Picture Credit: Instagram/@icc
The 2022 ICC Women's World Cup is underway, and the women cricketers are betting everything to take the title home. Australia are leading the way with three out of three wins, one of them coming this morning. Meg Lanning and Co. beat hosts New Zealand comprehensively to move to the top of the points table. Although Australia completely dominated most of the moments in the game, Maddy Green's catch was the best moment in the game.
Green's effort to dismiss dangerous Ellyse Perry could be easily called the catch of the tournament so far. The young lady gave it all while trying to grab the ball. On the last delivery of the 45th over of Australia's innings, Lea Tahuhu bowled in the slot for Perry to time it perfectly which the Australian did. Perry smoked the ball off the meat of the bat and waited at the crease for the ball to clear the boundary, but she wasn't aware that a flying Green was coming.
Maddy Green, standing at long-on, started running as soon as Perry completed her shot. And just when the ball was about to land a few inches short of the boundary ropes, she put in a full-length dive, going air-borne, and grabbed the ball horizontal to the ground. This superhuman effort from Green left everyone stunned inside the stadium with the on-air commentator calling it "absolutely superb".
Watch Maddy Green's unbelievable effort here:
Perry, bowlers leave New Zealand tattering
Coming to the match, Australia Women claimed a clinical victory by 141 runs and earned themselves two crucial points. After being put in to bat first, Australia lost three early wickets. However, a 57-run stand between Ellyse Perry and Beth Mooney helped them recover. It was followed by another brilliant partnership between Tahlia McGrath and Perry (101 off 95 balls). On the back of these two partnerships and some fireworks from Ashleigh Gardener at the fag end (48* off 18) helped Australia put 269/8.
In reply, New Zealand could not do much and got bundled out for 128. Amy Satterthwaite remained the highest scorer for the White Ferns with her 44 off 67. Meanwhile, Australia bowlers enjoyed a great time in the middle with each one of them getting one wicket at least. Ellyse Perry was named Player of the Match for her all-round performance (68 & 1/18).