Kerr steals the show as White Ferns produce record chase to beat Proteas Women

Amelia Kerr produced a stellar century to help New Zealand seal a two-wicket victory over the Proteas Women in a high-scoring second ICC Women’s Championship (IWC) One-Day International (ODI) in Wellington on Wednesday.

Kerr, who was crowned Player of the Match, struck 23 fours and one six in an unbeaten 139-ball 179, alongside Izzy Gaze’s 68 off 48 balls (11x4), as the hosts recorded the highest successful run chase in reply to South Africa’s 346/6 after contributions from Anneke Bosch (91 off 90 balls; 12x4) and Laura Wolvaardt (69 off 74 balls; 8x4, 1x6).

South Africa lost the toss and were put in to bat. The opening pair of Tazmin Brits (9) and Wolvaardt got off to a steady start, taking the visitors to 35/0 in the eighth over before Brits was caught behind off the bowling of Bree Illing (3/60).

That wicket brought Bosch to the crease, with the right-hander combining well with Wolvaardt for an important century stand. Both players brought up their respective half-centuries to guide the Proteas Women to 139/1 after 25 overs.

The duo went on to add 132 runs for the second wicket before the partnership was brought to an end when Wolvaardt skied a delivery from Illing, reducing the Proteas to 167/2 after 28 overs.

Bosch then teamed up with Suné Luus (40), who was earning her 150th ODI cap, in a 44-run stand to help the Proteas pass the 200-run mark before Bosch found a fielder in the deep to depart nine runs short of her maiden international hundred.

Luus and Sinalo Jafta (37) added another valuable 34-run stand for the fourth wicket before the former was dismissed by Jess Kerr (1/71). Jafta then played the aggressor in a 40-run partnership with Chloé Tryon (52*) to take South Africa to 285/4 before she became Kayley Knight’s (2/65) second scalp of the afternoon.

Despite the late departure of Nadine de Klerk (18), off Illing’s bowling, Tryon raced to her 15th half-century off 25 balls to help propel the Proteas Women to their third-highest total of 346/6 in 50 overs.

In response, New Zealand lost an early wicket in Suzie Bates (8), with Ayabonga Khaka (3/51) striking in the fifth over before a partnership between Georgia Plimmer (23) and Kerr steadied the chase to take the White Ferns to 72/1 after 15 overs.

The 52-run stand was eventually broken by Kayla Reyneke (2/54), who dismissed Plimmer, before the 20-year-old trapped Maddy Green (13) LBW to reduce New Zealand to 101/3, with Kerr raising her bat for her half-century.

In attempting to increase the scoring rate, the home side lost their fourth wicket, with Luus (1/21) having Brooke Halliday (14) caught in the deep before Kerr and Gaze took control of the chase. The pair added a crucial century partnership for the fifth wicket to take New Zealand past the 200-run mark, with Kerr reaching her fifth ODI hundred and Gaze bringing up her half-century to push their side to 219/4 after 35 overs, still requiring 128 runs for victory.

Kerr and Gaze added a further 31 runs before Gaze fell to Masabata Klaas (2/61). Despite the breakthrough, Kerr found support from Izzy Sharp (11) and Jess Kerr (14) to edge their side closer to the target.

"I was really calm out there and just was so focused on, I guess, simplifying it to each over and where we needed to be to get the job done," Kerr said after the game.

"And then it kind of got to like 20 (22) off 15 or whatever it was, and you start to think how cool would this be if we won. But again, I probably didn't have those thoughts till that moment in the game and just had to bring myself back to the present moment rather than thinking this could be really cool, making sure I get the job done.

"And yeah, I thought because I was pretty calm that I wouldn't show too much emotion. But when I did hit the winning runs, it was I was actually pretty fizzed. And I guess it shows how much it means to me. I'm a pretty relaxed character with celebrations and all that stuff. But that was special. And to make the series go 1-1 as well, it was an important game. There are important points and it means a lot."

The New Zealand captain showcased her class to single-handedly take her team over the line, striking 14 runs in the final over to seal the victory and level the series 1-1 with one match remaining.

The third and final ODI will take place on Saturday at the Basin Reserve in Wellington.

Squad

Laura Wolvaardt (captain, Fidelity Titans), Anneke Bosch (Fidelity Titans), Tazmin Brits (DP World Lions), Nadine de Klerk (World Sports Betting Western Province), Annerie Dercksen (Garden Route Badgers), Ayanda Hlubi (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Sinalo Jafta (DP World Lions), Ayabonga Khaka (DP World Lions), Masabata Klaas (Fidelity Titans), Suné Luus (Fidelity Titans), Karabo Meso (DP World Lions), Nonkululeko Mlaba (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Kayla Reyneke (World Sports Betting Western Province), Tumi Sekhukhune (DP World Lions) and Chloé Tryon (DP World Lions).

Fixtures

First ODI Sunday, 29 March at 3am (SAST) - Hagley Oval, Christchurch - SA won by two wickets

Second ODI Wednesday, 1 April at Midnight (SAST) - Basin Reserve, Wellington - NZ won by two wickets

Third ODI Saturday, 4 April at Midnight (SAST) - Basin Reserve, Wellington