Cricket: How White Ferns plan to break four-year drought against Australia

White Fern Maddy Green in action. Photo / Photosport

The White Ferns have a chance to seal a rare series victory over Australia in their Twenty20 series decider in Auckland this afternoon.

It's been four years since the Ferns have ended a series against Australia holding a trophy aloft, and it would be a breakthrough triumph after a lean summer.

The White Ferns' last-ball victory in Napier on Tuesday was just their second win in eight Twenty20 clashes this season, while they have won only one ODI match since February 2019.

That barren ODI run has seen them fail to beat Australia in a series since 2000 – with 17 consecutive series defeats – meaning a series victory, even in the more fluctuating Twenty20 format, would be a significant milestone.

Maddy Green, who hit the match-winning four on the final ball to beat Australia in the second T20, was pleased with Tuesday's result but isn't getting carried away ahead of the series decider.

"Those are the sorts of games that you really want to be a part of and to be able to hit the winning runs is pretty satisfying," Green said.

"Any time you beat Australia it's fantastic and they're a quality side; they're not world champions for no reason. We're really pleased to get the win but it just makes it one-all now and we're really focused on [tonight] and we really want to take the series out.

"It absolutely gives us confidence but we know we're going to have to play really well again to beat them."

Green says the focus for Thursday's clash is on "discipline in all aspects".

"I know that we've got a few areas that we want to keep working on, particularly with our batting and forming good partnerships and taking the game on.

"I think as we've seen in the last couple of games, we've sort of lost wickets in clumps. It's just trying to build big partnerships and set up the game to really accelerate towards the back end of our innings."

The Ferns could be headed into the decider without skipper Sophie Devine, who missed the second T20 due to fatigue.

Devine didn't think she could do justice to the team or herself by playing in Napier so a decision was made to rest her.

After an extensive season that started back in September last year, Devine will look at how she can best balance her cricket commitments with the need to rest and recover over the coming days.

White Ferns coach Bob Carter is taking a 'wait and see' approach to Devine's availability.

"Simply put, at times like this we always need to focus on what our people need to be at their best and cricket must come second.

"She's traveling with the side to Auckland and we won't be making any decisions on her availability for the third T20 until late in the piece."

The Ferns will take on Australia in the deciding T20 at Eden Park as part of a double-header with the Black Caps and Bangladesh.