Amelia Kerr, the 25-year-old right hand batter and leg-break bowler from New Zealand, made it big into the pages of the history of domestic cricket as she scored her first T20 century while opening for Wellington Women during the 4th match of the Super Smash at Basin Reserve in Wellington.
Opening for Wellington Blaze, Kerr went to unleash an unforgettable 106* off 61 at a strike rate of 173.77, littered with 17 boundaries and two sixes, as her team leaped to 184 for 2 over 20 overs before posting a 49-run win over Auckland Hearts. This wasn’t just a personal milestone; this was a captain’s innings, bulldozing Auckland’s bowlers with perfect timing, aggressive stroke playing, and brilliance.
Kerr was smashing shots from the beginning building the momentum and the base for the team to score a defendable total. Georgia Plimmer, her opening partner, provided stability and scored 62 off 53 balls. Amelia led the team to the score of 184/2. Her footwork against pace was impeccable, dancing down the track to spinners, while late acceleration included those towering sixes, her eyes fixed on the milestone that had eluded her in T20 cricket until now.
Chasing 185, Auckland Hearts folded dramatically, bundled out for 135 in 19.5 overs. Their opener, Prue Catton and Bella Armstrong scored 13 runs and 22 runs respectively but could not provide the base required for chasing the total set by Wellington. Maddy Green’s innings showed a clear fight; she scored 39 off 26 balls with strike rate of 150 including 4 boundaries.
Green, the Auckland captain, provided the top score from her side but the middle order folded drastically. Wellington bowling attack restricted Lauren Down at 9, Josie Penfold for duck and Ayaan Lmbat for just 12 runs. Wellington’s bowlers, led by Xara Jetly’s 3 for 21, exploited the pressure with key wickets falling. Nicole Baird and Jess Kerr also got 2 wickets each. Wellington showed team effort to seal a comprehensive victory.
The brilliance of the century is the cherry on the top of Kerr’s already illustrious career. She has amassed 1453 runs in 88 Women’s T20 Internationals at a strike rate of 109, while her leg spin has been a weapon across formats, she has 95 wickets under her name in T20 Internationals. At 25, Kerr’s all-round prowess mixing destructive batting with crafty bowling has placed her as Wellington’s linchpin and Black Caps stalwart.
This was the skillful moment celebrating her dominance, underlining how much potential and importance Amelia Kerr holds. As Super Smash continues, Kerr’s ton serves notice of Wellington’s progress and dominance. The 4th match was a good blend of leadership, flair, and stats sheet magic on one unforgettable Basin Reserve day.
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