Sport

Devine ends New Zealand home summer with a win

17:54 pm on 7 April 2024

New Zealand's Hannah Rowe and Melie Kerr celebrate the wicket of England's Tammy Beaumont. Photo: Photosport

Sophie Devine has ensured New Zealand ended its home summer with a resounding victory.

The White Ferns captain finished unbeaten on 100 in the dead rubber in Hamilton, as her side took a comprehensive consolation win.

Devine hammered 11 fours and four sixes in her innings, getting her side home by seven wickets to end the series 2-1 to England.

She brought up her century off the final ball of the game, with the Ferns getting home with 66 balls to spare after the Ferns dismissed England for 194

Devine told TVNZ it was a clinical job by her team.

"We knew that we're going to have to attack this English side that's played very good cricket throughout both series. Obviously the pitch was a pretty tricky one at times but it was set up by the bowlers, and then to chase it down with overs to spare and wickets in hand, it just shows what we're doing is on the right path."

Having missed the first two games through injury, Devine said she put a lot of thought in to how she wanted to return.

"You sit on the sideline and about how you go about it and for me it was just about leading from the front today, we've spoken about how partnerships can break open the game with both bat and ball and to build one with Melie and then with Maddie was really pleasing from my end, but it's built on all the good work that the girls have been doing throughout the series."

Hannah Rowe claimed the first wicket of Tammy Beaumont in the fourth over with Maia Bouchier falling shortly after to Jess Kerr after a brisk 19.

Captain Heather Knight and Nat Sciver-Brunt combined for 58 before Amelia Kerr had Sciver-Brunt caught for 27.

New Zealand celebrate a wicket in the third ODI against at Seddon Park in Hamilton. Photo: Photosport

A mini collapse ensued as the Kerr sisters inflicted more damage, England losing four wickets for just 13 runs.

Enter Charlie Dean and Amy Jones, who steadied things for England with a partnership of 73.

However, the pair could not repeat their heroics of the first game, as Suzie Bates and then Rowe broke through to expose the tail.

The Ferns mopped up the lower order with relative ease, though with England nine down, New Zealand opted for what may be the worst review of the summer.

Reviewing an LBW, replays showed the ball coming straight off the middle of the bat, umpire Eloise Sheridan with a rye smile as she signalled not out for a second time.

Jess Kerr claimed her third and the final wicket of the innings as England were dismissed with 21 balls remaining with Rowe also picking up three wickets.

Amelia Kerr told TVNZ it was a pleasing performance with the ball.

"It was nice being able to pick up wickets throughout especially the middle order. Dean and Jones had another good partnership which probably gave us a bit of PTSD. But finally Suzy broke out with the golden arm and it's great to keep them to under 200."

In reply, the Ferns lost both Bates and Georgia Plimmer early for six and four respectively.

That brought Amelia Kerr and Devine together, with the pair showing great patience to negotiate the new ball.

They would put on 74 before Kerr was out for 31, but losing her partner didn't make Devine slow down.

She would take Dean for four fours in an over to bring up her half century.

Devine was joined by Maddy Green, and after a shaky start she settled in nicely with her skipper.

They compiled 105 for the fifth wicket from just 97 balls.

They would romp home by taking Lauren Filer for 16 runs leaving New Zealand with just 13 to win from the final 72.

Two sixes from Devine off Dean ended the game in style.