Amelia Kerr stars as White Ferns keep winning

The White Ferns’ rain-delayed ODI against India in Queenstown was reduced to a 20-over game as the hosts continued their dominance for a 63-run win.

White Fern Amelia Kerr continued her top form against India.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Captain Sophie Devine set the pace early for the New Zealanders who had been sent into bat and Amelia Kerr saw the home side through to a competitive total of 191-5.

India lost regular wickets early and did not look like getting close to the target as the run-rate hovered around the 11-run mark, despite the efforts of number six batter Richa Ghosh.

White Fern Frankie Mackay dismissed Shafali Verma for 0 with a surprise bouncer with the sixth ball of the innings, caught by Suzie Bates.

Bates was in the action again in the next over catching Yastika Bhatia for a golden duck off the bowling of Jess Kerr to leave India struggling at 8-2.

Spinner Hayley Jensen took India’s next two wickets as the visitors dropped to 24-4 after 5 overs before Richa took control of India’s innings.

Richa started finding the boundary with ease as she was supported by captain Mithali Raj.

The 18-year-old Richa smashed 52 off 29 balls, clearing the ropes for four sixes and four fours in the important knock.

She was caught in the deep by Amelia Kerr off the bowling of Jensen as India were 96-5.

Mithali quickly followed Richa for 30.

After the departures of Richa and Mithali India did not offer much more as they lost their last four wickets for 23 runs.

Amelia Kerr finished with 3-30, Jensen 3-32, Jess Kerr snared 2-11 and Mackay 2-22.

Earlier, Devine raced to 32 runs, including six boundaries, before she was caught off the bowling of Renuka Thakur.

Bates continued Devine’s momentum, reaching 41, but sharp work behind the stumps by India wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh sent her back to the shed.

Amelia Kerr (68 off 33 balls) didn’t waste any time accumulating runs and with Amy Satterthwaite they had a 48-run partnership before Satterthwaite was out for 32 off 16.

The New Zealand run-rate slowed temporarily as Mackay (7 off 16 balls) struggled to get Amelia Kerr on strike.

Lauren Down could not back up her unbeaten half century from the previous match, getting out for 5, and Jess Kerr was there to see out the innings with her sister.

New Zealand had four players unavailable for the fourth game of the series, with hand injuries for spinner Fran Jonas and batter Maddy Green, Lea Tahuhu was missing as a precaution after she left the field injured in the last ODI and batter Brooke Halliday is out for the remainder of the series due to being a close contact of a positive Covid-19 case.

The fifth and final game of the series is on Thursday.