Twitter Reactions: Litchfield fifty helps Australia seal series opener

Australia Women and New Zealand Women locked horns in the first T20I at the Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay on September 19. New Zealand won the toss and opted to bat first. The slow start from the openers did not help the team as Suzie Bates got 33 off 27 while Georgia Plimmer fell for a run-a-ball 11. Amelia Kerr (7 off 5) and Brooke Halliday (5 off 9) followed suit as neither could bat for long, leaving the team in troubled waters. 

At the start of the 11^th over, the Kiwis were 70 and Bates, who had held one end up until then, also departed. Maddy Green (35 off 33) and Isabelle Gaze (11 off 9) stitched a 26-run stand but the run rate did not shoot. Leigh Kasperek's (14 off 16) and Jess Kerr’s (11* off 10) contribution were handy enough for the visitors to suprass 140, as they posted a nominal 143/7 on the board. Each of the seven Aussie bowlers chipped in with one wicket apiece.

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The pitch was not conducive even when Australia's openers entered the fray, as Beth Mooney walked back scoring 13 off 10 while Alyssa Healy (17 off 18) and Elysse Perry (8 off 8) also failed to accelerate. Both the batters departed in a span of just three overs as the hosts were reeling at 44/3.

Litchfield sees through Australia to easy finish 

Then, Tahlia McGrath (6 off 10) was cleaned up by Molly Penfold (2 for 24), but it was Phoebe Litchfield (64* off 43) and Georgia Wareham (26 off 20) who made sure there were no further hiccups. Both the batters added 50 runs for the fifth wicket and Australia reached the target with five wickets and eight balls to spare.

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