Making the most of being asked to bat at number 5 for a strong Australian batting line-up, Annabelle Sutherland continued her stunning form as she registered back-to-back ODI centuries. With an unbeaten 105 off 81 balls against New Zealand in Wellington on Saturday, Sutherland became the first woman in ODI history to score back-to-back centuries while batting in the fifth or lower order.
In her previous one-dayer in Perth, the third of the series against India, recently, she scored a superb 110 to save Australia from a difficult position after a brilliant spell of quick bowling by Arundhati Reddy took four quick wickets. It wasn’t much different against New Zealand on Saturday, as she came into bat at 107/3 after Ellyse Perry was dismissed and soon saw Beth Mooney out at 110/4. At the start of the 50th over of Australia’s innings, Sutherland completed her century off just 78 balls, the star all-rounder taking just 23 balls for her second fifty.
According to cricket.com.au, the 23-year-old also became the second youngest Australian to score three ODI centuries after former captain Meg Lanning. “It was actually tough, I couldn’t finish my timing … I was trying to work with my partner at the other end,” Sutherland said after her innings.
Annabelle Sutherland with another career best ODI score 🤩 🏏 #Cricket #NZvAUS #AnnabelSutherland #Foxtel pic.twitter.com/pH1y5NJxFg
– Foxtel (@Foxtel) December 21, 2024
“There were a couple of 50-run partnerships which were good and it was good to get a good score on a tough batting wicket.”
Australian head coach Shelley Nitschke said during the India-Australia ODI series that the team wanted to make better use of Sutherland’s batting ability and was not promoting him to No.5. And it is already starting to pay dividends for the defending world champions, who are less than a year away from the ODI World Cup in India. Sutherland’s form has also been good for Delhi Capitals, who paid a hefty sum for him in last year’s auction.
I’m very competitive so whenever I get a chance to bat, it doesn’t come around very often, and like the chance to bat a bit higher at No. 5 and try to take advantage of that, pass the time. Cash in in the middle and end,” said Sutherland, who has a Test double century to his name.
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