Australia extends winning record to 24 consecutive games – as it happened

Australian wins rain-shortened match by 21 runsAlyssa Healy is player of the match with 46 runsMegan Schutt takes player of the series

10.40am BST

I have to admit that I thought after Australia’s innings that New Zealand were all over this and would at least make Australia fight to the very last ball. But it’s very hard to beat a team with this much confidence and belief in themselves and Australia will be very happy they pulled that victory off. It’s been a sensational series, especially considering the team came straight out of 14 days quarantine to play the first T20 game. The WBBL season in the bubble would have served them well to prepare for this challenging circumstances and they weren’t prepared to use it as an excuse. Instead they stood up and fought in their usual style and well and truly reaped the rewards.

Thanks so much for joining us for this last game of the Rose Bowl. I’m very glad we got some cricket in, it was looking pretty touch and go for a while there! It’ll be a while until we see some women’s cricket again, but until then, carry on bowling and try and do that thing with your hand and your wrist where you make it bounce funny.

10.30am BST

It’s a comprehensive victory from Australia considering their low total - an incredibly dominant bowling performance to lock down their 24th consecutive win. This is a team that simply knows how to win and they never lose confidence or feel a total is too low to defend. The winning culture of the team is something special to watch and it will take something quite incredible to break this streak.

10.27am BST

25th over: New Zealand 128-9 (Tahuhu 21, Mair 0 )

Schutt gets the honour of finishing off the game and the season and it’s well deserved after her bowling today. She starts with a great yorker and forces Tahuhu to dig it out for a single, but Down isn’t finished with this game yet and drives a length ball past third for four next ball. Schutt picks up a well deserved wicket and then Gardner chips in with a run out and the game is over without much of a fight from New Zealand in the end.

10.26am BST

Just to make matters worse for the Ferns, Kasperek is gone for a diamond duck after a pinpoint accurate throw from Gardner sees her off without facing a ball.

10.25am BST

To her credit, Down keeps fighting to the end, but she can’t make it to the end of the game, edging the ball to point and the safe hands of Rachael Haynes.

10.21am BST

24th over: New Zealand 121-7 (Tahuhu 18, Down 12 )

Gardner gives away a few more runs from this over than she has been accustomed to, but the damage was done long ago. Two boundaries from Tahuhu are admirable, but it’s too little, too late.

10.19am BST

23rd over: New Zealand 109-7 (Tahuhu 7, Down 11 )

Megan Schutt is back - it’s strange to see her with so few overs, especially after bowling so well - but understandable considering the turn this pitch has offered the spinners. She picks up where she left off with a tight start to the over, but Tahuhu dispatches her for six, driving over long off.

10.15am BST

22nd over: New Zealand 100-7 (J Kerr 5 , Down 8)

I’ve never been so happy to see Nicola Carey in my life. Here she is to bowl the 22nd over and look to push Australia’s dominance even further. Kerr grabs another boundary, Carey has picked up Wareham’s generous spirit. Kerr takes full advantage and follows it up with a six - she’s been a real ray of sunshine in this cloudy day for the Ferns. Unfortunately she can’t continue on with it and Carey gets her wicket and finishes with a dot ball.

10.14am BST

Jess Kerr has been brilliant but she has had to take a lot of risks and the last one doesn’t quite pay off and Carey gets her wicket.

10.10am BST

21st over: New Zealand 87-6 (J Kerr 5 , Down 8)

Wareham starts the over economically, but Down snaffles a thick outside edge for a boundary that she very gratefully accepts from the second ball. A full toss from the fourth ball lets Jess Kerr have a boundary as well - Wareham is in a generous mood after the rough day the Ferns have had. But she can’t give them too much and finishes with two dots.

10.07am BST

20th over: New Zealand 77-6 (J Kerr 0 , Down 3)

Lanning says “More spin! I must have more!” like some kind of spin hungry monster and Jonassen bowls another over. It’s almost like she doesn’t care about my live blogging welfare at all. Just one run and a wicket from the over and it’s all looking pretty clinical from the Australians now.

