New Zealand Women vs Australia Women Match Preview, 1st ODI

New Zealand (NZ) square off against Australia (AUS) in a three-match ODI series at Basin Reserve, Wellington this month. The first ODI is scheduled to be played on Thursday, December 19.

The White Ferns are coming into this clash after suffering a 1-2 series defeat against India in Ahmedabad in October. Middle-order batter Brooke Halliday and opener Georgia Plimmer were the two highest run-getters in the series. Meanwhile, Jess Kerr was the leading wicket-taker for the tourists as she bagged five wickets from two games. The conditions in New Zealand will suit her style of bowling and the Aussie batters will have to be wary.

Meanwhile, Australia's women's team are high on confidence after battering India in the three-match ODI series earlier this month at home. Tahlia McGrath and Co. won the series by a 3-0 margin, registering comprehensive wins in all three games. Debutant Georgia Voll was the highest run-getter in the series as she smashed 173 runs from three innings at an average of 86.50. Meanwhile, Megan Schutt was the star performer with the ball, bagging eight wickets in three games.

Match Details

Pitch Report

25 women's ODI matches have been played at this picturesque venue. 10 games have been won by teams batting first while chasing teams have emerged victorious on 14 occasions. The average first innings score is 180. Winning the toss and opting to bowl first could be a good decision as the ball might move around prodigiously in the morning.

Also Check: Complete Schedule for NZ-W vs AUS-W series

Head-To-Head Record

NZ-W vs AUS-W Predicted Playing XIs

New Zealand Women:

Sophie Devine (c), Suzie Bates, Amelia Kerr, Lauren Down, Brooke Halliday, Maddy Green, Isabella Gaze (wk), Jess Kerr, Lea Tahuhu, Eden Carson, Fran Jonas.

Australia Women:

Alyssa Healy (c/wk), Phoebe Litchfield, Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Annabel Sutherland, Ashleigh Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, Georgia Wareham, Alana King, Kim Garth, Megan Schutt.