White Ferns Keep Finals Hopes Alive

A measly 4 runs was the difference between the White Ferns keeping their slim finals chances alive or finishing the tournament in the group stage. For Ireland, their campaign is as good as over, with no wins from three matches, and today being their 18th World Cup match without a win.

Let that sink in for a moment. The defending champions just got over the line against a team that has never won a World Cup match after 18 games across multiple tournaments. Ireland fought hard, fought bravely, and should have won the match. That just shows how deep the hole New Zealand have dug for themselves in this campaign.

The Rose Bowl in Southampton was a picture of splendour and the conditions for cricket could not have been better. The ground and pitch surface in excellent conditions and the 24 degree day was pleasant for players and spectators alike.

Sophie Devine was out for New Zealand due to illness – there are a number of players across the teams experiencing flu conditions in this tournament, notably West Indies – whether that was Sophie’s situation or not remains unclear but it did pave the way for the selectors to include Suzie Bates for the first time in this World Cup. It proved to be a wise selection.

Ireland’s Gaby Lewis won the toss and sent New Zealand in to bat. Aimee Maguire removed Georgia Plimmer in the first over, while Orla Prendergast accounted for Izzy Gaze in the second. Once again the White Ferns’ top order failed and it was left to skipper Amelia Kerr to repair the damage.

Maddy Green succumbed in the fourth over, then Cara Murray (2-32) for the big wicket of Kerr, leaving the Kiwis struggling at 48/4 in the eighth over. Solid knocks by Izzy Sharp (36), Brooke Halliday (34) helped steady the ship, but it was only some last over heroics from Suzie Bates that allowed New Zealand to post the modest total of 140/6.

Yet again Ireland lost Amy Hunter early. The talented keeper/batter has two centuries to her name in this tournament, but in three outings here so far she has a total of 47 runs, 39 of them against Scotland. That dismissal brought captain and vice captain together, Gaby Lewis (58) and Orla Prendergast (59) both scoring half centuries.

New Zealand could buy a wicket. Again their were fielding lapses and dropped catches. But then, a catch was taken. Maddy Green took a well judged catch in the outfield to remove Prendergast from the bowling of Amelia Kerr. That single event completely changed the momentum of the match. Rebecca Stokell was dismissed two balls later. All of a sudden the White Ferns were back.

One notable piece of fielding around that point of the game. A ball was struck and misfielded on the long off boundary, the ball heading for the ropes. Out of nowhere – literally out of nowhere – a diving Jess Kerr stopped the ball from hitting the boundary by a matter of milimetres and saved two runs. That was the turning point.

As the required run rate climbed and wickets fell, New Zealand  turned to Suzie Bates to bowl the final over. She didn’t disappoint. With the bat, in the field and with the ball Bates had a top game. It causes one to ponder whether she might have played in the earlier games and what impact she would have had.

Amelia Kerr was named Player of the Match – always involved somewhere or other, she’s a busy captain – and well deserved.

What now for Ireland? Two final games, against Sri Lanka and West Indies. No chance for the finals but they sure would crave a victory, rather than finishing the tournament winless and a record of twenty World Cup losses.

For New Zealand, the battle isn’t over but one should not underestimate the mountain they must climb, and even with the best of efforts it may not matter if other results don’t go their way. In other words, they are no longer masters of their own destiny. They also need a little good fortune. They must beat Scotland, and well, then they need to defeat the host nation. Win both, they’re in with a chance, yet even that may have them falling short. For now, their slim hopes still have a pulse.

Scores

New Zealand 140/6 (Izzy Sharp 36, Brooke Halliday 34, Orla Prendergast 2-26, Cara Murray 2-26) defeated
Ireland 136/4 (Orla Prendergast 59, Gaby Lewis 58, Amelia Kerr 2-23) by 4 runs

POTM: Amelia Kerr