10.06am BST

Maddy Green did what she needed to do and tried to push the run rate up, but Gardner is unstoppable today and she was all over that catch.

10.02am BST

19th over: New Zealand 76-5 (Green 8 , Down 2)

Well that was a quick break from spin - now Wareham is back. But Halliday has had enough of dots and singles and starts the over with a six. She can’t keep up the momentum though and is gone next ball. Lauren Down comes to the crease, but it’s a very tough ask from here and there’s not much she can do.

10.00am BST

Halliday gets a bit too confident after hitting Wareham for six and she can’t get the next shot past Gardner. She mis-times her pull shot and Gardner gobbles it up gratefully.

9.58am BST

18th over: New Zealand 67-4 (Green 7 , Halliday 9)

I know I just said it was a spinners’ game, but I’m honestly quite relieved to see a bit of pace back in the form of Carey because it’s incredibly tough to live blog spin over after spin over - especially in a women’s game where they do not muck around between deliveries! Carey is determined to not to let the spinners get all the glory and pulls off a very tight over to frustrate the Kiwi batters.

9.54am BST

17th over: New Zealand 63-4 (Green 5 , Halliday 7)

The required run rate is now up to 9.9 for New Zealand and the commentators are a lot less confident than they were. Wareham comes back on to bowl and this is certainly a spinners’ game, so no surprises that is where Lanning has gone. She’s getting excellent turn and Green is really struggling to pick each ball. It’s another fantastic over from the Renegades star, with four dots and two singles from it.

9.51am BST

16th over: New Zealand 61-4 (Green 4 , Halliday 6)

Jonassen continues with her excellent bowling and nearly picks up a wicket from her second ball, but it falls short of Schutt in the field. It’s very tidy over, just the three from it.

9.49am BST

15th over: New Zealand 58-4 (Green 3 , Halliday 4)

Gardner returns and she is getting a lot of turn out of this pitch. She hasn’t bowled a great deal during this series, but Lanning knows she’s in fine form today and is taking advantage of it. A misfield from Jonassen is unfortunate for Gardner’s figures, but she is unperturbed and finishes the over with a dot.

9.47am BST

14th over: New Zealand 54-4 (Green 1 , Halliday 2)

Jonassen continues the spin onslaught and the Ferns look in a lot of trouble. Her length is sensational and a wide is the only sign of weakness this over.

9.44am BST

13th over: New Zealand 51-4 (Green 0 , Halliday 1)

Gardner puts the pressure on Halliday from the outset, but eventually she manages to get herself off strike with a neatly timed single. However that plays straight into Gardner’s hands and she finally gets her woman.

9.43am BST

Australia forced the match up they wanted between Gardner and Satterthwaite and it paid off. The Ferns captain never looked confident against the spinner and eventually she fell into her trap, edging to Lanning at first slip.

9.39am BST

12th over: New Zealand 36-3 (Satterthwaite 18 , Halliday 0)

The Kiwi commentators are very confident that the Ferns are in control - a confidence I admire, even if I don’t share it. However I have no idea why they insist on calling the batters “batsmen” - a truly baffling decision for a country that is known for its support of women in sport. Schutt comes back into the attack and continues on her merry way, making it hard for the batters to eke out many runs. The Kiwis push for two off the last ball and lose Amelia Kerr in the process.

9.39am BST

Satterthwaite loses her nerve as the batters go for two runs and sends Kerr back to the danger end and it’s a very easy run out to get from there.

9.35am BST

11th over: New Zealand 40-2 (Satterthwaite 16 , A Kerr 2)

Wareham starts the over with a wicket and keeps the pressure on from there, only allowing singles through off the next three balls, before a dot and another single to finish the over. She’ll be very pleased with that start, the Ferns are starting to feel very much under pressure as the required run rate creeps up.

9.32am BST

Wareham takes a wicket with her first ball of the game as Jensen mis-times her pull shot and sends it straight to Brown at mid on. Former Australian captain Alex Blackwell noted in the pre-game that Australia didn’t celebrate particularly hard in their previous two wins and again it’s a muted celebration for the wicket here.

