Australia 148 for 5 (Perry 36, Gardner 33, Carson 2-29) beat New Zealand 146 for 6 (Plimmer 53, Kerr 40, Wareham 2-21, Sutherland 2-23) by five wickets

Wareham was then promoted to No.3, in move that could be replicated at the T20 World Cup, and thumped 26 off 16 balls to ease any run-rate pressure in the chase before Ellyse Perry and Gardner compiled a 61-run stand to put Australia on the brink of victory with Perry making 36 and Gardner 33. Two late mistakes from the duo, that cost their wickets respectively, were the only blemishes in an otherwise controlled partnership. Tahlia McGrath and Phoebe Litchfield finished the job but did get some help from Fran Jonas who spilled a sitter off Litchfield.

Plimmer delivers on the promise

The pressure was mounting on Plimmer ahead of the World Cup. Her 23 T20I innings prior to this game had yielded a highest score of 28. She finally broke through with a hard-fought half-century. It wasn't fluent. She took six balls to get off the mark and was striking at well under a run-a-ball through her first 27 deliveries. She was also dropped twice having offered sharp return catches to Sophie Molineux and Tayla Vlaeminck. But she finally broke free in the 11th over with two crisp strikes off Sutherland, one a powerful blow over midwicket and another over long-on. The longer her innings went, the more balanced she was at the crease and her striking became crisper as a result. She shared a 45-run powerplay with Suzie Bates, which was New Zealand's best of the series before Bates was bowled trying to sweep Wareham off the first ball of the seventh over. Plimmer then added 73 with Kerr for the second wicket which appeared to lay an excellent platform for a final overs assault. There was palpable relief on her face when she reached her first half-century in international cricket off 47 balls. New Zealand were 118 for 1 with 22 balls left. Kerr was 35 from 33 and although the scoring rate was just over seven an over, there were enough wickets in hand to post a score of 160 with some good late hitting.

Late overs slump shakes the foundation

New Zealand's hopes of 160 disappeared in the blink of an eye as they lost 5 for 28 from the final 22 balls of the innings. Plimmer fell the very next ball after reaching her half-century. Wareham picking up her second victim in an outstanding spell. Gardner accounted for Kerr in the next over, clattering her stumps as she tried to cut. The bottom then fell out of New Zealand's order. Sophie Devine and Brooke Halliday both holed out in the penultimate over from Sutherland who was rewarded for some excellent death bowling have earlier been dispatched by Plimmer. There was a moment when New Zealand looked like they might not post 140. But Green proved again she is potentially batting too low in the order, cracking a six and a four off Molineux in the final over to finish with 12 not out off 5 and post 146 for 6.

Wareham at No.3 offers options