New Zealand v Australia: Key takeaways from New Zealand's incredible last-ball victory in Napier

Melinda Farrell

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New Zealand v Australia: Key takeaways from New Zealand's incredible last-ball victory in Napier image

New Zealand squeaked past Australia on the final ball in a Napier nail-biter to win the second T20 International by four wickets and level the three-match series at one-all.

Player of the match, Frankie Mackay, was in the thick of the action throughout the match, taking two wickets to help restrict Australia to 129/4 before scoring 46 and setting up a tight finish that was sealed by Maddy Green and Hannah Rowe.

MORE: Pace off the ball crucial as Australia ramp up preparations for the 2022 World Cup

Here are our key takeaways from the second T20 between New Zealand and Australia in Napier.

Australia 4/129 (Mooney 61*, Mackay 2/20) v New Zealand 6/131 (Mackay 46, Schutt 2/24)

A sharper New Zealand

It was a much-improved bowling and fielding performance from New Zealand.

Jess Kerr’s useful swing took the early wicket of Alyssa Healy, out slashing at a wide delivery and edging to wicketkeeper Katy Martin, who held onto a fine catch.



Sophie Devine was absent through illness and Amy Satterthwaite stepped into the captaincy, rotating her attack smartly.

This was a home side using familiar conditions well, on a wicket that proved tricky for batters to get a start.

New Zealand looked sharper in the field and managed to squeeze the Australians, particularly through the middle overs, never letting them get away. 

Gardner starved

After smashing Australia to victory in the first match of the series, Gardner came to the crease late in the innings, with just ten balls remaining.

With no time to set herself up she lasted just three balls, aiming for a mighty swipe across the line and top-edging Mackay for an easy catch.

Australia’s batting line up is bursting with talent and there are others who can score quickly on any given day, but Gardner’s ability to break open a game begs the question of whether she should have a floating role, allowing her to face more balls.

It may not have made any difference on this pitch but, with the depth of batting available, Australia have relatively little to lose by giving her more time in the middle.

Slow out of the blocks

With no Suzie Bates and no Sophie Devine, New Zealand looked light on top-order firepower.

On current evidence, Hayley Jensen has yet to show she provides the solution when opening the batting. In 35 T20 internationals she averages 8.53 at a strike rate of 79 and her highest score is 19.

She was out for a duck twice after making 13 runs in the opening match of New Zealand’s recent series against England and, on this occasion, made just three runs before falling victim to Ellyse Perry, adding to her 14 runs in the previous game.

The performances of other batters coming in lower down the order, such as Maddy Green, may put pressure on her position at the top of the order but the fitness question mark over Mackay may give her another opportunity.

Quick off the mark

Darcie Brown was the latest to roll off the Australian production line of impressive debutant fast bowlers and she did so in style.

Coming in for Tayla Vlaeminck, Brown picked up the baton and delivered an opening over in which she topped 120kph, found pleasing movement and closed it out with a terrific bouncer that brought smiles all round.

Her first three overs yielded just ten runs and although her final over was expensive, costing 16 runs, it did produce her first international wicket, the key scalp of a rampant Mackay.

There’s everything to suggest she will be a formidable part of Australia’s bowling stocks for years to come. 

Gutsy Mackay

A calf niggle had put Mackay’s place in doubt ahead of this match; that she played in spite of it made all the difference to New Zealand.

The fiercely competitive Mackay opened the bowling and took two wickets before opening the batting and accelerating New Zealand to within range of victory before she fell to Brown, having scored 46 off 39 balls.

It was a gutsy display. Mackay had never hit a six in T20 Internationals; batting virtually on one leg, she belted two over deep midwicket, the second of them an almighty mow that landed in the second tier of the stand.





In between boundary balls she hobbled and, at one stage, hopped her way between the wickets, her partnership with Amelia Kerr the key stand for New Zealand.

A tight finish

The advantage had swung back towards Australia with the departure of Mackay and Kerr but Green and Rowe rose to the challenge of getting New Zealand over the line in a tight and nervy finish.

The pair kept the score within reach by rotating the strike, running hard and unleashing the occasional boundary.

With nine needed off the final over, Meg Lanning tossed the ball to Nicola Carey. That she didn’t turn to proven match-winner Ellyse Perry, who bowled just one over, suggested that perhaps Australia is allowing her to ease back into international cricket after a year out with a hamstring injury.

Carey did little wrong, bowling full and straight, and it was a streaky finish; an inside bottom edge flashing past the stumps on its way to the fine leg boundary. 



 

Melinda Farrell

Melinda Farrell Photo

Melinda Farrell is a senior cricket writer for The Sporting News Australia.