9.30am BST

10th over: New Zealand 36-1 (Satterthwaite 14 , Jensen 13)

Carey continues, but the Ferns look determined to increase the run rate and take seven from her first three balls. There’s a big shout for LBW from the fourth ball of the over, but the umpire says it’s sliding down leg. Carey tightens it up to finish off the over and keeps the pressure on NZ.

9.27am BST

9th over: New Zealand 27-1 (Satterthwaite 7 , Jensen 11)

Gardner nearly gets a caught and bowled from her second ball, but only managed to parry it over for a single. It’s a good over nonetheless and she will feel buoyed by the almost wicket.

9.24am BST

8th over: New Zealand 23-1 (Satterthwaite 5 , Jensen 9)

Carey continues with her strong, tight bowling - very unlucky to not take a wicket on her fourth ball after three consecutive dots to build the pressure. Her length balls are looking very impressive and she gets another close one on the final ball of her over, but can’t pick up the wicket.

9.21am BST

7th over: New Zealand 21-1 (Satterthwaite 4 , Jensen 9)

Gardner gets her first over after a disappointing batting performance by her standards. The Ferns are picking up their scoring rate a little and with a low total to chase, it’s not panic stations yet, but Australia will be feeling a lot more confident than they were at the end of their innings.

9.17am BST

6th over: New Zealand 17-1 (Satterthwaite 3 , Jensen 6)

Carey enters the attack now, after a decent batting performance. As is the theme so far, she starts with a dot ball, before Jensen guides one behind the wicket for a single. There is some rain falling now, New Zealand will be hoping it keeps at bay long enough for them to get in front of the DLS par score after a slow start. Carey doesn’t give them any assistance with that, only giving away two runs from her first over.

9.14am BST

5th over: New Zealand 15-1 (Satterthwaite 2 , Jensen 5)

A very tidy over from Jonassen, only the two runs from it as Satterthwaite sizes up the pitch and Jensen plays conservatively, hoping not to go the same way as her opening partner.

9.12am BST

4th over: New Zealand 13-1 (Satterthwaite 0 , Jensen 5)

Schutt returns after her brilliant first over and picks up where she left off. A couple of length balls give her good reason to appeal for the LBW but the umpire isn’t interested. New Zealand look to be trying to see her off, grabbing quick singles where they can, but not taking an overly attacking position against Australia’s strike bowler. Martin perishes trying to do just that on the last ball.

9.11am BST

Schutt gifts Martin a full toss, but Martin mistimes her slog and sends it straight to Perry at long on.

9.07am BST

3rd over: New Zealand 11-0 (Martin 5 , Jensen 4)

Jonassen enters the attack now, giving the Ferns something else to think about and not letting them settle into their innings. She also starts with a couple of dots, before Martin picks up a single to keep the score ticking over. Jensen looks determined to put Jonassen away, but she can’t quite get hold of it for two balls and then finally gets it to the boundary on the last ball of the over.

9.04am BST

2nd over: New Zealand 6-0 (Martin 4 , Jensen 0)

Brown’s South Australian captain Megan Schutt takes over, looking to get some really good swing early in this innings. She starts very well with two dot balls before a beautiful slower ball deceives Jensen - she’s finding form very early today. A maiden from Schutt will fill the Australians with a lot more confidence and their heads are up now.

9.01am BST

1st over: New Zealand 6-0 (Martin 4 , Jensen 0)

Darcie Brown is tossed the ball to open in her ODI debut and she starts with a wide, before reeling it back with two dots and then handing over another wide. It’s a nervous start from the 18 year old, but the confidence shown in her will hopefully pay off later in the game. She nearly gives away another wide from the second last ball, but gets away with it, before Martin picks up a handy boundary from the last.

