Kerr takes White Ferns to build-up win
- Jun 10
- 2 min read
Captain Amelia 'Melie' Kerr’s helped take New Zealand to a winning score of 186-5 and last-gasp win over South Africa as Chloe Tryon’s rearguard hitting proved in vain in the T20 World Cup build-up at Loughborough.
Laura Wolvaardt set the tone with 43 from 27 for a total of 183-5, but low scores around her meant that when Marizanne Kapp fell for 11 in the 13th over New Zealand were in the ascendancy with South Africa at 82-4.
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That wicket brought Tryon to the crease and she and Nadine de Klerk (46 from 33) produced a vital 90-run partnership.
Tryon ended with 61 not out from 26 balls, hitting six sixes, before taking the first wicket as Isabella Gaze was stumped for 13 with New Zealand chasing 184.
Karabo Meso picked up two more stumpings as Melie Kerr took the White Ferns into a winning position with 61 from 32 featuring nine fours and two six before she and Georgia Plimmer (38) both fell to the gloves of Meso in the space of four balls to leave New Zealand at 119 for three.
Sophie Devine made a quick 28 from 13 balls before clever play from Brooke Halliday (21) and Maddy Green (19) saw them need five off the final over with Green crunching a four to seal an important win with two balls to spare.
New Zealand’s title defence begins against the West Indies in Southampton on 13 June, while on the same day up in Manchester South Africa take on Australia with each game a semi-final rematch from 2024.
