Relief for Drumm as New Zealand get win over Australia

CLEAR White Ferns, captain Emily Drumm was "hugely relieved" to beat Australia at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval in the fourth game of the Rosebowl series today.

Drumm, who compiled 88 of New Zealand's 196/9, later went to hospital for x-rays on an injured thumb sustained after being hit by a shot from fellow captain Belinda Clark when fielding at short mid-wicket.

However, the 27-year old told CricInfo, "That's the least of my concerns right now," after being given the all clear to play tomorrow.

"You are very pleased to come away as winners because when you lose back-to-back games it breaks confidence. There was a lot of pressure today when TV and the public expect us to play like the World Cup," said Drumm.

New Zealand's first win over Australia since the CricInfo Women's World Cup final in 2000 was achieved by the narrow margin of 22 runs.

Nevertheless, the home side had the game wrapped up well before Therese McGregor and Cathryn Fitzpatrick, who is doubtful for tomorrow with a calf strain and batted with a runner, added an unbeaten 41 for the last Australian wicket.

This seemingly insignificant stand decided the fate of the Rosebowl, which will remain in Australia as New Zealand failed to separate the final pair before they passed the threshold of 157 that prevented a bonus point being won.

The reason that Australia was in such a poor position was due to effectiveness of Aimee Mason's off spin on her home One-Day International debut.

She took four for 33, including the breakthrough wicket of Karen Rolton when the score was 81/1 in the 22nd over and another regulation Australia win was looming. After having Lisa Sthalekar and Julia Price caught by the immaculate Rebecca Rolls with successive deliveries, Mason removed Julie Hayes six balls later with the arm ball coach Mike Shrimpton taught her at the Academy last year.

Earlier, the 19-year-old Central Hinds bowler attacked to make 34 off 36 balls with two sixes, one over square leg and one over long on. She regards herself as a "bowler who bats" and had previously scored just one 50 for CD, but as one who likes "to give it a bit of a go," she took on the Australian bowlers.

It was Mason's partnership of 58 for the sixth wicket with Drumm that set up New Zealand's best total of the series, and then, after Clark (43) and Rolton (26) had added 60 for the second wicket, it was Mason again who turned the game.

The Australian batsmen's failure to reach 50 emphasised the importance of Drumm's knock on a good wicket on a rare hot and sunny Lincoln day.

"I took quite a few risks in my innings. I believe in calculating to hit off the stumps to square and behind. They are shots I practice a lot to get them to bowl outside the off stump to try and get runs on the off side," Drumm revealed.

She continued, "Playing Australia, they're the team you want to beat - these guys are really good." Drumm missed the final stages of the match while in Christchurch Hospital, but returned to Lincoln in time to celebrate the success.

The jubilant skipper concluded, "I couldn't be more pleased to have helped the team to victory. We are a very young side who obviously coped without me. To did what they did when I wasn't here shows that we don't have to rely on certain players."