The New Zealand WHITE FERNS won the ICC Women’s Championship battle but not the war as India stood up with both bat and ball to take their ODI Series 3-2 in Bengaluru, India.
Scorecard
Mithali Raj’s young Indian side saved their best performance for last, cruising to a nine-wicket victory with 136 balls to spare — after their ferocious spin attack restricted the Ferns to 118 in 41 overs on a slow deck.
The victory completed an absorbing series fightback for the hosts, having been 1-2 down after the opening IWC points games, in which the WHITE FERNS pocketed four World Cup qualifying points to India’s two.
But the visitors, who have never won an ODI Series in India, proved luckless again today in overcast conditions at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium from the moment opener Rachel Priest was run out without facing in the first over, responding to a call for an always-hopeful single before desperately sprawling for her ground against Rajeshwari Gayakwad’s rocketed throw to the keeper from midwicket.
India’s spin contingent relentlessly chipped away at the batting line-up, gathering steam with every breakthrough and preventing partnerships from taking hold with wicket pressure.
Surviving opener Suzie Bates was forced, uncomfortably, into an awkward lone defender role as the captain hung on, against escalating pressure, for a stubborn 85-ball 42. The WHITE FERNS’ next best score was Anna Peterson’s last ditch 22, Gayakwad (2-15) again proving the star turn of the series and notably bowling two successive wicket maidens to rip out the middle order.
Anna Peterson added value down the order over the Series
Seventeen-year-old medium pacer Deepti Sharma chimed in at the death for an impressive all-round performance in just her fourth One-Day International. Having taken 2-22 off her seven overs, with the bat she supported opener Thirush Kamini as they shrugged off Bates’ attacking fields and weathered the best of the frontline spin efforts.
The WHITE FERNS’ last glimmer of hope had turned out to be when left-arm spinner Morna Nielsen had Smriti Mandhana caught and bowled on 13 after spading a fuller length delivery in just the third over, before Kamini and Deepti Sharma grew their matchwinning, unbeaten stand of 103 for the second wicket to put the series spoils in the bag.
Kamini (62* off 78, including 14 fours) built the momentum by pouncing on anything wide of leg stump and caning Amy Satterthwaite for four consecutive boundaries off Satterthwaite’s first four balls as the chase changed up to top gear. It was her third ODI half-century, and second of the Series; inspiring Deepti Sharma to unfetter her own bat for a 78-ball 44, their target ticked off in just 27.2 overs.
Deepti Sharma watches as Thirush Kamini marks her third half-century
The only blot in India’s copybook was when Ekta Bisht had spilled a straightforward chance at point from Sophie Devine, the form New Zealander having been promoted to four after her devastating 89 in the previous game. Despite an ominous Devine six over long off peeled off Deepti Sharma, the Indians would be let off when Harmanpreet Kaur broke through the experience and resistance of Devine and Bates, trapping the vice-captain leg before on 18, ending the stand on 49.
Harmanpreet Kaur knew the value of Devine's wicket
The teams now switch to Twenty20 International mode with the first of the three T20is this Saturday, all to be played at the same venue. Said Bates, “India bowled tight today, the ball spun and the way they came out to bat really showed us how to play on a wicket like that. We need to bounce back from this quickly and make sure we come out firing for the Twenty20s.”
The Twenty20s will be the first time the New Zealand WHITE FERNS have played a Twenty20 International Series in India. The side won their last away T20i Series in the West Indies 2-1 in 2014, and lost their last home T20i Series 1-2 to England in February.