8.52am BST

Well that was an innings that swung wildly. From a brilliant opening partnership between Healy and Mooney, the White Ferns refused to be deterred and took regular wickets to keep Australia to a very chaseable total. However the game isn’t over just yet, New Zealand have been a bit light on in the batting department and Australia have a bowling attack that would make any team sweat. It will be a cracker of an innings coming up - stay with us as we follow it!

8.48am BST

25th over: Australia 149-7 (Wareham 18 , Jonassen 9)

Mair is given the last over - a great demonstration of faith by Satterthwaite. Mair hasn’t been on fire today, but she is a classy bowler and her captain knows she can deliver a strong last over. She starts it very well with two dots before Jonassen picks up a single from the third ball. Mair is keeping the pace off, which is making it very tough for the Australians to score at the rate they want to. Jonassen manages to finish with a four, but the total isn’t what they would have been aiming for and it will take a strong bowling effort to defend it.

8.44am BST

24th over: Australia 141-7 (Wareham 17 , Jonassen 2)

Jess Kerr takes the penultimate over and sees off Carey early to force Jonassen to come in and try to score fast. Wareham is throwing all her weight behind the ball, but it’s just not falling for her and she can’t push it past the field. Incredible economy from Kerr who has been sensational today, despite only taking the one wicket.

8.41am BST

Carey needed to take a risk there, but it didn’t pay off with a little nick to Martin making the White Ferns feel very confident with less than two overs to go.

8.38am BST

23rd over: Australia 135-6 (Wareham 13 , Carey 13)

The dangerous Tahuhu is back for her final over and the Kiwis look hungry in the field. They can smell a low total and they’re desperate to cut off every run scoring opportunity for the Australians. Wareham and Carey keep pushing the singles, but the desperation is clear in their eyes - they want to score more quickly, but the White Ferns aren’t letting them. It would be a decent over from Australia at another point of the game, but at this stage they need to be smashing it.

8.34am BST

22nd over: Australia 129-6 (Wareham 11 , Carey 9)

Mair comes back into the attack and Carey looks more comfortable straight away, pulling the ball to deep mid wicket, but once again it’s only for a single. Finally Wareham picks up a much-needed boundary - driving past long off for four. Mair recovers with another single, before Carey looks to push up the run rate but can’t get the ball past the field.

8.30am BST

21st over: Australia 122-6 (Wareham 6 , Carey 7)

Some more Kerr action, with Amelia picking up where her sister left off only giving away a single from the first ball of her over. The run rate is well down now and the pressure is mounting for Wareham and Carey to accelerate. They have shown the ability to do so in the WBBL, but this is a different situation. Not even a full toss can be dispatched for a boundary, with Wareham only able to pick up a single from Kerr’s gift from the penultimate ball of the over, before Carey finishes with another single.

8.26am BST

20th over: Australia 116-6 (Wareham 2 , Carey 5)

NZ have done so well to take regular wickets, they’re just not letting partnerships form since that brilliant opening one between Healy and Mooney. None of the batters have been able to settle and find time to open up, they just keep going out as quickly as they come in. Wareham and Carey are good strikers of the ball, but it’s not the role they usually play for Australia, so the pressure is on. Jess Kerr ensures that pressure stays high with some tight bowling, not willing to give up more than a single.

8.23am BST

19th over: Australia 113-6 (Wareham 0 , Carey 4)

Tahuhu returns and Carey works hard to get Lanning on strike from a short ball on the first delivery. Lanning continues in her unhurried manner, but time is getting away from her. Obviously another wicket wouldn’t be ideal, but there isn’t much time left to boost the score. Carey and Lanning keep up the singles, but as soon as Lanning looks to open up, she’s gone from the final ball of the over.

8.23am BST

Lanning finally opens up but she doesn’t get enough of it and she offers an easy catch to Maddy Green. This is not looking great for the Australians right now.

8.18am BST

18th over: Australia 110-5 ( Lanning 14, Carey 2)

Kasperek comes in after taking that great catch - she can’t stay out of the game at the moment. She gives away a wide, which is first sign of giving Australia anything she’s shown for many overs. But it’s a nice tight over from her as Lanning and Carey fight to keep Australia in the match.

