all-round brilliance (46 runs and 7 wickets in the series so far) and King’s impact as a replacement underscored their squad strength. Even without Gardner, sidelined by a finger injury, Australia barely missed a beat.

With the series secured, Australia head to Wellington for the third T20I on March 26, aiming for a 3-0 whitewash. New Zealand, meanwhile, face a steep challenge to salvage pride and regain momentum ahead of their home season’s conclusion. The White Ferns’ bowlers must find ways to curb Australia’s batting juggernaut, while their top order desperately needs runs to avoid another rout.

For now, Mount Maunganui stands as a testament to Australia’s supremacy. This 82-run thrashing wasn’t just a win—it was a statement from a team intent on reasserting their dominance, series by series, on the road to defending their T20 World Cup crown. For fans, it was a dazzling display of cricket at its finest, with Australia’s stars shining brightest under the Kiwi sun.