Guptill back to enhance NZ hopes
But opener’s average against tourists will need to improve to get Caps back into series
Martin Guptill is set to make a timely return for the fourth one-day international between New Zealand and South Africa at Hamilton on Wednesday.
With the five-match rubber poised in the Proteas’ favour at 2-1, the Black Caps face the prospect of losing their first home one-day international series since October 2014.
They have since compiled seven consecutive series victories at home. South Africa inflicted the last loss, 2-0, in the World Cup build-up.
Guptill’s recovery from a hamstring injury — his second of the summer — will see him return to open. His pedigree is an average of 44.70 donning the pads first in 117 innings at a strike rate of 88.
However, that average drops to 21.90 at a strike rate of 61 opening 12 times against South Africa.
Guptill has been practising regularly since his last appearance; the opening Chappell-Hadlee ODI at Auckland.
“[The rehabilitation] was more about strengthening the hamstring and running at top speed,” coach Mike Hesson said. “He has been keeping his skills up the whole time, but hasn’t been in the middle. That’s challenging, but he’s a world-class player we’re keen to have back.”
He has been keeping his skills up . . . he’s a worldclass player we’re keen to have back. Mike Hesson on Martin Guptill
Captain and No.3 Kane Williamson would be entitled to a discreet fist pump.
The latest he has entered the New Zealand innings in the last seven ODIs is the start of the fourth over.
Williamson has scored 321 runs at an average of 53.50 during that period, but consistent early entrances place him under undue pressure.
After two close games in Hamilton and Christchurch, the top order failure in Wellington saw Williamson and Ross Taylor at the wicket by the end of the third over.
Their subsequent failures saw New Zealand stumble to 112, their lowest total at home since being dismissed for 73 by Sri Lanka in January 2007.
The innings was their worst ODI score against South Africa (previously 134 at Cape Town in December 1994) and trumped the biggest margin of defeat between the sides
Atremendous century from Amy Satterthwaite has put the White Ferns in a prime position to break an 17-year drought against Australia. Satterthwaite fought through cramps to craft an unbeaten 102 as the White Ferns pulled off the second biggest run chase in women’s cricket history, recording a five-wicket win in the first clash of the three-match Rosebowl series.
Backing up from the 2-1 win over their transtasman rivals in the Twenty20 series, a one-day series victory would be extremely significant for the White Ferns, who haven’t claimed the Rosebowl since 1999.
After 14 defeats and a drawn series, that drought could soon be over if the burgeoning Kiwi side continue their excellent recent performances.
Excellence is required to topple Australia, who set the White Ferns an extremely challenging total after winning the toss and deciding to bat on the compact confines of Eden Park Outer Oval.
Australia posted 275, spearheaded by a fantastic century from Beth Mooney, who struck a career-best 100 at the top of the innings.
She was supported by valuable knocks from Rachel Haynes (50 from 61) and a maiden 43-ball fifty from Elyse Villani as Australia built towards a mammoth score.
Haynes was involved in two controversial incidents. Initially dismissed early in her innings, Haynes was recalled due to a no-ball ruling from the umpire, who incorrectly adjudged that the Ferns had set an illegal field.
Her eventual dismissal was equally controversial, with wicketkeeper Rachel Priest claiming a catch that may have bounced before it hit the gloves. Australia kept accelerating though, and at 237-3 with eight overs to go, a total of 300 looked on the cards. However, excellent death bowling from Holly Huddleston and Lea Tahuhu restricted the visitors to 275 all out in the 49th over. New Zealand had never chased down more than 267, but captain Suzie Bates got them off to a flying start. Bates mixed power and innovation as she raced through to 55, but was caught at point as Australia started to restrict the run rate. Satterthwaite initially struggled for timing as the required run rate creeped towards seven an over, but influential cameos from Katey Martin (43 from 49) and Katie Perkins (29 from 27) kept the runs flowing. Their contributions helped Satterthwaite find a rhythm, bringing up her fifty from 76 balls, and quickening when joined by Perkins. The pair added 77 from just 64 balls to reduce the asking rate to a run-a-ball, while Australia were sloppy with 16 wides and several misfields. The requirement of 60 runs from 60 balls became 29 from 30, and then 13 from 13 as Satterthwaite started to cramp up, but by then, her strokeplay was exquisitely timed. A late cut and a one-legged pull for consecutive boundaries brought up her century (her second fifty coming from just 35 balls), and she fittingly struck the winning runs to claim a memorable victory. The White Ferns have a chance to win the series on Thursday in Mount Maunganui.