8.16am BST

17th over: Australia 103-5 ( Lanning 10, Carey 0 )

Amelia Kerr continues and is pretty happy to keep the pressure on with good line and length, giving away a couple of singles, but not letting the batters get away with more than that. She frustrates Perry into giving up her wicket and it’s a very tidy over.

8.15am BST

Some discussion about whether that one was a no ball, but no such luck for Perry who hands Kasperek a fairly easy catch at backward point.

8.11am BST

16th over: Australia 100-4 ( Lanning 8, Perry 12 )

This partnership is looking a bit more settled now, but they haven’t opened up yet, which they will need to do soon in this shortened match. Mair comes back after her previous less than ideal performance and starts with a dot and a single to give her back some confidence. There’s not a lot of hustle from Lanning and Perry, but they are snatching every single they can get to keep the score ticking over. They bring up Australia’s 100 from the second last ball of the over, before Mair finishes it off with a nice dot ball.

8.07am BST

15th over: Australia 96-4 ( Lanning 6, Perry 10 )

Perry nearly picks up her first boundary from the third ball of Amelia Kerr’s over, then does grab one through backward point off the next ball - Australia’s first boundary since the 11th over.

8.04am BST

14th over: Australia 89-4 ( Lanning 6, Perry 3 )

Kasperek is back naturally and the Australians look wary of her - with good cause! Lanning looks a little lost still, she’s certainly playing with intent, but it’s not always coming off. However, she’s very likely to bounce back and change the game at any moment.

8.01am BST

13th over: Australia 86-4 ( Lanning 4, Perry 2 )

Well we all catch our breath after that action packed over. Two of Australia’s most experienced players are at the crease now to see out this very fast Tahuhu over. Lanning doesn’t look comfortable yet, but she gets through the over and picks up a run a ball to get her innings underway.

7.58am BST

12th over: Australia 80-4 ( Lanning 0, Perry 0 )

A three wicket maiden for Kasperek - what an over! I’ll claim credit for that after saying she didn’t look as dangerous today, she has really set out to prove me wrong.

7.56am BST

Kasperek is on a hat trick! A very clever balls gets Haynes to chop on and she has to depart for a golden duck.

7.55am BST

Australia in some trouble now as Kasperek turns this match around! She draws Gardner way down the wicket and Martin obliges with a neat stumping.

7.53am BST

A dangerous shot approaching her half century, but that’s the way Healy plays. Kerr picks up an easy catch at long on.

7.51am BST

11th over: Australia 80-1 ( Healy 46, Gardner 1 )

Tahuhu comes back into the attack with the Kiwi commentators almost willing her to take a wicket, which she does almost straight away. Mooney is gone and in comes Ash Gardner at number three, not necessarily a familiar position for her in this Australian team. She gets off strike fairly quickly rather than face too much of Tahuhu’s fast bowling and Healy repays her with a boundary, pulling it four four past deep mid-wicket. A good short ball to finish keeps the over very respectable following the wicket of Mooney.

7.48am BST

Finally this partnership is broken - NZ needed that wicket to stay in the game. Tahuhu has been a little expensive, but she is a genuine wicket taker and this was exactly what her team needed.

7.45am BST

10th over: Australia 73-0 ( Healy 42, Mooney 28 )

This is a solid partnership between Healy and Mooney, despite it being only the third time the two have batted together in ODIs. Jess Kerr nearly puts an end to it, but Tahuhu can’t hold the catch at extra cover. Healy gets creative with a lap shot off the third ball, but it’s not a pretty one. Mooney gets more traditional with a gentle flick to mid-wicket for a single. It was a more dangerous looking over for the Australians, they will likely keep things a bit more conservative for an over or two.

7.40am BST

9th over: Australia 67-0 ( Healy 38, Mooney 26 )

Amelia Kerr stays in the attack and she thinks she’s got Healy off the third ball of the over, but the umpire rules it a leg bye. It’s a much tighter over from Kerr this time, even a beautiful sweep from Mooney off the last ball can only pick up a single.

