Aussie star shines to overcome Kiwis and pre-game head knock that ...

On a dramatic evening in Mackay, Australia lost Ash Gardner to friendly fire but rallied to secure a five-wicket win over New Zealand, with rising star Phoebe Litchfield playing a leading role with the bat in pursuit of a target of 143.

The reigning ICC Young Cricketer of the Year produced a superb performance as she builds towards her first World Cup for Australia in Dubai next month when scoring an unbeaten 64 from 43 balls as the hosts snared the opening match of the series.

Litchfield was well supported by Georgia Wareham, who sparked chaos prior to the match beginning when colliding with Gardner during as the Aussies were playing soccer as a warm-up, forcing the star all-rounder to withdraw amid concussion concerns.

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Australia, which will seek a fourth World Cup in succession in the T20 format next month, was under pressure in the infancy of the innings when falling to 3-44 after Ellyse Perry was bowled by Lea Tahuhu for eight, still needing another 100 runs to secure the win.

But Litchfield, 21, was outstanding and found a willing partner in Wareham, who made 26 runs from 20 balls before losing her wicket caught and bowled to Brooke Halliday.

In an inventive innings, Litchfield used her full repertoire when striking 11 fours and hit the winning runs with a reverse sweep when scoring her second T20 half-century for Australia.

“I love to experiment in the nets and it was nice to practice that and then try it out in the middle. It sometimes looks a bit silly when I get it wrong, but whenever the off-side is up, it is an asset for myself,” she said.

“It is nice to have them come off in the middle. It felt so great to be out there in Australia and playing in front of a crowd again. It is good to be back.”Annabel Sutherland was unbeaten on four as the Aussies clinched the win with eight balls remaining.

“It was a good contest in the end and it could easily have swung both ways. I was probably a bit lucky early and, equally, I think we bowled well,” she said.

“They fought hard and did well to get to 140, which was definitely competitive out there. And with the big pockets, it was hard to score boundaries out there. If you give them 20 more runs, it would have been a tough battle out there, so it was a good game.”

It was a smooth end to a night which started dramatically Gardner, who has a history of concussion, was felled by Wareham while playing soccer.

Australian coach Shelley Nitschke described the period prior to the match beginning as “hectic” but said Gardner was in good spirits.

“We walked out and there’s something happening in warm-up and and then Ash was on the ground, and unfortunately she was ruled out of the game,” Nitschke told the Seven Network.

“She’s good. It’s just a precaution. She’s in concussion protocols at the moment and given we’ve got a fair bit of cricket ahead of us, we ruled her out of the game. She’s had a test and she passed, but you’ve got to stay in those protocols for a certain amount of time.”

Litchfield said that “sometimes the unexpected happens” but that she was glad both of her teammates were OK.

“Fingers crossed they will be OK, but it was a bit of a knock. They are in good spirits,” she said.

After New Zealand decided to bat in sticky conditions in central Queensland, the Australians were able to restrict their rivals to 7 for 143 from their 20 overs.

It shaped as a competitive target on a slightly off-pace pitch, particularly with the humidity rising as the night progressed at the Great Barrier Reef Stadium. But in the end it was a comfortable victory for the Australians, who will look to secure the series on Sunday.

MACKAY, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 19: Phoebe Litchfield of Australia celebrates her half century during game one of the Women's T20 International Series between Australia and New Zealand at Great Barrier Reef Arena on September 19, 2024 in Mackay, Australia. (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)Source: Getty ImagesMACKAY, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 19: Australia captain Alyssa Healy and New Zealand stand-in captain Suzie Bates take part in the coin toss ahead of game one of the Women's T20 International Series between Australia and New Zealand at Great Barrier Reef Arena on September 19, 2024 in Mackay, Australia. (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

New Zealand captain Suzie Bates said prior to the match that the Kiwis planned to take the fight to the Australian attack and she led by the front with an enterprising innings of 33.

The Kiwi opener became the first New Zealander of either sex to score 1000 runs against Australia in T20 matches but received little support from her top order while batting.

Maddy Green was dynamic in the middle order when making 35 from 33 balls, but no other New Zealand batter was able to score more than 14 as each of the six bowlers Australia used collected a wicket.

Off-spinner Sophie Molineux snared a wicket with her opening ball and was the pick of the Australian bowlers when taking 1 for 19 from her four overs.

New Zealand’s intent was clear, with the tourists attempting to take their rivals on from the opening ball, as per the vow of the stand-in skipper Bates.

Fast bowler Tayla Vlaeminck secured the first wicket in the third over when opener Georgia Plimmer dabbed a short-pitch ball to gully when mistiming an attempted cut to fall for 11.

Molineux then chimed in to claim Amelia Kerr when the New Zealander drove her ball straight to Annabel Sutherland at mid-on when out for seven.

MACKAY, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 19: Sophie Molineux of Australia celebrates with team mates after dismissing Amelia Kerr of New Zealand during game one of the Women's T20 International Series between Australia and New Zealand at Great Barrier Reef Arena on September 19, 2024 in Mackay, Australia. (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

By the end of the powerplay, New Zealand was 2-35, with Bates clubbing an impressive four over mid-wicket on the final delivery of the sixth over.

Georgia Wareham, who was involved in the dramatic collision that forced Garnder’s withdrawal before the match, snared her 100th wicket for Australia with her opening ball.

Brooke Halliday played all around a full toss from the first ball of Wareham’s spell and was struck on the pad, with a referral proving unsuccessful for the No.4.

Bates’ enterprising innings came to an end for 33 runs from 27 balls when she top-edged a short-pitched delivery from Sutherland, allowing Alyssa Healy an easy catch.

Megan Schutt was reintroduced into the attack with three overs remaining and was able to tempt Maddy Green, who made 35 from 33 balls, into a bid to guide a ball down leg side.

She only succeeded in finding Heather Graham at short-leg, which robbed New Zealand of momentum and an opportunity to reach 150.

Earlier Gardner was been ruled out in a dramatic preamble to the match when she collided with Wareham during a warm-up.

The Aussies were playing a game of soccer prior to the match at the Great Barrier Reef Stadium when they pair hit heads, with Gardner going to ground.

The 27-year-old has a history of concussion and, while the Australians said that Gardner was hit in the jaw, she was replaced in the team by Graham.

Both Kim Garth, who is recovering from a knee injury, and Grace Harris, who has a calf strain, are also missing from the Australian side.

Australian captain Alyssa Healy described it as a chaotic hour leading into the match, with the coin toss and match start time delayed as a result.

“There was a little bit of chaos in the warm up ... two big bodies going at it in the warm-up and unfortunately Ash Gardner is out tonight,” she said.

“But this is a great opportunity for us to get out there as a team ahead of what is a really big eight months for us.”

New Zealand captain Sophie Devine is recovering from an ankle injury and did play, with the Kiwis winning the toss and deciding to bat.

Australia XI: Alyssa Healy (c, wk), Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Heather Graham, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Georgia Wareham, Annabel Sutherland, Sophie Molineux, Megan Schutt, Tayla Vlaeminck

New Zealand XI: Suzie Bates (c), Georgia Plimmer, Melie Kerr, Brooke Halliday, Maddy Green, Izzy Gaze (wk), Leigh Kasperek, Jess Kerr, Lea Tahuhu, Molly Penfold, Fran Jonas