White Ferns vs South Africa: Rolling Into T20 World Cup Like...
Heading into a T20 World Cup, the performances of Aotearoa's White Ferns in their ODI series vs South Africa have been swept over by their domination of South Africa in the T20I series. It's a damn weird change and when ODI cricket is the bubble, I'll come back to being swept by South Africa in combination with being rolled by the big-three nations in consecutive series. Right now though, we're all about the T20I format and the Ferns are swimming in confidence ahead of a low key crucial major tournament.
The kiwis lost the ODIs by 7 wickets, 8 wickets and 6 wickets. Twice they were dismissed for less than 200 and with the change of format, the White Ferns are 3-1 in the T20I series with a game to play. Aotearoa have won their games by 9 wickets, 5 wickets and 69 runs, a flipped scenario that is most evident in skipper Sophie Devine.
If there is one player who needs to be in sizzling form heading into the T20 World Cup for Aotearoa to have a sniff of getting to the final, it's Devine. In the confines of the T20I format, this is a perfect situation for the White Ferns and there are other low key performances that should offer intrigue.
The lack of runs from the White Ferns batting line up in this series could and can be an issue, ultimately though the run-scoring sits with the best batswomen in the team. They are Devine and Suzie Bates, with Bates also being impressive in these T20Is, just not to the extent of Devine. Bates has 95 runs @ 47.50avg/106.74sr and that average is high via two not-outs, which given Bates opens the innings is fabulous.
Bates has actually been steadier than Devine throughout this South African tour. Finishing 2nd for runs in the ODI series with 142 runs @ 47.33avg/73.95sr, Bates also finished 2nd in Super Smash runs and is now 3rd in runs for this T20I series. Forecasting Bates' role in the World Cup has me pondering her class and experience, with the hitters around Bates playing their role.
Amelia Kerr is doing the Devine, going from 1w in 24 overs @ 101avg/4.20rpo in the ODI series to 5w in 14ov @ 14.40avg/5.14rpo in the T20Is. Older sister Jess though has commanded attention via her efficient work with the ball and Jess is making a compelling case for selection int he 1st 11 ahead of Holly Huddleston, Rosemary Mair and/or even Lea Tahuhu.
An issue, is the lack of runs in the Ferns line up. However, the likes of Rachel Priest, Maddy Green and Katey Martin have done enough to help their team win games, while the likes of Katie Perkins and Amelia Kerr have only batted once each in this series. Yesterday's fourth T20I saw Priest left out of the team, providing Martin with a crack at wicket-keeping and this then saw Lauren Down open.
Down had batted in the middle order on Sunday and this presents one of the weirdest stats I've ever seen in covering cricket; Down is an international batswomen who averages under 10 in ODI and T20I cricket. That's far more concerning in the ODI format as Down's played 11 games with a highest-score of 15, while Down made her T20I debut on Sunday and has two games to her name. I'm of the view that Priest and Martin need to be in the team. Here's my T20 World Cup 1st 11...
Priest, Devine, Bates, Perkins, Green, Martin, Amelia Kerr, Jensen Peterson, Jess Kerr, Tahuhu.
(Huddleston, Down, Kasperek, Mair).
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Peace and love 27.