White Ferns seal T20 series win
Sophie Devine starred with bat and ball as New Zealand completed a clean sweep of their women’s Twenty20 series over India.
Devine made 72 and then took 2-21 with the ball as the hosts triumphed by two runs at Seddon Park in Hamilton yesterday to claim a 3-0 series triumph.
Fellow opener Smriti Mandhana looked like getting India home in their chase but the brittle batting of her team-mates was exposed when she fell for a majestic 86 off 62 balls.
Devine was the bowler who took Mandhana’s wicket to sway the match New Zealand’s way. India needed 16 off the final over bowled by Leigh Kasperek – and four off the last ball to win – but could only manage a single.
The left-handed Mandhana displayed why she’s regarded as the world’s best women’s bat as she dispatched the home team’s bowlers to all parts of the boundary in India’s chase for 162.
The 22-year-old benefited from an awful missed opportunity when Hayley Jensen dropped her at long-on in the second over when the left-hander was on five, off the bowling off Anna Peterson.
Earlier, Devine led New Zealand’s charge to 161-7 off their 20 overs in making 72 off 52 balls, smacking eight fours and two sixes before falling in the 17th over.
However, her team-mates could only make 21 off the final 21 balls while losing five wickets after Devine’s exit.
She was dropped on 34 in the 11th over when her drive burst through the hands of Priya Punia at extra-cover and landed on her head before falling to the ground. But it was an innings full of bold blows to the full boundaries employed in Hamilton.
Her opening partner, Suzie Bates, fell in the sixth over after a brisk 24 from 16 balls. The duo played straight with great effect in the first five overs, often aerially, to both spin and seam.
New Zealand captain Amy Satterthwaite – who won the toss – was far from a passenger when Devine was in full flight. The lefthander found good value from the reverse sweep in reaching 31 off 23 balls.
The White Ferns now head to Australia to contest the three-match one-day international Rose Bowl series, starting in Perth on February 22.