Rose Bowl cricket series on line at Bay Oval

HOMECOMING: Tauranga's Amy Peterson helped the White Ferns win the opening ODI against Australia. PHOTO: photosport

This year's Rose Bowl series between the White Ferns and Australia will be decided at Bay Oval in the two remaining matches today and Sunday.

Last year at Bay Oval Australian captain Meg Lanning produced back-to-back centuries in the last two matches to give Australia a hard-fought 2-1 series win. White Ferns skipper Suzie Bates fired a century against the Australian visitors in game three, to set up a thrilling finish.

The quality of the playing surface at the Bay Oval, the extensive player amenities provided in the pavilion and the superb training facilities have seen the White Ferns become regular visitors to the Western Bay of Plenty.

In 2014 they played West Indies twice, followed by three games against England in 2015 before the dramatic series against Australia last year.

"It is great recognition for the Bay Oval and the quality of the surfaces and amenities here, that NZ Cricket chooses to bring these top-of-the-line matches to our headquarters," Bay of Plenty Cricket chief executive Chris Rapson said.

"Our top women athletes deserve the very best conditions to display their talent and as always competition against our nearest neighbours will be hard fought and enhanced by having the absolute best conditions for practice and play in New Zealand.

"We greatly admire the development of the White Ferns and as always we are thrilled to welcome both teams to the Bay Oval."

The White Ferns and their Australian opponents have a hectic schedule leading up to the two Bay Oval games. They played three Twenty20 encounters in Australia, before the first ODI at Eden Park Outer Ground last Sunday.

The White Ferns won by five wickets with Amy Satterthwaite scoring her fourth ODI century in a row to become the first women's player to do so. The only other person to score four consecutive one-day international hundreds is Sri Lankan men's player Kumar Sangakarra who did it at the 2015 ICC World Cup.

With the White Ferns winning the first ODI in Auckland, the three-game series is well and truly alive when the two teams square off at Bay Oval today and Sunday.

There will be plenty of local interest in the two encounters with the return of Anna Petersen to where she grew up.

Peterson attended St Mary's Primary School and Aquinas College and recently wrote her own piece of New Zealand women's cricket history when she became the first Kiwi to take a hat-trick in a women's T20 international in the win over Australia.

Another White Fern with local connections is Samantha Curtis.

Rose Bowl ODI Series
White Ferns v Australian Women, Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui
Game Two, today, 11am start
Game Three, Sunday, 11am start
Free entry to the public for both games.