Day 10 Talking Points: Gardner a big-hitting weapon, Green gets airborne and the future is now for Brown

Basin Reserve, Wellington - 13 March 2022

MATCH CENTRE | MATCH REPORT

Australia's top order shared the big scores in the opening two matches but it was the middle order that stepped up after their side fell to 56/3 in the 16th over against New Zealand.

Ellyse Perry (68) played a sublime innings firstly supported by Beth Mooney (30) and then Tahlia McGrath (57 off 56 balls), with the latter often taking the aerial route as she plundered eight boundaries.

But all were overshadowed by a blistering late cameo from star all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner who scored 48 runs off only 18 balls with four boundaries that included a clever fine cut.

The 24-year-old was playing her first match of the tournament after coming out of quarantine but started with a boundary from the first delivery she faced and only allowed three dot balls in her innings.

Gardner also added some huge and powerful hitting to the line-up with four sixes that could be the weapon in the final overs that takes Australia all the way in CWC22.

It took a special effort to remove the in-form Perry and it would be no surprise that Maddy Green was the one to deliver.

When Perry lofted a shot back over bowler Lea Tahuhu’s head the skilled fielder Green had plenty of ground to make up to reach the ball before it took one bounce and went over the boundary.

Just as it looked like Green would fall short of the chance she dived high to have both feet off the ground and arms spread forward as she somehow wrapped both hands around the ball and hung onto a spectacular catch.

Mooney later staked her own claim for catch of the day when diving to her right from second slip to remove the key wicket of Amelia Kerr for only one run, on another day that highlighted the outstanding catching at CWC22.

Australia might have wondered where the wickets would come from when Jess Jonassen, the No.1 bowler in the MRF Tyres Women’s ODI Rankings, was left out of the starting XI.

But Darcie Brown had little trouble stepping into those sizeable shoes as she made the most of being given the new ball and selected to bowl with the breeze to show that she can be an influential member of a formidable attack at CWC22 as well as being one for the future.

The 19-year-old fast bowler claimed the crucial wickets of Amelia Kerr and Suzie Bates to help set the tone for a devastating display from the Australian bowlers and ended the day with 3/22 off seven overs in just her sixth ODI.

Brown’s three wickets came from a variety of deliveries, with movement in the air removing Kerr, extra bounce beating Bates and a reliable line and length too good for Frances Mackay. It was a mix that opposition batters around the cricket world will have to get used to.