New Zealand Development 249-8 from 49.4 overs (Down 82, Newton 36, Silver-Holmes 3-43) defeated Australia Under 19 248 all out from 49.3 overs (Sutherland 103, Litchfield 31, Watkin 4-35) by 2 wickets at Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Lincoln.
Heroics from Auckland’s Skye Bowden have led the New Zealand Development women to a thrilling final over win against Australia U19 at Bert Sutcliffe Oval this afternoon.
The visitors won the toss and elected to bat first as openers Josie Dooley and Tahlia Wilson got off to a strong start, putting on 45 runs in the opening nine overs.
The NZ Development team had made two changes to the team that won on Tuesday – bowlers Skye Bowden and Jessica Simmons replaced Georgia Atkinson and Bella Armstrong – and it was Bowden who made the first breakthrough, removing Wilson for 17 and then Rachel Trenamen three balls later for a duck.
Northern Districts’ Katie Anderson grabbed her first wicket of the series five overs later as Dooley’s opening stand was broken for 30 and Maddy Darke came and went for 17 after a good catch from Thamsyn Newton off the bowling of Jacinta Savage.
Annabel Sutherland was still there though and alongside Phoebe Litchfield began to build a big partnership worth 88 runs which took Australia’s total to a healthy 194 with 10 overs remaining.
Litchfield was eventually removed by NZ Development captain Jess Watkin for 31, but Sutherland pushed on to an impressive 100 off 110 balls which included ten boundaries.
Her innings was finally brought to and end by Savage for 103 with the scores at 6/230, and with five overs remaining Australia looked set for a big total.
But Jess Watkin had other ideas, ripping through the Australian tail, taking three wickets and a run-out to restrict Australia to just 18 runs in the final five overs, finishing with figures of 4/35 – Australia all out for 248.
Auckland’s Lauren Down, who made an impressive 86 on Tuesday, led the NZ Development chase once again with a well-made 82 off 98 balls.
She was the first wicket to fall in an eventful 36th over where Hayley Silver-Holmes got Down and then Polly Inglis three balls later for a duck to leave NZ Development 4/185.
And Silver-Holmes wasn’t done there – she got Wellington’s Thamsyn Newton for 36 off the first ball of her next over, finding herself on a hat-trick ball, which was well blocked out by Katie Anderson.
At 5/186, and still requiring 63 from the remaining 12 overs, Anderson and Savage dug deep and built a brave 55-run partnership to edge their side closer to victory.
Canterbury’s Savage played the anchor as Anderson took to the Australian bowlers in the final overs.
But when Savage fell for 20 in a Hannah Darlington over that went for just one run, NZ Development found themselves still needing seven off the final over.
The Australians had their tails up and when Arlene Kelly was stumped off the first ball of the 50th they looked set for an unlikely win.
Anderson pushed a risky single and was run-out two balls later leaving NZ Development still requiring six off the final three balls.
Enter Skye Bowden who had safely negotiated her first ball earlier in the over, only to smash her second straight over cow corner for six to seal a two-wicket victory and a series win for New Zealand.
The final match of the one-day series will be played on Saturday.
