New Zealand Women v Australia Women first ODI preview

Australia Women will be determined to maintain the upper hand when they take on New Zealand Women in the first ODI, which begins on Wednesday at Basin Reserve in Wellington.

The Aussies have been in impressive form in 2024, winning eight of their nine matches in the format and clinching all three series against South Africa, Bangladesh and India.

New Zealand lost their most recent ODI series to India, which began just four days after the White Ferns secured a maiden T20 World Cup title in Dubai.

The home side have been unable to get the better of their trans-Tasman rivals for the past eight Rose Bowl runnings, with Australia winning 24 of the clashes to New Zealand’s three since a drawn series in 2009.

The Basin Reserve pitch typically offers a good balance between bat and ball, which could lead to an exciting trio of contests if both teams perform to their potential.

New Zealand Women v Australia Women betting preview

The Aussies had no problem retaining their grip on the Rose Bowl when the teams last met for three matches at Allan Border Field in Brisbane four years ago.

Meg Lanning’s team won 3-0 with victory margins of seven wickets, four wickets and 232 runs.

Lanning scored a ton in the second ODI and rested herself for the final dead-rubber game as opener Rachael Haynes took over the reins and added to her 232 series runs with a top score of 96 off 104 balls.

Lanning and Haynes have since retired the international scene and Australia look set to be without another couple of their stars from that series.

Left-arm spinner Sophie Molineux has been ruled out with a knee injury that forced her to miss some of the Women’s BBL campaign, while skipper Alyssa Healy is also battling a sore knee.

Voll on a roll after WBBL breakthrough

Healy’s possible return creates a headache for Australia’s selectors at the top of the order after Georgia Voll made an impressive start to her international career.

Voll, who made scores of 46 not out, 101 and 26 against India, will be hard to drop after a breakthrough WBBL campaign in which she finished as the fifth-highest run scorer in the competition.

Bowling all-rounder Heather Graham has been drafted into the squad, but Georgia Wareham looks the most likely player to come into Australia's XI for the first match of this series.

New Zealand, meanwhile, remain heavily reliant on the self-styled Kiwi "grandmas" - the 37-year-old Suzie Bates, the 35-year-old Sophie Devine, and the 34-year-old Lea Tahuhu - who played such a big part in this year’s T20 World Cup win.

Melie Kerr, who was named player of the tournament in Dubai after cracking 43 off 38 balls and taking three South African wickets in the final, is likely to feature.

The all-rounder recently scored her sixth List A century in domestic cricket for Wellington and will be keen to impress in front of an anticipated large crowd at the Basin Reserve.

However, White Ferns opener Georgia Plimmer has been ruled out of the three-match series after sustaining a bone stress reaction in her groin.

Home crowd can inspire in-form Kerr

Australia go into this series as overwhelming favourites again, but the absence of their top spinner and doubts over Healy’s fitness could make things interesting.

The Aussies remain two points clear of England at the top of the ICC World Championship, while New Zealand still have some work to do to confirm their place in the top six.

The Kiwis could spring a surprise in the opening clash of the series in front of over 2000 home fans there to witness the team’s first clash on home soil since winning the T20 World Cup.

Kerr, who still holds the record for the highest score by an opener in Women’s ODI cricket, can make a positive impact for the hosts.

Read more cricket previews on site

New Zealand Women v Australia Women odds

New Zealand Women - 6.00
Australia Women - 1.12

View the full market and more odds for New Zealand Women v Australia Women on site

This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.