New Zealand is sitting on one victory from three matches after coping a five-wicket loss to Australia at the Women's Cricket World Cup in Bristol.
White Ferns captain Suzie Bater and legspinner Amelia Kerr Photo: Photosport
After restricting the White Ferns to 219 for 9, with spinner Jess Jonassen and Megan Schutt taking three wickets apiece, the defending champions chased down their target with eight balls to spare.
Katie Perkins made 52 and Suzie Bates 51 for the White Ferns.
Alex Blackwell (36 not out) and Elysse Perry (71) guided Australia home comfortably after New Zealand had given themselves a glimmer of hope with two wickets in as many balls.
Perry was caught on the boundary with the scores level, as she tried to clear the rope, allowing Blackwell to knock off the one run needed for victory.
New Zealand bowled well in the first 10 overs, with the in-form Nicole Bolton and Beth Mooney unable to get Australia off to a flying start.
Bolton was the first to depart for 26 when she chipped Anna Peterson straight to Holly Huddleston at mid-on and she was followed back in the pavilion by Beth Mooney for 32 after she was clean bowled by Lea Tahuhu.
Australia appeared to be cruising to victory with in-form skipper Meg Lanning looking in ominous touch at a ground where she averages 128.
However, 16-year-old legspinner Amelia Kerr grabbed two wickets in as many balls to give New Zealand a sniff of an upset victory.
Lanning was first to fall for 48, when Kerr found the edge of her bat and Rachel Priest took a smart catch behind the stumps.
Elyse Vilani, who has not yet had a bat in the opening two matches of the tournament, then received a ripper of a delivery that clipped the top of her middle and off stumps for a first-ball duck.
Australia lost the toss and were sent in to field and it was their spinners that did majority of the damage to the New Zealand innings.
Looking well set at 85-1, Jonassen ripped through the top order with the wickets of Amy Satterthwaite (21), Katey Martin (0) and skipper Bates (51).
Some lower-order resistance from Erin Bermingham (35) and Perkins (52) helped the White Ferns clamber past 200 but three wickets from Schutt pegged back the charge to put Australia in full control.
New Zealand now have a win, a loss and a no result and their next game is against the West Indies on Thursday.