7.37am BST

8th over: Australia 61-0 ( Healy 35, Mooney 24 )

Kasperek returns - she had an outstanding game earlier this week, taking six wickets, but hasn’t looked as convincing so far today. With a good run rate on the board already, Australia are content to start the over with four singles ebfore picking up a two thanks to a slippery field. They finish with another single off a very slow ball from Kasperek - just 38 km/hr.

7.34am BST

7th over: Australia 54-0 ( Healy 33, Mooney 19 )

Australia are making a habit of hitting boundaries from the first ball of the over, which is setting them up for success and lets them deal in ones and twos late in the over without building pressure. Amelia Kerr bowls her first over and gets hit for four from her first delivery, before a few quick singles. A throw from Lauren Down catches Kerr on the forehead as she fields it at the stumps and she gets a quick check over from the medical staff, but she’s all good to continue. Healy has no sympathy and comes down the wicket for another four off the very next ball.

7.28am BST

6th over: Australia 43-0 ( Healy 28, Mooney 13 )

Mair returns after a couple of overs to get a look at what the batters are doing. Healy isn’t too keen to let her get settled back in though, clipping the ball over to the legside for four with some lovely footwork. Mair follows it up with a slower ball, which looks like a better option before Healy pushes another one through the gap for a very quick two. A tighter finish to the over, but the bowlers don’t look to be troubling the Australians as yet.

7.23am BST

5th over: Australia 35-0 ( Healy 21, Mooney 12 )

Leah Tahuhu enters the bowling attack now after missing the second ODI. Mooney does her job and gets Healy back on strike after the first ball - at the moment she looks very happy in that support role. Healy then faces a dot as she gets a look at Tahuhu before pulling her for a nice single off the next ball. The commentators are telling us that this is the best draining ground in NZ, which is why we were able to get a match on - it’s basically built on a sandpit. NZ don’t seem too interested in stopping Mooney’s singles at the moment, they are quite prepared to let her hand the strike over to the in form Healy - it will be interesting to see if they change this tactic in the next couple of overs. Mooney gets a thick outside edge from the last ball of the over, but it sails wide of Katey Martin for four.

7.18am BST

4th over: Australia 26-0 ( Healy 19, Mooney 6 )

Mair is subbed out for now and Kasperek takes her first over, but it’s hard going with Healy in this kind of touch. Some beautiful footwork from the third ball of the over picks up another boundary. The next ball is a much better one, but a lucky outside edge prevents the stumping opportunity. A single from Mooney from the final ball gets her back on strike, which NZ won’t mind too much at the moment.

7.13am BST

3rd over: Australia 19-0 ( Healy 14, Mooney 4 )

Jess Kerr returns for her second over and the Australians look determined to bleed every run they can out of this NZ bowling attack with a very quick single from the second delivery of the over. Healy looks for another boundary but in a good illustration of how strong that wind is, she’s unable to get it to make the distance batting into the wind and has to settle for a two. It’s a fairly tidy over for Kerr, just the three from it.

7.10am BST

2nd over: Australia 16-0 ( Healy 12, Mooney 3 )

A strong breeze is blowing down at Mt Manganui and Healy is looking to use it to her advantage. Mooney gets off strike first ball and Healy faces a dot and sneaks another single. We get our first extra of the match with Mair bowling a wide from her fourth delivery. From the second last ball of the over, Healy comes down the wicket to Mair and hits the first boundary of the game and followed it up with another four - she’s found her rhythm.

7.05am BST

1st over: Australia 4-0 ( Healy 3, Mooney 1 )

A nice start from Jess Kerr with three dot balls before Healy finds one she can hit and gets off the mark with a well-placed two. A quick dash gets her third and puts Mooney on strike for her first ball for the last of the over, where she also gets herself off the mark and back on strike.

