Devine runs hot as NZ win warmup match
Sophie Devine blazed a massive century as the White Ferns completed their preparations for the Women’s Cricket World Cup with a stunning win over tournament favourites Australia in a warmup match.
The White Ferns captain finished unbeaten on 161 off 117 balls as they chased down a target of 322 with 6.5 overs to spare at Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Lincoln, near Christchurch, yesterday.
She was joined by Melie Kerr, who finished not out on 92 off 75 balls, while Suzie Bates earlier made 63 off 68, in an unofficial fixture where the teams used their whole squads, rather than just a playing XI.
As a result, Australia used nine different bowlers in defending their total of 321 all out, but none were able to stem the flow.
Bates and Devine put on 119 in 20.2 overs for the first wicket, but their partnership was eclipsed by that between Devine and Kerr, which was worth 206 in 22.5 overs. Devine took 54 balls to score her first 50 runs, but needed only 37 for her second 50, and 22 for the third.
Australian captain Meg Lanning led the way after her side was sent in by Devine, making 87 off 86 balls.
Alyssa Healy (64 off 71) and Beth Mooney (55 off 51) also made half-centuries at the top of the order, while Ashleigh Gardner hit 60 off 32 to lift them over 300. Seamer Hannah Rowe took 4-49 from 10 overs for the White Ferns as they bowled Australia out with three balls left, while teenager leftarm spinner Fran Jonas only conceded 17 runs from her six overs. None of the performances will count towards players’ career statistics, given the unofficial nature of the match, nor will the fact that the chase was 33 runs greater than
the current world record of 289.
The win will nevertheless have given the White Ferns plenty of confidence ahead of their World Cup opener against the West Indies at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on Friday, especially as they were upset by Pakistan in their first warmup match on Sunday.
Australia begin their campaign against England, the defending champions, on Saturday at Seddon Park in Hamilton.
They have lost just twice in 33 official matches since the last World Cup and enter this one as short-odds favourites to claim their seventh title in 12 attempts.