Daijiworld Media Network – New Zealand
New Zealand, Apr 4: New Zealand women's cricket team clinched a convincing 66-run victory over South Africa women's cricket team in the ODI series decider, thanks to stellar performances from Maddy Green and Brooke Halliday.
Batting first, New Zealand posted a formidable 306 for 7, recovering from a disastrous start of 3 for 3. Green remained unbeaten on 141, while Halliday scored a brilliant 98, with the duo stitching together a match-defining 211-run partnership for the fourth wicket.
After their dismissal, late contributions from Izzy Sharp and Nensi Patel helped push the total beyond 300, setting South Africa a challenging target of 307.
In reply, South Africa got off to a steady start, with Laura Wolvaardt scoring 69 and Annerie Dercksen adding 47. However, despite reaching 148 for 3, they failed to build a substantial partnership to sustain the chase.
New Zealand’s bowling attack was led by Rosemary Mair, who delivered a match-winning spell of 5 for 50. She dismantled the middle and lower order, ensuring South Africa were bowled out for 240.
Earlier in the series, New Zealand had bounced back after losing the opening match, with Amelia Kerr playing a key role in levelling the series with a remarkable unbeaten 179 in the second ODI.
The victory sealed a come-from-behind series win for New Zealand, underlining their resilience and dominance in the encounter.