New Zealand Women vs Australia Women 1st ODI Match Preview

The Basin Reserve in Wellington is set to host the 1st ODI match of the Australia Women tour of New Zealand on December 18, 2024. The match will begin at 22:00 GMT, and fans can catch the live action on the Hotstar app/web.

Team Analysis

New Zealand Women

• Suzie Bates will open the innings, but her form has been a concern this year.
• Georgia Plimmer is unavailable, and Bella James joins the squad as a replacement.
• Lauren Down's form is a concern, averaging just 8.80 in her last five ODIs.
• Sophie Devine is in excellent form, scoring 303 runs in her last 8 ODIs and 623 career runs against Australia.
• Brooke Halliday has been consistent with 284 runs in 8 ODIs this year.
• Lea Tahuhu leads the bowling attack with 21 wickets in 21 ODIs against Australia.
• Jess Kerr and Amelia Kerr are in great form, taking 25 wickets in their last 8 games combined.

Australia Women

• Australia has lost only one of their last 11 ODIs.
• Phoebe Litchfield and Georgia Voll will open the innings, with Voll scoring 173 runs in the recent India series.
• Ellyse Perry is key at number three, with 829 runs against New Zealand at an average of 43.
• Beth Mooney, Annabel Sutherland, and Ashleigh Gardner strengthen the middle order.
• Sutherland is in top form, earning Player of the Series against India with 125 runs and six wickets.
• Gardner is a dual threat with 19 wickets in 10 ODIs and a batting strike rate of 135+ against New Zealand.
• Alana King has 16 wickets in her last 9 ODIs with a superb economy of 3.76.

Probable Playing XIs

New Zealand Women Probable XI:

• Sophie Devine (C), Suzie Bates, Eden Carson, Lauren Down, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Bella James, Fran Jonas, Jess Kerr, Amelia Kerr, Rosemary Mair.

Australia Women Probable XI:

• Alyssa Healy (C), Tahlia McGrath (VC), Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll.

Winner Prediction

Based on recent form and team strength, we predict Australia Women will defeat New Zealand Women.

Best Batters

• Who will score the most runs for NZW in the match: A Kerr and S Devine
• Who will score the most runs for AUSW in the match: E Perry and A Healy

Best Bowlers

• Who will pick the most wickets for NZW in the match: R Mair and B James
• Who will pick the most wickets for AUSW in the match: A Sutherland and M Schutt

Scores Prediction

• New Zealand Women: 220+
• Australia Women: 260+

Weather Report

The match is expected to begin at 6:00 AM local time (12:30 AM IST) in Wellington. The weather is forecasted to be cool and overcast, with a chance of light rain that may disrupt play. The overcast conditions could offer some assistance to the bowlers, especially during the early stages.

Key Players to Watch

• Sophie Devine (NZW): A veteran of the game, Devine has been in excellent form with 303 runs from 8 matches at an average of 43.29 and a strike rate of 95.28.
• Amelia Kerr (NZW): Known for her all-round abilities, Kerr has contributed with both bat and ball, taking 12 wickets in 8 matches at an economy rate of 5.00.
• Phoebe Litchfield (AUSW): Litchfield has been one of Australia's top performers recently, scoring 287 runs from 10 matches at an average of 28.7.
• Ashleigh Gardner (AUSW): A key bowler, Gardner has taken 19 wickets at an economy rate of 3.91, showing her prowess in the middle overs.

Head-to-Head: Last 5 Encounters

Australia has dominated the recent encounters, winning all 5 of the last matches between the two sides. The most recent win came in March 2022 during the ICC Women's World Cup, where Australia triumphed by 141 runs.