Amelia Kerr starred with the ball, before Maddy Green showed batting poise to ensure the WHITE FERNS claimed victory in their opening ICC World T20 warm-up match against Sri Lanka tonight at Coolidge Cricket Club in Antigua.
Captain Amy Satterthwaite won the toss and elected to bowl first, her decision instantly rewarded with a wicket off the first ball of the second over from Lea Tahuhu.
Spin then swiftly took over for the WHITE FERNS with young leg spinner Amelia Kerr bamboozling the Sri Lankan batting line up on her way to 4-13 from three overs.
Kerr used her variation well, giving the ball some air as she stalled the Sri Lankan batting effort through the middle overs.
Jess Watkin chipped in with 2-15 as the WHITE FERNS put the squeeze on, knocking over the Sri Lankan tail on the last ball of the 20th over for 98 runs.
The WHITE FERNS chase didn’t start well losing three quick wickets to find themselves in early trouble at 11-3 in the third over.
However the cool heads of Suzie Bates (34) and vice-captain Maddy Green 37* ensured the chase got back on track.
Green was particularly impressive, timing her innings with consummate ease and finding the gaps between boundary fielders with regularity.
“I just went out there with Suzie, my role at the time was to get her on strike. It was pleasing to put on a partnership with her and then carry it on when she got out,” Green said post-match.
She retired on 37* to give the rest of the middle order some batting practice in the foreign conditions.
It was then left to Bernadine Bezuidenhout and Hayley Jensen to see the WHITE FERNS home to a six-wicket win with two overs to spare.
The WHITE FERNS next warmup is against the West Indies on Thursday (NZT) before their first ICC WORLD T20 pool game against India in Guyana on Saturday (4am NZT).
