The Rose Bowl Transtasman women's one-day cricket series will go down to the wire after Australia won the fourth match near Christchurch today.
Australia won by six runs at Lincoln after posting 211 for six and dismissing New Zealand for 205 in the last over.
That levelled the
series at 2-2 with the fifth and final match at the same venue tomorrow.
Australia's total was based around two substantial contributions from vice-captain Lisa Sthalekar and Alex Blackwell, who put on a stand of 123 for the second wicket.
Sthalekar topscored with 69 off 88 balls while Blackwell rotated the strike intelligently to compile 62 off 132 balls.
Australia defended their total on the back of an impressive spell of seam bowling by Emma Sampson, who took five for 30 off her full allocation of 10 overs.
Haidee Tiffen topscored for New Zealand with a watchful 41 while Sara McGlashan managed 39.
Sophie Devine, batting at No 10, hit 16 off 10 balls before being caught off the third to last delivery.
- NZPA
