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Aussie duo’s blazing bats ruin Kiwis’ high hopes of taking first T20 women’s match

Sweet victory: Australia's women celebrate the fall of wicket before going on to set a world batting record.

Sweet victory: Australia's women celebrate the fall of wicket before going on to set a world batting record. Photo: AAP/Steve Christo

Australia’s won’t curb their attacking instincts and are unlikely to tinker with their batting line-up, despite a top order collapse in the first women’s T20 match against New Zealand.

Chasing 163 at North Sydney Oval on Saturday, Australia crashed to 4-45 in the sixth over..

An unbroken fifth wicket stand of 119 between captain Meg Lanning (56) and deputy Rachael Haynes (69) powered them to a six-wicket win with 14 balls to spare.

The stand set a new world record for women’s T20 and shattered what  the White Ferns’ supporters regarded as the prelude to victory.

Australia got off to a shaky start, with Beth Mooney and Ashleigh Gardner both caught in the deep, as Australia came out with all bats blazing.

Veterans Lanning and Haynes steadied the ship after coming in at five and six respectively and champion allrounder Ellyse Perry never even got to the crease.

Haynes, who captained the side last summer when Lanning was injured, doubted whether either of them would be moved up the order.

“No I think we’ll back our batting line-up, that’s probably one of our strengths, that we do bat quite deep in our order,” Haynes said.

“But I think everyone who comes in, we want them to play with aggression and play with a really positive style and intent.

“I think tonight was a bit of a blueprint of what we want to come .”
Haynes on Saturday notched her highest international T20 score.

Asked if she as in the best form of her career, Haynes said “Yeah, I’m a lot more relaxed about the whole thing to be honest.

“When I was younger I was a bit too intense and didn’t take the time to enjoy it and now when I play, i just want to enjoy it.”

She described the efforts of spinner Sophie Molineux as outstanding after the young Victorian allrounder conceded just 21 runs off her four overs.

Haynes said Australia’s bowlers needed to tidy up their execution for Monday’s second match in Brisbane , especially after conceding 36 runs off their last two overs on Saturday.

New Zealand coach Haidee Tiffen was also looking for better execution from her bowlers, and for her batters to start their late innings charge earlier than they did on Saturday and have fewer dot balls.

She will also look for highly rated teenage spinner Amelia Kerr to bounce back after conceding 24 off two overs, the worst economy rate of her T20 international career.

-AAP

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