Pakistan v New Zealand – A Walkover
South Africa v Sri Lanka – A Thriller
The White Fernlets saw the Pakistan side off with ease to boost their confidence for the coming semi-finals.
Source: ICC
New Zealand (Photo: ICC)
They were invited to bat first, no doubt because they hadn’t done so thus far – exactly the reverse of England’s position. Their quick pool-stage wins meant that the depth of their batting would now be properly tested.
It needed Pakistan’s spin-heavy attack to produce the goods. They couldn’t.
Anna Browning is a highly promising all-rounder (31 runs off 25 and 4-0-5-1 with her off-breaks), but she was outshone at the start by Emma Mcleod’s clean hitting (32 off 18, 4×4 and 1×6).
Georgia Plimmer then took the game away from Pakistan with more aggressive cricket (53/38), helped by the keeper Izzy Gaze (21/16). The two contracted players added 35 off just four overs.
The Pakistan fielding wilted under the strain, and the bowlers had trouble repeating their best deliveries.
One point of concern for the Kiwi selectors was no doubt to see how their charges dealt with the second half of their innings. This would be their first chance to prove themselves.
At the halfway stage they had reached a commanding 90-2. Five wickets did fall in the remaining ten overs, but determined aggression added a further 88, so the powers-that-be must be satisfied with that performance.
After the break the reply showed how far the green shirts still have to develop. The die was cast at the very start. The two most productive batters, Shawaal Zulfiqar (1st ball) and Eyman Fatima (11th ball) were both back in the hatch for nought before slow tea-drinkers could resume their seats.
It was noticeable from early on the physical advantage the Kiwis had; they were taller and stronger. As a sequence of Pakistani batters prodded at demanding deliveries and mishit looser ones, the contrast was laid bare.
The rest of the innings turned into another procession. By the end the only question was whether they could creep within a hundred of the target.
Areesha Noor and Anosha Nasir fought hard to add 20 for the sixth wicket, but a wonderfully accurate throw by Paige Loggenberg from mid-off saw off Noor’s top-scoring effort (24).
The New Zealand selectors had made three more changes to the line-up for this last game of theirs in the Super Sixes, so plenty of players have had a chance to display their skills in the heat of Potchefstroom.
Scores:
New Zealand 178-7
Pakistan 75-7
NZ win by 103 runs
Player of the Match: Georgia Plimmer
The likely line-up for the semis is now:
India v New Zealand
England v Australia
The Indian team were interested spectators on the ground. Their selectors will have noted the ease with which the Kiwi top-order dealt with spin. Like Pakistan, India are spin-heavy.
If Windies beat England tomorrow (start 11.45 GMT) then it will be carnival time right across the Caribbean. But I’m not sure the dancing will match the quality of the Rwandan version.
The Most Dramatic Finish
The game on the neighbouring ground could not have been more different. South Africa and Sri Lanka fought out the tightest of finishes.
The Sri Lankans needed twelve off the last over, bowled by the off-spinner Miane Smit from Free State. She had bowled her previous three very tightly. But now tension overcame her: as the batters scrambled for an unlikely two, she snatched at the throw-in and missed it.
South Africa celebrate (Photo: ICC)
No matter; another risky double saw her take the return cleanly, and Vihara Sewwandi was run out; another delivery had slipped by.
Umaya Rathnayake and Rashmi Nethranjali were the two tail-enders left with the big task, six off one ball. Smit kept her nerve well. The left-handed Nethranjali swung hard to leg for four, but it was not enough!
Is cricket boring?
Scores:
South Africa 134-7
Sri Lanka 133-8
South Africa win by 1 run
