Ashleigh Gardner produced the star turn with both bat and ball to power Australia to a 40-run win over New Zealand in the second T20I at North Sydney Oval on Tuesday (October 20). The victory gave Australia an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, securing the Rose Bowl in its first contest as a T20I series.

Gardner struck 84 off 45 balls to lift Australia to 167 after they had been reduced to 41 for 3 in the seventh over. She then returned 2 for 17 with the ball while Georgia Wareham claimed 3 for 18 as New Zealand were restricted to 127 on a tough wicket.

Australia's innings had an uncertain start after New Zealand opted to bowl. Georgia Voll fell for a duck, while the returning Phoebe Litchfield (in for Tahlia McGrath) and Ellyse Perry also departed cheaply to leave the hosts under pressure. Beth Mooney, who made 39 off 28 balls, helped lead a counter-attack alongside Gardner with the pair adding 60 for the fourth wicket in just 35 balls.

Gardner took charge from there. She built a crucial partnership with Mooney before continuing to score freely after the opener's dismissal. Reaching her half-century off just 29 deliveries, Gardner tore into the attack in the death overs, with the most damaging assault coming in the penultimate over. Gardner struck Jess Kerr for two fours and two sixes in a four-ball sequence that provided Australia with a substantial late boost. She was run out off the final ball of the innings, but not before her 10 fours and four sixes took the hosts to a competitive total.

New Zealand's chase never gathered sufficient momentum. They had Australia in trouble early in the first innings but struggled to replicate that control with the bat. The visitors were 56/2 at the halfway stage, with the required rate climbing steadily.

Wareham then swung the contest decisively in Australia's favour. The leg-spinner finished with 3 for 18 from four overs and was involved in several key moments in the field, adding two catches and a run-out to her wickets. Amelia Kerr top-scored for New Zealand with 32, but her innings came off 38 deliveries and was well off the pace in the face of a mounting asking rate. The visitors eventually fell 40 runs short.

Brief scores: Australia 167/7 in 20 overs (Ashleigh Gardner 84, Beth Mooney 39; Nensi Patel 2-30) beat New Zealand 127/8 in 20 overs (Georgia Wareham 3-18, Ashleigh Gardner 2-17) by 40 runs.