Ferns put a positive spin on lopsided T20
The one-sided T20 series against Bangladesh finished in predictable fashion — with a colossal win to the White Ferns. They dispatched Bangladesh by 63 runs in Queenstown to complete a clean sweep in the three-game series on Wednesday.
The White Ferns posted 152 for 7 and the visitors limped to 89 for 7 in reply.
The result does not bode well for a competitive affair in the one-day series, which gets underway in Wellington on Sunday.
While the home team can celebrate a series win, there are areas needing polish ahead of the T20 World Cup in South Africa early next year.
Some of the fielding was below par and the batting in the powerplay was not as strong as it could be.
But there were some very good signs as well.
Melie Kerr produced two sterling efforts with the bat and helped the White Ferns plunder 58 off the final five overs, while Lea Tahuhu, who was named player of the series, nabbed three for 13 in another impressive performance with the ball.
She claimed a career-best four for six in game two in Dunedin and told Spark Sport she was not doing much differently.
“I don’t think too much has probably changed in terms of what my game plan is for the last 10 years,” she said.
“I guess it is a little bit different against Bangladesh because we are looking to go slightly fuller and bowl a bit straighter and thankfully that came off for me.
“I’m feeling really good with how [the ball] is coming out and it has been good to go out there and contribute.”
The White Ferns looked determined to get stuck in during the powerplay. They showed plenty of intent, but the execution was off.
Suzie Bates danced down the wicket, swung hard, missed and was stumped for nine. Rebecca Burns tried to get on top early as well. She charged Fariha Trisna and was bowled for a four-ball duck.
Sophie Devine had more luck, though. The White Ferns captain swung away a series of boundaries.
Lauren Down, who had not had a bat in the series, was promoted to No 4 and struggled to get going. She was run out for six trying to scamper through for a single.
Nahida Akter produced a stunning piece of fielding and a throw to match to reduce the home side to 51 for three.
Devine kept the scoreboard moving and was on track to post a half century before she sliced a drive to point on 47.
Big wicket, that, and Bangladesh celebrated appropriately.
Maddy Green missed with a reverse sweep and was bowled for 11.
That left Kerr to finish off with the hard-hitting Tahuhu who clocked a couple of sixes over midwicket before she dragged a delivery on.
But her 17 off eight was just what the team needed.
Kerr, who helped peel off 50 from the last five overs in Dunedin, went even
better. She stroked an undefeated 48 from 31 balls to help carry her side past 150.
It was a classy knock by the allrounder, who is making a really fine job of finishing the innings.
Tahuhu took care of the rest. The fast bowler removed the top three quick smart.
Openers Murshida Khatun (2) and Sharmin Akhter (3) got trapped in front and Fargana Hoque (7) skied a catch to mid-on.
Bangladesh had slumped to 16 for three, and it did not get any better.
Nigar Sultana (4) and Ritu Moni (0) had brief stints at the crease, but Rumana Ahmed at least played a few shots in anger.
She whacked a six and a couple of fours before top-edging a sweep shot from the bowling of Otago’s Eden Carson for 25.
Her 24-ball cameo was the highlight of an underwhelming batting effort by Bangladesh.