The White Ferns' Twenty20 World Cup campaign is over, after falling to a four-run loss to Australia in their final Group A match in Melbourne.
Chasing a daunting target of 155, the New Zealanders faced an uphill battle that eventually became too steep and the hosts booked their spot in the semi-finals at their expense.
After winning the toss, the Kiwis got off to a promising start in the field, with Hayley Jensen snaring dangerwoman Alyssa Healy early for just nine runs.
Megan Lanning helped steady the ship with a quickfire 21, until an impressive catch from Lea Tahuhu put an end to her innings.
Opener Beth Mooney ensured the scoreboard steadily ticked over, blasting her way to 60 before she was dismissed by a fantastic boundary catch from Suzie Bates, off the bowling of Anna Peterson.
But with wickets in hand, the hosts were able to accelerate in the later overs, when Elysse Perry combined with Rachael Haynes to lift the Australians to a highly competitive total.
The NZ run chase kept pace with their counterparts early, working their way to 51/1 in the eighth over, when Georgia Wareham sent Bates packing on a leg-before-wicket review for 14.
In turn, the run-rate began to significantly slowed up, leaving New Zealand chasing the game.
Captain Sophie Devine kept her foot down, but was undone in the 14th over, stumped off the bowling of Wareham for 31.
Maddy Green and Katey Martin made another push, until Wareham struck again, snaring Green for 28 with a stumping.
In the 17th over and with the run-rate skyrocketing, Megan Schutt claimed the wickets of Amelia Kerr and Hayley Jensen in consecutive balls, signalling the beginning of the end for the visitors.
Australia will face either South Africa or England in their semi-final.
