An Indian side was all over New Zealand for the second day running at Napier’s McLean Park, as the Women in Blue began their campaign just like the men did – with a dominating nine-wicket win in the opening game of their three-match ODI series on Thursday, 24 January.
After opting to field first, Mithali Raj saw her spinners run through batting order as the Kiwis were bowled out for 192. Ekta Bisht, Poonam Yadav and Deepthi Sharma combined to take 8/101 in 29 overs – this after openers Suzie Bates and Sophie Devine had provided a 61-run opening stand for New Zealand.
India openers Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues then turned the chase into a non-contest with a 190-run partnership, the highest for the first wicket for any team in ODIs against the White Ferns.
Mandhana’s fourth ODI hundred, along with a maiden half-century for Rodrigues, saw India home with 17 overs to spare.
Women in Blue Move On
The action shifted to the field for the Indian women for the first time since their exit World T20 semi-final exit, and the royal mess that followed.
It also meant a first game under new head coach WV Raman, and Mithali Raj – still the ODI captain – had stressed upon the need to move on.
Once they got on to the park, it was business as usual – or even better, considering India had won just once in nine matches against New Zealand in their own den since 2000.
Bates and Devine had appeared set to continue their prolific ways with the bat when they confidently saw off the opening spell from pacers Jhulan Goswami and Shikha Pandey.
The introduction of spin, and the control of India’s spin trio, however, would grip the Kiwi batters from there on.
Spearhead Poonam Yadav accounted for the hosts’ batting spine, removing numbers three to five – Lauren Down, skipper Amy Satterthwaite and Amelia Kerr – to finish with impressive figures of 3/42.
All-rounder Deepti Sharma had taken the prized scalp of Bates between Yadav’s triple strike, and was the most measly of India’s bowlers (2/27 in 10 overs).
Ekta Bisht (3/32) dislodged the Kiwi tail, before Pandey returned to pick the final wicket.
Milestones Galore at the Top
In a script similar to that followed by the Indian men’s team a day earlier, the second innings proved there were no demons in the pitch at McLean Park.
India’s run rate stayed above five from the very first over of the chase, Mandhana and Rodrigues took the attack to the New Zealand bowlers as soon as they had their eye in.
Mandhana, the reigning ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year, launched into the White Ferns from the get-go with a characteristically stroke-filled innings.
The left-hander smashed nine fours and three sixes in a 104-ball 105. Impressively, Mandhana’s four centuries in the 50-over game have come in Australia, England, South Africa and now New Zealand.
Rodrigues showed maturity in not being overcome by an urge to match her senior partner. The 18-year-old was steady all along, and stayed till the end to finish with 81 off 94 balls.
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