Australia win third consecutive ICC Women's ODI Championship title
Cricket
Gardner's career-best innings has paved the way to an emphatic 75-run victory over New Zealand
(Web Desk) – Australia secured a 2-0 series win to extend their ODI win-streak over New Zealand and clinched the third consecutive ICC Women's ODI Championship title.
Ashleigh Gardner's career-best innings has paved the way to an emphatic 75-run victory over New Zealand in the third and final Rose Bowl ODI in Wellington.
Gardner continued her return to form with the bat, as her 74 from 62 balls helped Australia to 290 all out after they opted to bat first at the Basin Reserve.
Needing to pull off the second highest run chase in women's one-day history, Suzie Bates led the charge for the hosts with a 59-ball 53, but a disciplined bowling and fielding display led by Alana King (3-34) and Annabel Sutherland (3-39) saw New Zealand bowled out for 215 in 43.3 overs.
Australia head home with the Rose Bowl in tow after completing a 2-0 series win, while they will also be crowned ICC Women's ODI Championship winners for a third consecutive cycle, now holding an unassailable lead over second-ranked India.
New Zealand meanwhile are in serious danger of missing automatic qualification for next year's ODI World Cup, and will be relying on results from next month's series between West Indies and Bangladesh if they want to avoid going to the qualifying tournament.
