Women’s World Cup went off to an extraordinary start as White Ferns defeated the Lankan Side by 9 wickets and White Fern Skipper Suzie Bates was instrumental in this victory.
Batting first Inoka Ranaweera side made a cautious effort. Their first wicket went down when spin prodigy Amelia Kerr picked up Hasinka (31). Score was then only 49 in 14 over. But then, steadily both Polgampola (49) and Chamari Attapattu (53), rebuilt their innings. Chamari Attapattu completed her half century. They were going at good guns and looking at the good total. The score was 141-1/35 over. Then at a sudden, it all collapsed. They lost the way and lost 5 wickets in 15 runs. NZ spinners Ana Peterson, Amelia Kerr, and All rounder Amy Satterthwaite just tightened the grip on the Srilankan batters.
The spin trio bowled 17 overs and picked up a wicket by just giving away 43 runs. When the spinners choked the runs, seamer Holly Huddleston went lethal with her firing pace bowling and just destroyed the lower order. She ended up with the figure of 5/35 and no batters other than Top three batswoman of Srilanka was able to make a mark and Srilanka ended with 188/9 in their allotted 50 overs.
Though it looked a modest total for mighty New Zealand to chase, they were given a shock when their keeper-opener Rachel Priest was plumbed by Gunaratne on 2, leaving NZ 19/1(5.3).
Then came Amy Satterthwaite and made a solid partnership of 170* with skipper Bates. Both of them with calm and composure got in the middle and paced the innings with ease. No bowler from the opposite side failed to make any mark in White ferns run chase. Both Amy and Bates crossed the fifty and eventually Bates scored a brilliant hundred.
Her 106* and Amy’s unbeaten 78 helped Kiwis to win the match with almost 12 overs to spare and 9 wickets in hand.
For her match winning spell Holly Huddleston was selected as Player of the Match.
Srilanka – 188/9 ( Attapattu – 53, Polgampala – 49 , Huddleston – 5/35)
Newzeland – 189/1(37.4) (Bates 106*, Satterthwaite 71* Gunaratne 1/20)