Australia Begin Global Tournament Title Defence with Win

Women's World Cup match in Indore

Australia scored 326 runs (49.3 overs): Gardner made 115 from 83 deliveries; Tahuhu took 3 wickets for 42 runs

New Zealand managed 237 runs (43.2 overs): Devine 112 (112); Molineux 3-26

Australia secured an 89-run victory

Ash Gardner produced a outstanding lower-order century as Australia commenced the defense of their World Cup championship with an 89-run win over the New Zealand side in Indore.

Gardner helped her team bounce back after they fell to 128-5, scoring 115 runs off 83 deliveries as the multiple-time title holders accumulated 326.

New Zealand captain Devine struck a defiant hundred of her own after coming in with her side at zero for two, and momentarily challenged to drag the White Ferns to a remarkable win.

She hammered 12 fours and three maximums in her run-a-ball 112, but was the first of three New Zealand wickets in Annabel Sutherland's 43rd over as the Australian side snuffed out any chance of an initial loss.

Phoebe Litchfield got Australia off to a flying start after Alyssa Healy won the toss and chose to bat, scoring a 45 from 31 balls as they achieved 81-1 at the conclusion of the first powerplay.

Nevertheless the 22-year-old was dismissed by Melie Kerr with the initial delivery of the eleventh over, and the Australian innings stalled until Gardner's arrival.

Coming in at number six, Gardner guided partnerships of 64 and 69 with McGrath and Alana King, before being taken behind the wicket off Illing.

The New Zealand captain's knock started slowly as she reconstructed with a 75-run partnership with Kerr, but she accelerated as her team arrived at the 42nd over requiring 91 runs.

But Annabel Sutherland dismissed the veteran all-rounder to trigger a rapid end to the contest, with the White Ferns losing their last four wickets for just two runs to be bowled out with 40 balls remaining.