Australia gave New Zealand a thumping in their Twenty20 international yesterday, and in the process helped themselves to a decent psychological boost ahead of their opening round clash at next month's women's World Cup.
The teams split their Rose Bowl series 2-2 in New Zealand last week, withthe decider washed out but there was only one side in it on the Sydney Cricket Ground in a game reduced by rain and with Duckworth Lewis calculations playing a part.
Having been sent in, New Zealand made 91 for five in their 14 overs; Australia, powered home by left-handed allrounder Shelley Nitschke with 54 off 33 balls, reached their twice rejigged target of 82 for the loss of one wicket, winning by nine wickets and with 11 balls up their sleeve.
That there was any sort of game was a minor miracle given the deluge which engulfed Sydney on Saturday.
New Zealand were making tidy progress, at 39 for two courtesy of some solid hitting from opener Kate Pulford's 29 in 24 balls, when the first interruption came after 6.2 overs.
When they returned New Zealand had to get their skates on and Sophie Devine's 23 in 16 balls helped.
But the visitors needed more Devine intervention as two stumpings put the skids under the innings.
Devine did remove opener Lisa Poulton in the first over of the chase, but that was the end of the good news for New Zealand.
Nitschke, a 32-year-old from South Australia, struck the ball authoritatively, and experienced Lisa Sthalekar worked it around effectively to keep the run rate going.
More rain washed over the ground at 57 for one, and when the calculators stopped whirring, Australia needed a further 25 off 4.4 overs and did it in a doddle. Nitschke's half-century included eight fours; Sthalekar finished on 23 off 25 balls.
The teams meet next at North Sydney Oval on the second day of the World Cup, which begins on March 7.
It is a different version of the game, different venue. But Australia will feel just that bit better about their situation after dusting their closest rivals for the world title.
