(ESPN Cricinfo) – October 20 can be written in big, bold letters as one of New Zealand cricket’s unforgettable dates.
Hours after the men’s team recorded a famous Test win, their first in India in 36 years, the women’s team delivered the country’s maiden T20I World Cup in style in Dubai.
As a nation of four million clocked in to work this morning, Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates – “grandmas of the team” as Bates laughed in jest – had just about finished theirs, getting their hands on the Women’s T20 World Cup trophy, the cup that had agonisingly gotten away from them 14 years ago at Kensington Oval.
It was fitting that the two legends, who have carried the country’s cricket ecosystem for so long through issues with depth and limited financial resources, could enjoy the night of their lives in the twilight of their storied careers.
Amelia Kerr, who had hoped to dedicate the win to the golden oldies, couldn’t have stepped up with a more impactful effort – top scoring with 43 while also picking up three wickets, all with a slight limp due to cramps.
For added context, New Zealand had come into the tournament on a streak of 10 T20I losses, the longest losing streak any team has turned around to win a cricket World Cup. On this night, all of that didn’t matter though.
Bates and New Zealand come out swinging
New Zealand came out punching, knowing 134 and 141 by Australia and England, respectively, had been razed at this venue over the past few days. They lost Georgia Plimmer – who’d struck a couple of fours – in the second over, but Bates quickly took over. She had been striking at 90.77 in five innings coming into the final; here she showed intent right from the get-go, getting a boundary – walloped over midwicket – off her second ball. But from 17 off 13, she slowed down as the introduction of spin made stroke-making a challenge.
By then, the pressure of a final had begun to gnaw at both teams. Marizanne Kapp missed a potential run-out opportunity against Bates in the fifth over when she couldn’t cleanly pick up a nudge at square leg. Sinalo Jafta missed a stumping opportunity in the sixth, failing to collect the ball as Bates was dragged out. It cost South Africa just 12 more though, as Bates fell for a 31-ball 32 attempting a ramp off Nonkululeko Mlaba in the eighth over.
Halliday injects momentum with her career-best
The dismissals of Bates and Sophie Devine – due to the slowness of the surface – left New Zealand needing a massive effort from their middle order.
They went through 48 deliveries without a boundary in the middle overs. Kerr struggled and didn’t find her hitting range until the last few deliveries of her 38-ball vigil that brought 43. It wasn’t until the arrival of Brooke Halliday, the left-hander, did New Zealand break out of a rut.
Halliday brought out a slog sweep in the 14th off Sune Luus to break the boundary drought, and once the shackles were broken, New Zealand had another boundary off the very next ball. By jumping around the crease and opening scoring areas behind square on the leg side through sweeps and slogs, Halliday’s presence breathed life into an innings that had been struggling to get out of second gear.
Halliday’s enterprise helped raise a half-century stand from just 37 balls, with Kerr playing a support role. Halliday’s highest in T20Is in 32 previous innings had been 33 while striking at 82. Here, under the pressure of a final, Halliday’s career-best 38 had come of 28.
A cameo from Maddy Green provided New Zealand a late lift: 48 off the last five, as they finished with 158, two less than the score they comfortably defended against India in their tournament opener.
Woolvardt counter-punches for South Africa
New Zealand took a cue from their batting innings and introduced spin in the second over, with Eden Carson and Fran Jonas trying to apply the squeeze. For the first three overs, South Africa managed just two boundaries but kept hitting the ball into gaps to keep up with the asking rate.
In last year’s final, Laura Wolvaardt held the chase together, trying to get into a position from where she could tee off amid a collapse. Here, she decided to punch away as the enforcer, picking lengths early and pummelling with her strong forearms, showing a side of her game that is in stark opposition to her artistry.
With Tazmin Brits solid, it was the first time in the tournament that New Zealand failed to pick up a wicket in the powerplay. At 47 for 0, South Africa were on course.
South Africa in free fall after Wolvaardt’s dismissal
Jonas broke through to dismiss Brits in the seventh, but it was Wolvaardt’s dismissal, attempting to hit Kerr inside-out only to find Bates at extra cover, that had a deflating effect on South Africa. That was Bates’ first of three catches in the innings. Five balls later, Kerr had her second when Anneke Bosch, who had knocked Australia out two nights ago with a sensational 74, tickled an attempted sweep to Izzy Gaze. Originally unsure if there was an edge, Kerr convinced Devine to review and was proven correct.
Carson then dealt the blow that arguably ended South Africa’s hopes when she had Kapp mistiming a slog to deep midwicket in the 12th over. Kapp’s agonising walk back and Kerr’s ecstasy provided two contrasting emotions in one frame. A telling picture of who would have their hands on the trophy before the night was out.
