Imperfect 10 for White Ferns
A year out from the women’s Cricket World Cup on home soil, the alarm bells are sounding loudly for the struggling White Ferns.
New Zealand’s dire recent record in women’s ODI cricket continued, crushed by eight wickets by a clinical England in the first day-night international at Hagley Oval yesterday.
The White Ferns hadn’t won an ODI in 753 days before this match and any chance of that drought ending faded with a lacklustre batting performance.
After winning the toss on a scorching Christchurch day and batting on an excellent wicket, New Zealand were well short of where they needed to be, dismissed for 178. They would have targeted
240-250.
It continues a horror ODI run for the White Ferns, who have lost
10 straight ODIs, six against Australia, and 14 of their past 16 50-over matches.
A miserable day was capped off when experienced pace bowler Lea Tahuhu was carried off with a suspected hamstring injury, hurt trying to save a boundary.
Their last ODI win was more than two years ago on February 1,
2019, against India in Hamilton – a match that had little riding on it after India had already won the series.
The White Ferns’ results are a major concern 12 months out from the start of the ICC women’s Cricket World Cup, which will be contested in New Zealand.
For the tournament to be a success and attract crowds around the country, the White Ferns need to be performing and winning games – which isn’t happening.
With the White Ferns on central contracts and more resources at their disposal than ever before, their ODI form over the past two years has been mediocre.
England are the reigning 50-over World Cup champions and a polished outfit, but the White Ferns were their own worst enemy with the bat.
The tourists cruised to their target with opener Tammy Beaumont outstanding, contributing 71. Captain Heather Knight was a standout too, hitting an unbeaten 67.
New Zealand weren’t able to build any substantial partnerships with the highest stand 39 runs between captain Sophie Devine and Hayley Jensen.
Wickets fell at regular intervals and any time it appeared New Zealand were about to put the pressure back on England a batter departed – bringing someone new to the crease.
The most concerning aspect was the meek way the side’s most seasoned campaigners and best players got out.
Devine, veteran Amy Satterthwaite, and rising star Amelia Kerr would have been livid at the way they were removed at crucial stages of the innings.
England were accurate with the ball, keeping loose deliveries to a minimum. Their fielding was sharp with several smart catches held, including a ripper from Beaumont to remove Tahuhu.
The White Ferns have little time to regroup with the final two ODIs of the series in Dunedin on Friday and Sunday.
Opener Jensen and Brooke Halliday, on debut, were two bright spots in the disappointing loss, both notching their maiden ODI half-centuries. Auckland 16-year-old left-arm spinner Fran Jonas also debuted, bowling a maiden in her first over.