Amelia Kerr and Georgia Plimmer scored sensational half-centuries and Jess Kerr took two wickets in the powerplay to set New Zealand Women up for a dominant 80-run win over South Africa Women in their first T20I match at the Bay Oval on Sunday morning.
New Zealand, who won the toss and chose to bat first, scored 190/7 in 20 overs. Their bowling attack banded together to restrict South Africa to 110/7 in 20 overs. New Zealand leads the five-match series 1-0.
“Definitely not our best day out. All credit to New Zealand, they played really well. We were pretty much outplayed in all facets of the game. I think the way we started both innings didn't help us,” Laura Wolvaardt, the South Africa captain, said after the match.
South Africa, who had a 191-run target, walked out intent on getting a quick start to their innings. Unfortunately, they were met by Jess Kerr. The pacer put on a clinic on bowling at the Bay Oval. The 28-year-old captured two wickets for six runs in three overs. Jess Kerr sent down 15 dot balls in the powerplay as she helped to limit South Africa to 19/2 after the first six overs. She accounted for Sune Luus and Laura Wolvaardt.
Jess Kerr finished the match with two wickets for 13 runs in four overs. However, Sophie Devine was the pick of the bowlers for the hosts with four wickets for 12 runs in four overs.
Tazmin Brits kept one end intact while New Zealand knocked off wickets at the other. The opener scored a slow 35-ball 29 in a frustrating innings where she failed to middle the ball. Nadine de Klerk (19) and Kayla Reyneke (24*) saved South Africa from the ignominy of losing by more than 100 runs with a 25-run sixth-wicket partnership that took the deficit to double digits.
Earlier in the match, Jess Kerr's younger sister, Amelia Kerr, put on a masterclass on batting at the venue. The New Zealand captain led the charge for the hosts with a 44-ball 78 (11X4s, 2X6s). She had support from Georgia Plimmer, who scored a 63 from 44 deliveries (5X4s, 3X6s).
Amelia Kerr's half-century is her seventh in T20Is. The 25-year-old faced 28 deliveries to reach the milestone. Plimmer, on the other hand, needed 37 deliveries to reach her third T20I half-century.
“I came in earlier than I thought. But just building a partnership with Georgia. With our batting line-up and how deep we bat it was about taking the game on from ball one. So, it was about staying real positive and sticking to my game plan and my strengths,” Amelia Kerr, who was named the Player of the Match, shared.
Amelia Kerr joined Plimmer in the middle in the first over after Isabella Gaze's early dismissal. The duo took the attack to the South African bowling attack that offered width on numerous occasions. They launched their fightback by taking 36 runs off Ayabonga Khaka and Kayla Reyneke off the third and fourth overs and did not look back.
They mounted a 146-run second-wicket partnership that set New Zealand up for a match-winning total. A highlight of their partnership, which featured 16 fours and five sixes, was the low per centage of dot balls. The pair kept the pressure on South Africa's fielders by running hard between the wickets.
“The biggest thing is to play the style and brand this group wants to play. The intent with the bat...sometimes, you lose wickets but if each player can have the same intent despite the situation,” Amelia Kerr revealed.
Kerr lost her wicket in the 14th over while trying to dispatch a Masabata Klaas delivery to the boundary. She mistimed the slog sweep and offered Sinalo Jafta an easy catch. Plimmer was hot on Kerr's heels. The opener departed eight balls later. Plimmer wandered out of her crease intent on smashing a Nonkululeko Mlaba delivery out of the ground. The spinner deceived her in the air to allow Jafta a stumping opportunity. New Zealand lost their way after losing Kerr and Plimmer.
Masabata Klaas was the only South African bowler who got the measure of the surface. The pacer finished the match with two wickets for 15 runs in four overs. She was the only bowler who conceded runs at a rate lower than four runs an over. Nadine de Klerk also took two wickets but allowed 32 runs in four overs.
“She's (Klaas) been exceptional. She just seems to be enjoying her cricket. I think she was really proactive with the ball, setting her field, and bowling the right ball to it. The rest of us more reactive. She really showed us what to do today,” Wolvaardt said of Klaas’ performance.
NEW ZEALAND: Georgia Plimmer, Isabella Gaze (wk), Amelia Kerr (capt), Sophie Devine, Brooke Halliday, Maddy Green, Izzy Sharp, Suzie Bates, Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Bree Illing.
SOUTH AFRICA: Tazmin Brits, Sune Luus, Laura Wolvaardt (capt), Annerie Dercksen, Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Kayla Reyneke, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Masabata Klaas, Ayabonga Khaka, Nonkululeko Mlaba.