Lanning, Haynes guide Australia to four-wicket win over New Zealand in second ODI

Brisbane [Australia], October 5 (ANI): Meg Lanning and Rachael Haynes played knocks of 101 and 82 respectively as Australia defeated New Zealand by four wickets in the second ODI of the three-match series on Monday here at the Allan Border Field in Brisbane.
With this win, Australia have gained an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match ODI series. Both sides will now lock horns in the third and final ODI on Wednesday, October 7.
Australia have now extended their unbeaten ODI run to 20 matches. If the side wins the final ODI, then the side will equal Ricky Ponting's record of consecutive 21 ODI victories in 2003.
Chasing 253, Australia got off to a steady start as openers Alyssa Healy and Rachael Haynes put on 37 runs for the first wicket. New Zealand got their first wicket in the seventh over as Sophie Devine clean bowled Healy (21).
Meg Lanning then joined Haynes in the middle and the duo ensured that the scoreboard keeps moving for the hosts Australia. Both batters put on 117 runs for the second wicket and their partnership saw Haynes going past the 50-run mark.
With Australia 99 runs away from the target, New Zealand finally got the much-needed breakthrough as Sophie Devine dismissed Haynes (82) in the 27th over. Soon after, Amelia Kerr got among the wickets as she sent Beth Mooney (6) back to the pavilion, reducing Australia to 166/3.
Lanning and Sophie Molineux put on a brief 30-run stand but Amelia Kerr once again came to New Zealand's rescue as she had Molineux (14) and Ashleigh Gardner (0) dismissed on consecutive balls, reducing Australia to 196/5.
Annabel Sutherland then joined Lanning in the middle and the duo formed a 49-run stand to take Australia close to the finishing line. Hayley Jensen dismissed Sutherland (17) in the 44th over, but in the end, Lanning (101*) and Nicola Carey (5*) took Australia over the line by four wickets with 29 balls to spare.
Earlier, Sophie Devine and Amy Satterthwaite's knocks of 79 and 69 runs guided New Zealand to 252/9 in the allotted fifty overs.
Put in to bat first, New Zealand openers Natalie Dodd and Sophie Devine put on 75 runs for the first wicket. Australia was finally able to get the first breakthrough in the 18th over as Sophie Molineux clean bowled Dodd (34).
Amy Satterthwaite then joined Devine in the middle and the duo mixed caution with aggression to stitch together a partnership of 93 runs. Their partnership saw both batters going past their fifty-run mark.
Australia finally got the much-needed breakthrough of Devine (79) in the 39th over as she was sent back to the pavilion by Jess Jonassen. After this dismissal, the Southern Stars kept on taking wickets at regular intervals to peg New Zealand back.
In the end, Katey Martin and Maddy Green played useful knocks of 26 and 21 respectively but New Zealand was restricted under the 255-run mark.
For Australia, Jonassen scalped our wickets and she just conceded 36 runs in her ten overs.
Brief Scores: Australia 255/6 (Meg Lanning 101*, Rachael Haynes 82, Amelia Kerr 3-47) defeat New Zealand 252/9 (Sophie Devine 79, Amy Satterthwaite 69, Jess Jonassen 4-36) by four wickets. (ANI)