7.01am BST

Thanks so much to the always wonderful Geoff who has guided us through that rain delay with his usual beautiful style. I have the privilege of actually getting to talk you through the game as Beth Mooney and Alyssa Healy come in to bat for Australia.

6.56am BST

Righto, that’s enough from me. For the match itself, I’ll hand you over to Megan Maurice.

6.56am BST

A debut for Darcie Brown, fast bowler at 18 years of age. Here is how the teams would line up for a 50-over match. But they’re effectively playing a long T20, so I wonder whether they’ll change their order to be more like a T20 order. Mooney and Healy at the top, with Haynes in the middle.

Australia
Alyssa Healy
Rachael Haynes
Meg Lanning
Ellyse Perry
Beth Mooney
Ash Gardner
Nicola Carey
Jess Jonassen
Georgia Wareham
Megan Schutt
Darcie Brown

6.51am BST

25 overs per side. New Zealand win the toss and will bowl, which makes sense when revised targets come into play. Hopefully there’s enough time to get a match in.

6.33am BST

And that’s the story of how Australia’s team made everyone sick of them. While also recording a remarkable achievement. I suppose if you’re coming late to this live blog then you can read it down the page and it will be chronological. Perfect. We’re having an umpire inspection shortly at Mount M. Which I assume means that someone will inspect the umpires.

6.30am BST

Win #1 - India at Vadodara, 12th March 2018

It all started here. Bowling out India via a run out from the last ball of the innings for an even 200, with Australia’s spinners in the ascendancy: Amanda Wellington taking 3 for 24 and Jess Jonassen 4 for 30. Then Nicole Bolton making an even 100 in reply as Alyssa Healy, Meg Lanning, and Ellyse Perry helped her run down that target two wickets down.

6.21am BST

Win #4 - Pakistan at Kuala Lumpur, 18th October 2018

Not entirely Australia’s own way, even though they bowled out Pakistan for 95 with Megan Schutt’s 3 for 17 earning her the player of the match gong. Australia lost five wickets chasing that small target, with Pakistan’s greatest player Sana Mir taking 3 for 26. Healy top scored with 26.

5.59am BST

Win #7 - New Zealand at Perth, 22nd February 2019

New Zealand should have won this one, to start the Rose Bowl. Dismissed Australia for 241, just short of facing 50 overs. Haynes with 67 scored the only half-century. Kiwis cruising needing 53 at a run a ball with four wickets down. Then Jonassen happens. Gets Katie Perkins for 48. Wickets start falling. Dots start mounting. Amy Satterthwaite has 92 to her name, but needs 18 off 8 balls and gets out. They fall 5 runs short. What a choke. Jess Jonassen with 4 for 43 has done them again. Don’t forget her late 36 runs with the bat that gave her enough to bowl against, too.

5.45am BST

Win #10 - England at Leicester, 2nd July 2019

The Women’s Ashes began in England while the men’s World Cup was still going on nearby. This was one of the few close matches in Australia’s streak, though it looks closer on paper than it felt at the ground.

5.15am BST

Win #13 - West Indies at Coolidge, 5th September 2019

Jesus, this was a battering, the Australian juggernaut at full steam. Especially given West Indies were playing at home after being competitive in the T20 World Cup that was held in the Caribbean in November 2018.

4.40am BST

Win #16 - Sri Lanka at Brisbane, 5th October 2019

Let’s be honest, this series was a mismatch. Sri Lankan women’s cricket gets barely any funding, no priority, and very little player development. The player base relies on the handful of players who really want to play the game, after finding it via their own devices. The team has one standout player, Chamari Attapatu. It’s hard work otherwise.

4.20am BST

March 2020 - There was a cancelled tour to South Africa that would have involved three ODIs.

4.19am BST

Win #19 - New Zealand at Brisbane, 3rd October 2020

New Zealand were nowhere to start this series: bowled out for 180 with Maddy Green top-scoring with 35. Try these figures: Wareham, 10 overs, 2 for 23. Couldn’t hit her. Molineux 2 for 28, the left-arm spinner. Jonassen 2 for 29 with the same style. A wicket each for the seamers Carey, Schutt, Sutherland. Australia chased it with Lanning 62 not out and Haynes 44. Easy.

