Lauren Down throws off finishing touches as New Zealand pulls out 280, winning series

 Lauren Down throws off finishing touches as New Zealand pulls out 280, winning series

The batting effort of the stars from the New Zealand midfielders helps them to finish second by successfully chasing women’s ODIs.

S. Sudarshanan

New Zealand 280 of 7 (Kerr 67, Down 64 *, Satterthwaite 59, Goswami 3-47) beat India 279 (Deepti 69 *, Meghana 61, Verma 51, Mair 2-43, Rowe 2-52) by three wickets

Unbeaten Lauren Down with 64 runs, and a 76-run partnership with Katey Martin for the seventh wicket, and Frances Mackay's exit from the bottom line helped New Zealand beat India by three wickets in the third ODI and closed the five-game series with two games remaining. in Queenstown on Friday.

While Lea Tahuhu, who came off the field at the end of the Indian innings due to a hamstring strain, exited the deep Midwicket in the 35th over, New Zealand looked down to count at 171 for 6, chasing 280. However, Down, who replaced Brooke Halliday in XI, and Martin kept New Zealand on track with their alliance and tarnished their balance.

With the win closed, Down beat Deepti Sharma by six balls over the head of the first bowler in the final over, becoming the second most successful run in all women's ODI cricket. It also increased India's ODI defeat while batting first to 10th, the last win in November 2019.

New Zealand were hit by a hurdle when they chased Jhulan Goswami, who returned to the XI after missing the previous game. He first locked Sophie Devine in front of the stumps in the first over, before cleaning up her teammate who opened with Suzie Bates in the next.

But Amy Satterthwaite then went with Amelia Kerr to get New Zealand back on track. The duo got regular ropes as New Zealand reached 58 to 2 after powerplay. They were also helped by a few chances of being downgraded - Deepti and S Meghana squandered opportunities on Satterthwaite, while Deepti also let go of Kerr's tough chance and put it on his feet.

The introduction of the spin led to Satterthwaite using a sweep, which usually plays a shot to bring out the best. He raised his 26th ODI in a certain style and looked unstoppable, even giving Mithali Raj practice training during the Goswami throwing game. That ended the 103-run suspension pitch between Satterthwaite and Kerr.

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Kerr, who hit unbeaten 100th in the second game, took the reins after that with his sweep and cut. There was no dot ball as Kerr and Maddy Green moved quickly, with Kerr raising his third 50th ODI shortly thereafter.

However, as the required level went up, Kerr seemed to be taking in a daughter-in-law Sneh Rana and spent a lot of time at the age of 67. And then, the original author Renuka Singh Thakur, one of the five changes made by India on this day, struck Green stumps. he returned with his first wicket in the ODIs.

India had a chance at the time, but Down, Martin and Mackay ensured the result went the New Zealand way.

Earlier, India, and with the exception of Smriti Mandhana - who has completed solitary confinement but "MIQ rules," coach Ramesh Powar, kept him out - was asked to strike first and was given a quick start by openers Meghana and Shafali Verma. The duo added 100 in the first wicket in just 13 overs.

Meghana raised her international girlfriend for half a century, while Verma came second in format. New Zealand butter shearing helped them a lot.

Meghana was not afraid to play over the infield and hit the first six of the match with the exception of Hannah Rowe, who was taken 16 runs in the fourth over of the game. Verma, on the other hand, played the second fiddle but without the big hits of her own. He was happy to earn money in any range provided by Tahuhu or Rowe, and was patient in swimming and leaving the balls to bother him.

But Rosemary Mair knocked Meghana out and did the same for Yastika Bhatia.

Soon, Verma was sacked by Kerr for 51 fouls. When Harmanpreet Kaur and Raj also fell with India before 190, the visitors' hopes for a long run were dashed.

But Deepti intervened with 69 attacks. Pepper border border at will, using the angle of Rowe and Mair to him from near the stumps to check the arc between midwicket and fine leg. She also used the sweep to have a positive effect against Mackay and Satterthwaite, as India made 279, their highest ODI score four years ago and is in second place in the lead since the Women's World Cup, back in 2017.