New Zealand 158 for 5 (Kerr 43, Halliday 38, Bates 32, Mlaba 2-31) beaten South Africa 126 for 9 (Wolvaardt 33, Mair 3-25, Kerr 3-24) in 32 runs
October 20 can be written in big, bold letters as one of the unforgettable dates in New Zealand cricket. Hours after the men’s team registered a famous Test victory, 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 people got to work Monday morning, Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates – the “grandmas of the team” as Bates joked – had just finished theirs, getting their hands on the Women’s T20 World Cup trophy, the cup that had horribly eluded them 14 years ago at Kensington Oval.
It was fitting that the two legends, who carried the country’s cricket ecosystem for so long, despite deep-seated problems and limited financial resources, were able to enjoy the night of their lives in the twilight of their storied careers.
Amelia Kerr, who had hoped to dedicate victory to the Golden Oldies, could not 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 further context, New Zealand had entered the tournament on a 10-game T20I losing streak, the longest losing streak any team has had to win a Cricket World Cup. But that night, none of that mattered.
Bates and New Zealand come out strong
New Zealand came out knowing that 134 and 141 by Australia and England respectively had been shaved at this venue in the past few days. They lost Georgia Plimmer – who had hit a couple of fours – in the second round, but Bates quickly took over. She had hit 90.77 in five rounds before the final; here she showed her intent from the start, getting a boundary – hooked to mid-wicket – off her second ball. But from 17 off 13, she slowed down as the introduction of spin made hitting shots a challenge.
The pressure of a final had then started to eat away at both teams. Marizanne Kapp missed a potential escape opportunity against Bates in the fifth over when she couldn’t cleanly take an elbow to square leg. Sinalo Jafta missed an opportunity in the sixth, failing to recover the ball as Bates was dragged. It only cost South Africa 12 more, however, as Bates fell for a 31-ball 32 while attempting a crawl off Nonkululeko Mlaba in the eighth over.
Halliday builds momentum with career high
The dismissals of Bates and Sophie Devine – due to the slowness of the surface – meant New Zealand required a massive effort from their middle order.
They bowled 48 deliveries without a boundary in the middle. Kerr struggled and only found his strike field during the final deliveries of his 38-ball vigil which yielded 43. It was only with the arrival of left-handed Brooke Halliday that the New Zealand is out of a rut. .
Halliday took a tough sweep in the 14th over against Sune Luus to end the boundary drought, and once the chains were broken, New Zealand had another boundary off the next ball. Hopping around the crease and opening up the scoring areas behind square on the leg side through sweeps and efforts, Halliday’s presence breathed life into an innings that was struggling to get out of second gear.
Halliday’s venture helped lift a half-century stand off just 37 balls, with Kerr playing a supporting role. Halliday’s record in T20Is, in the previous 32 innings, had been 33 as he batted at 82. Here, under the pressure of a final over, Halliday’s career-best 38 was 28.
An appearance from Maddy Green gave New Zealand a late boost: 48 from the last five, as they finished on 158, two short of the score they comfortably defended against India in his first match of the tournament.
Woolvardt strikes back for South Africa
New Zealand took inspiration from their batting innings and introduced spin in the second over with Eden Carson and Fran Jonas trying to apply the squeeze. In the first three overs, South Africa managed only two boundaries but continued to hit the ball in the spaces to keep up the required pace.
In last year’s final, Laura Wolvaardt held the race together, trying to put herself in a position from where she could start amid a collapse. Here, she decided to punch as an enforcer, choosing lengths early and striking with her powerful forearms, showing a side of her game that is in complete opposition to her artistry.
With Tazmin Brits strong, 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 the right track.
South Africa in freefall after Wolvaardt’s dismissal
Jonas managed to dismiss Brits in the seventh over, but it was Wolvaardt’s dismissal, attempting to hit Kerr inside out to find Bates at extra cover, that had a deflating effect on South Africa. It was the first of Bates’ three catches in the inning. Five balls later, Kerr had her second when Anneke Bosch, who had knocked Australia out two nights ago with a sensational 74, tickled a sweep attempt at Izzy Gaze. Initially unsure if there was any benefit, Kerr convinced Devine to revise and turned out to be right.
Carson then delivered the blow that arguably ended South Africa’s hopes when she had Kapp mistime a work to deep mid-wicket in the 12th over. Kapp’s agonizing return and Kerr’s ecstasy provided two contrasting emotions in a single image. A telling image of who would get their hands on the trophy before the night was over.
