Australia Retain Rose Bowl with 40-Run Win Over New Zealand

Australia beat New Zealand by 40 runs in the second T20I, retaining the Rose Bowl with one game to play, Cricket Australia said. Ashleigh Gardner scored 84 from 45 deliveries, including two sixes, to propel Australia to 7-167 at North Sydney Oval, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said.

She also took two wickets, while Georgia Wareham took 3-18 as New Zealand was restricted to 8-127.

Gardner's score was her highest T20I score in almost seven years. Beth Mooney added 37 from 28, and Ellyse Perry scored 11. 

New Zealand's Georgia Plimmer and Lucy Hamilton were early casualties, scoring 6 and 12 respectively. Amelia Kerr scored 32 off 38, and Maddy Green added 26 off 22, but Australia's pressure led to their downfall.

The Rose Bowl is a symbol of Australia's dominance in women's cricket, with a near 27-year grip on the trophy. The series finale will be played on Thursday night.

The Rose Bowl is contested between Australia and New Zealand, with the winner determined by a series of matches. Australia has historically been the stronger team, and this win cements their position.

The women's cricket teams of both countries have a long history of competition, with the Rose Bowl series being one of the most prestigious and enduring rivalries in the sport.