4.14am BST

Win #21 - New Zealand at Brisbane, 7th October 2020

This more than any was the win that underlined Australia’s dominance. Not just that it was the win that equalled the 21-win streak by Ricky Ponting’s team. But that in pursuing that win, Meg Lanning was absent injured, and Australia just threw in Annabel Sutherland to bat at No.3. Lanning’s spot, Ponting’s spot, and no worries, just throw in a 19-year-old all-rounder known for her bowling.

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Win #22 - New Zealand at Mount Maunganui, 4th April 2021

This win was all about Australia’s seam bowlers, Megan Schutt with 4 for 32 and Nicola Carey with 3 for 34. Never let NZ get going. Lauren Down made 90 at the top of the order, by far her best score in what is so far a statistically ropey career. Amy Satterthwaite made 32 and Amelia Kerr 33. But the scoring was stodgy and the total was 213.

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While we’re waiting, we might as well look at some of the matches that made up this 23-match winning streak Australia. Yeah?

Win #23 - New Zealand at Mount Maunganui, April 7

3.42am BST

Still twiddling our thumbs waiting for news from the Mountain. But the Bay of Plenty Rain Radar could be read as the Bay of Plenty of Rain Radar.

Here, if you want to stare at it too.

3.24am BST

That is one of the remarkable things about that winning streak. In cricket, you don’t just have to keep beating the teams you play. You have to get lucky enough not to have any non-results during your period of dominance.

3.23am BST

Starting to sound like we might get started soon. But here’s an interesting consideration. If we get part of a match today and then it gets called off... that will end Australia’s winning streak at 23 ODIs. Sure, the sports pages can start going to some technicality like “24 matches unbeaten”, but as far as the record books go with a pure winning streak, that would be it.

Right now, that’s not yet the case, because the toss hasn’t been held so the match hasn’t officially started. If it were called off now, there would be no match entry in the record books or on player profiles. But if they hold the toss, then it’s officially a match, meaning Australia then has to win that match in the time available to keep the record alive.

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New Zealand of course is where the Women’s World Cup was supposed to be held this year, for the 50-over format. It’s been postponed until February and March next year. But that’s not all that far away now, so every ODI match and series at the moment has a particular significance as teams work out how to tackle that tournament.

2.55am BST

Just seeing a clip from the second match, where Leigh Kasperek tried a big dive to save some runs off her own bowling, and ended up more or less faceplanted in the rough turf on the next pitch across. The texture didn’t make for sliding. Her teammate Katey Martin behind the stumps first of all burst out laughing, then asked if she was ok, then very kindly said loud enough for the stump mic to pick up, “Beached as, bro.”

Quite the internet callback, for those of us who remember this.

2.48am BST

Anyway, what did I just say about third matches being rained off? Today’s game might suffer the same fate. The toss has been delayed at Mount Maunganui due to rain. The covers are still on, there are a few ground staff wandering around the surface, and the umpires are keeping an eye on things. There’s more rain forecast for later in the day as well. So the question will be whether we can actually get on for long enough to get a semblance of a match in.

2.35am BST

Game 3, and it’s a familiar situation for New Zealand in the Rose Bowl ODI series: outclassed, trophy gone, nothing to play for but pride. The Australians have won this thing every time dating back to 1999. A proud record for one side and a sorry record for the other, a team that has been broadly competitive across that period, a team that won the 50-over World Cup in 2000, but that can’t put it together consistently against the Aussies.

In the first match of this series New Zealand couldn’t set a testing target to chase. In the second match they couldn’t chase a taller one themselves. There have been some moments of excellent bowling and fielding for the Kiwis but they haven’t done much with the bat. Two of their three senior guns are missing – Sophie Devine with fatigue and Suzie Bates still recovering from a long-term shoulder injury – which doesn’t help, although their presence hasn’t tipped the scales in many previous Rose Bowls contests.

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