White Ferns cruise to series win

Sophie Devine was in brilliant form as she brought up a century for the White Ferns yesterday....
Sophie Devine was in brilliant form as she brought up a century for the White Ferns yesterday. Photo: Getty Images
The White Ferns will arrive in Dunedin this afternoon full of confidence and with a bit of a swagger.

The side had a convincing 69-run win over South Africa in the fourth twenty20 international at the Basin Reserve yesterday.

With the victory, the White Ferns, who lead 3-1 with one game left to play, clinched the five-match series.

The final game will be played at the University of Otago Oval on Thursday starting at 2pm.

The match yesterday was very one-sided as White Ferns skipper Sophie Devine virtually won the game on her own.

She opened the batting and hit the ball to all corners of the ground and over the boundary to score 105.

She was dismissed in the 20th over after hitting 12 fours and three sixes in a top knock which took just 65 balls. It was the fifth time in a row she has scored over 50 in a T20 innings.

It was just the second century scored by a New Zealand woman in a T20 international — Suzie Bates scored the other.

Bates, who was 47 not out yesterday, and Devine had a 142-run partnership for the second wicket.

The partnership is the highest for New Zealand against a tier-one nation in a T20 fixture.

The White Ferns’ score of 171 for two was a hefty target for South Africa to chase and the visiting side crumbled to be all out for 102 in 17 overs.

Devine said after the match she was very happy with the performance.

"We have played a lot of T20 cricket this season, not only in the series we are playing now but in the Big Bash some of us played in Australia and the Super Smash here so we really know the roles we have to play."

She said the bowling of the side yesterday was superb.

The spinners had made an impact while the seamers contained well and threatened at times.

There was the chance to rotate players during the game in Dunedin but they would look to continue to play to a high standard.

The wickets were shared around by the White Ferns bowlers yesterday.

Spinner Anna Peterson opened the bowling and took three cheap wickets in four overs.

After Thursday’s match, both sides will fly to Melbourne on Friday for the World Twenty20.

New Zealand opens its campaign with a game against Sri Lanka in Perth on February 23.

 

Add a Comment

OUTSTREAM