Brisbane, Sep 30 (UNI) Amelia Kerr's all-round performance led New Zealand Women to five wicket win over Australia Women in the third T20I, avoiding a 0-3 whitewash in the three-match series, here at the Allan Border Field on Wednesday.
Amelia Kerr picked two wickets with the ball and backed it up by hitting the winning runs for the New Zealand.
Australia already had the series in the bag after winning the first two matches, but the White Ferns held their nerve in the final over of the third T20I to register their first win over their Trans-Tasman rivals since February 2017 in all formats.
With this win, the visitors ended the 13-match losing streak against Australia. Since February 2017, White Ferns had lost seven T20s and six ODIs against their old foe.
With 123/7 on the board today, New Zealand had the opportunity to break Australia's seven-match winning streak in T20Is.
However, it was not an easy task as the visitors had to overcome several early as well as last-minute hiccups, but Amelia Kerr's back-to-back fours off Megan Schutt in the final over carried them to a five-wicket win.
The White Ferns began their chase cautiously, but lost opener Maddy Green for just 10 at the end of the fifth over.
Georgia Wareham's first over yielded two more wickets. While Sophie Devine's (25) productive stay was cut short by a quick stumping by Alyssa Healy, Suzie Bates (3) was undone by a terrific direct hit from Rachael Haynes at cover.
From there on, former New Zealand captain Amy Satterthwaite took on the responsibility to stabilise the visitors' innings and along with Katey Martin negotiated the middle overs with some intelligent batting. The duo brought up the fifty partnership in the 15th over with New Zealand requiring 30 off the last five.
It was Wareham once again, who provided the hosts with a much-needed breakthrough, knocking off Martin's off-stump. Jess Jonassen dismissed Satterthwaite in the next over to leave New Zealand stuttering on 98/5.
With 26 needed in 22, the match was in the balance.
However, Kerr, who had starred with the ball earlier, maintained her composure to hand New Zealand a hard-fought victory.
MORE UNI AVK NC 1534