Sophie Devine on Monday suggested her team could “beat anyone if they play to their potential”, in three games they have not even got close to the Proteas who have now gained some real momentum going into the T20 World Cup next month and the T20 series starting next week.
Sune Luus with figures of 6/45 was the star of the day and also her second-best figures in ODI cricket. She bowled with discipline, which the White Ferns lacked, further exposing their inability to respond against quality spin and pace bowling, demonstrated throughout this series.
South Africa has completely outplayed New Zealand in every facet of the game; they have fielded brilliantly, bowled with real plans and have a very balanced batting line up that made the White Ferns attack look ordinary and out of ideas leaving captain Sophie Devine with very few options to turn to.
The facts are telling, South Africa have been dominant bowling New Zealand out two out of three times, in the first game they had the White Ferns 9 down, South Africa on the other hand only lost 9 wickets in the three games played, the South African batters completely dominating the White Ferns attack.
South Africa is the complete side with everyone contributing during the ODI series, they have worked hard since they tied the series against Pakistan in May and have clearly moved ahead of New Zealand. They now sit well placed to qualify for next year’s World Cup in New Zealand.
The White Ferns are in trouble and will need to find a winning formula and fast. They are in the pool of death with Australia and India at the T20 World Cup and if Bates and Devine fail, it appears they don’t have the depth lower in the order to produce a competitive total. The five T20s against South Africa next week will go some way in preparing for the World Cup and possibly give them some momentum.
With Bangladesh and Sri Lanka watching this series closely, they will be waiting and backing themselves to beat the White Ferns. Can the White Ferns come out of this slump? Next week will be the litmus test!
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