Australia 3 for 181 (Lanning 62*, Haynes 44, Mair 2-21) beat New Zealand 180 (Green 35, Perkins 32, Wareham 2-23, Molineux 2-28, Jonassen 2-29) by seven wickets
Australia resumed their dominance over New Zealand by cantering to a seven-wicket victory in the first ODI at Allan Border Field to extend their unbeaten run to 19 matches. Their spinners combined to great effect before Meg Lanning guided a comfortable chase with an unbeaten 62 as Australia barely broke sweat in reaching the target with more than 16 overs to spare.
Georgia Wareham, who was named Player of the Match, Jess Jonassen and Sophie Molineux combined for figures of 29.1-4-80-6 as New Zealand could never find any momentum in their innings. At 6 for 83, it appeared they could fold for less than 150, but Maddy Green counterattacked to a degree with an innings that included three sixes.
However, a target of 181 was never going to challenge Australia unless there were major early alarms. That didn't happen as Alyssa Healy gave the chase a brisk start. Lanning then took over, passing 1000 runs against New Zealand, while others chipped in and the captain finished the match with a grand six over long-off.
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After being put in, there had been a brief promise of a solid foundation for New Zealand as Natalie Dodd made a brisk start, including a six off debutant Annabel Sutherland, but from the moment she was caught at midwicket off Megan Schutt, the Australians never looked back.
Sutherland, who had been handed her cap by Ellyse Perry, was a little inconsistent in her first outing in the format but claimed a significant maiden wicket when she had Amy Satterthwaite smartly held at slip by Lanning.
Spin was then introduced in the 11th over and would dominate much of the remainder of the innings against a New Zealand batting line-up unable to impose itself. It didn't help that Australia were gifted a couple of wickets. Suzie Bates, who later injured her right shoulder diving in the outfield, pulling a big full toss from Wareham to deep midwicket - Ash Gardner hurting her finger in the process - then captain Sophie Devine could not believe it when she clubbed Jonassen to mid-on.
When Katey Martin was defeated by a superb delivery from Molinuex that drifted past the inside edge and Amelia Kerr drove Wareham to cover, New Zealand were sinking fast at 6 for 83 in the 28th over. The hold Australia's spinners had was highlighted by the 125 dot balls sent down between the three spinners - at one stage, left-armer Molinuex had bowled her first four overs for three runs.
It could have been worse for New Zealand if Wareham had managed to get under a tough return catch when Green got a leading edge on 8, but instead it was Green and Katie Perkins who showed their team-mates a way forward with far more proactivity than the top order. Green's strong shots down the ground, which brought her three sixes, were complimented by Perkins' nudges and sweeps in a stand of 62 in 14 overs.
However, Green was cut off before potentially giving the innings a strong finish - beautifully defeated by Molineux's flight - and though Hayley Jensen struck some handy runs, it was all too late.
In response, Healy thrashed five boundaries in her 26 before being well held at midwicket by Kerr off the impressive Rosemary Mair, who was comfortably the pick of the New Zealand bowlers. In their search for wickets, they offered up too much inconsistency as a unit and it was telling how Australia quickly went on the attack against Kerr when she was introduced.
Rachael Haynes had her challenges against Mair, who tied her up outside off stump, but dispatched Kerr over long-on before miscuing Jensen to midwicket.
Lanning, looking very at ease in the longer limited-overs format, had flicked an effortless six off Devine early in her innings and was barely troubled during her half-century, which came off 62 balls. She completed the match by lofting Green way back over long-off - that shot, like Australia's overall performance, was another statement from this team.