2002-03 Annual R eport 2002-03 Annual R eport - Australian Sports ...

Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars four-nation series in New Zealand, 2002-03
Back, left to right: Lisa Ross (Physiotherapist), Claire Connolly (Team Manager), Melanie Jones, Michelle Goszko, Emma Twining, Cathryn Fitzpatrick, Kris Britt, Mark Sorell
(Assistant Coach), Steve Jenkin (Coach), Sally Bailey (Physical Conditioning Co-ordinator).
Front, left to right: Melissa Bulow, Julie Hayes, Clea Smith, Belinda Clark (Captain), Karen Rolton (Vice-captain), Julia Price, Lisa Sthalekar, Alex Blackwell.
COMMONWEALTH BANK SOUTHERN STARS
FOUR-NATION SERIES IN
NEW ZEALAND, 2002-03
The Australian women’s team, the Commonwealth Bank
Southern Stars, reaffirmed its position as the leading side in the
women’s game throughout 2002-03, with a dominant display at
the four-nations one-day international tournament in New
Zealand during January/February.
While completing the tournament undefeated did not return the
official mantle of world champions to the Southern Stars – that
title remains their focus for the 2005 World Cup campaign in
South Africa – the team’s flawless effort in New Zealand proved
the Australians are still an impressive unit.
The Southern Stars completed a perfect tournament in New
Zealand, winning all six qualifying matches against participating
nations England, India and New Zealand, earning a bonus point
for each convincing victory.
In winning the four-nation competition, the Southern Stars also
retained its hold on the coveted Rose Bowl trophy with the annual
series against New Zealand built into the quadrangular tournament.
With the retirement of experienced top-order batter Lisa
Keightley in December, Australia used the first three matches of
the New Zealand series to blood three international debutantes
– targeted youth squad members Kris Britt and Alex Blackwell,
and Queenslander Melissa Bulow.
The Southern Stars opened its four-nations campaign against
New Zealand on Australia Day at Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Lincoln,
carving a 63-run victory against the hosts. Vice-captain Karen
Rolton and Lisa Sthalekar established the early pace for the
Southern Stars, sharing a 123-run partnership on the way to a
223-run total.
The free-flowing run-scoring of Rolton and Sthalekar set the
scene for the tournament. Together with captain Belinda Clark,
the trio dominated the competition’s batting – Clark the
tournament’s eventual highest run-scorer with 343.
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In reply, New Zealand began horridly, losing keeper Rebecca
Rolls (6 runs) and captain Emily Drumm (0) within two balls and
without addition to the score – both stroke players falling victim
to a determined Cathryn Fitzpatrick.
As she often is, Fitzpatrick was the bowling catalyst for the
Southern Stars, containing the performance of Drumm and
Rolls throughout the series – dismissing the captain on three
occasions for a total of 13 runs, and twice beating the dangerous
Rolls, conceding just 7 runs in doing so.
Australia’s aggressive style continued throughout the tournament,
accounting comfortably for England and India in the next two
matches and recording its highest total of the tournament (8-
226) against England in match four.
Leg-spinner Kris Britt snared 4-16 while Fitzpatrick continued
her impressive bowling, capturing another three wickets.
India struggled to challenge a rampaging Australia in match
five, suffering a nine-wicket defeat, while the Southern Stars
prevailed with a six-wicket victory in the last match of the series
against New Zealand – its sixth consecutive win of the
tournament – to set up a final against the hosts.
Establishing a competitive 214 runs – Clark’s 80 from 119 balls
being the tonic for good things to follow – the Southern Stars
dismissed New Zealand for its lowest total of the series – 105
runs in 30 overs. Hayes (3-31) and Fitzpatrick (2-14) led
Australia’s bowling charge to claim the title.
Australia’s dominance during the series was reflected in the fact
it boasted three of the top four competition run-scorers, and
three of the top five tournament wicket-takers, with Clark (343
runs at 49.00) and Fitzpatrick (15 wickets at 10.06) heading the
respective series lists.