A Player of the Match performance from Victorian all-rounder Ella Hayward guided the Australian Women’s Indigenous team to victory in the final match of their tour of Papua New Guinea.
Hayward took 4/10 from her four overs against Vanuatu at the weekend, her best figures for the series, before scoring an unbeaten 21 (25) to guide Australia to a commanding eight wicket victory.
The win was Australia’s second against Vanuatu at the week-long PacificAus Sports Cricket Invitational.
On the back of Hayward’s four-fa and three wickets from seamer Maddison Spence (3/10), Australia bowled Vanuatu out for a miserly 60 from 16.1 overs.
Vanuatuan batters Rachel Andrew, Alvina Chilia, and Susan Stephen each contributed 10 with the bat.
Australia cruised to victory in response, lead by Hayward, opener Charlotte Toohey (17 from 24) and Anika Learoyd (12* from 6), to win by eight wickets with nine overs to spare.
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Nasimana Navaika (1/14) was Vanuatu’s sole wicket taker.
Australia’s series-ending victory came after dismantling Samoa for the second time the previous day.
Four wickets each from off-spinners Dharmini Chauhan (4/12) and captain Christina Coulson (4/3) saw Samoa bowled out for just 51 in 16 overs.
Carol Lora Agafili (16 from 18) and Olive Lefaga Lemoe (12 from 17) were the only batters to put up any resistance for Samoa.
Australia were untroubled in response, winning with eight wickets and more than nine overs to spare.
Opening the batting, Coulson top scored with 18 (19) with Toohey unbeaten on 16 (23), the pair combining in a 30-run opening stand.
Ailaoa Felicia Aoina (3/12) was a shining light for Samoa in the comprehensive loss.
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Australia’s sole loss of the quadrangular series came against Papua New Guinea on Thursday, the hosts chasing down Australia’s 7/111 in a final ball thriller.
An unbeaten 33 (35) from middle order batter Pauke Siaka along with double-figure contributions from Melanie Ani, captain Brenda Hoi Tau, Holland Doriga and Dika Lohia saw Papua New Guinea to victory with a ball and two wickets remaining.
Off-spinner Grace Adby (3/19) was Australia’s best with the ball in the loss.
Callee Black top scored for Australia with 49 (40), with Mikayla Hinkley adding 22 (28).
Both Australia and Papua New Guinea finished the tournament with a 5-1 record, with PNG ranked slightly above the Australians on net run rate to become tournament champions.
Vanuatu finished third with a 1-4 record, with Samoa finishing fourth after going winless in five matches.
