New Zealand Women produced a clinical performance to knock South Africa out of the tournament, after a resounding seven-wicket win at M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday night.
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The White Ferns used a familiar method to make it four wins from four, employing their spinners effectively to dismiss South Africa for 99 in the final over before a sound opening partnership laid the basis for 100-3 with more than five overs to spare. Led by some fine hitting from their top three, the table-toppers overhauled the target with 33 balls remaining.
South Africa have a strong line up that is flush with talent.
Beating South Africa had extra meaning for the White Ferns as the same opponents eliminated them from the World T20 two years ago in Bangladesh.
While Marizanne Kapp (22) held on, she lost partners in other end. A 19-run stand, however, was all they could manage, before the captain, who looked all at sea against Erin Bermingham, was trapped plumb in front of her stumps for 10.
When Kapp attempted to lift the scoring rate she holed out to Sara McGlashan at long-off on 22 to give Bermingham her second wicket. Later Suzie and Pachel Priest (28) put on a healthy 5 in 8.2 overs for the opening wicket for New Zealand, that sealed the fate of the match, much earlier than expected. New Zealand!’ and the cheers for Bates, Rachel Priest and Sophie Devine were even louder. “It was really disappointing back in Bangladesh but I don’t think we’d played as well leading up to that final match”, she said.
Bates joined in the sixth over, picking up boundaries off every alternate ball. A couple of cut shots past backward point and a slog sweep for six over long-on later, New Zealand were home and dry in 14.3 overs.
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Shabnim Ismail, who bagged two Aussie wickets, will also spearhead the South African bowling attack.
