Cricket: Payne leads a winning effort

Nicola Payne was born in Canada, holds a British passport, is a Dutch resident, and happily plays cricket for New Zealand.

Her decision to play for the White Ferns had another rich reward yesterday, for herself and the team as she stroked a career-best 93 to help New Zealand to beat India by 83 runs in Christchurch.

Payne, 33, decided several years ago that she wanted to make New Zealand her cricketing home and was a member of the victorious 2000 World Cup-winning squad, having fulfilled International Women's Cricket Council qualifications.

The Canterbury player has now assumed senior status in the side, opening the batting with Rebecca Rolls.

"I had made a lot of 30s or so and not pushed on," she said last night. "I really wanted to carry on this time, and I managed to."

Payne had a one-day century in her sights, but was rather sacrificed in the quest for quick runs as the White Ferns accelerated the tempo under a withering assault from Haidee Tiffen in the closing stages.

Payne and Tiffen added 87 after Payne had previously shared productive stands of 79 with Rolls and 47 with Kate Pulford.

Tiffen struck a forceful 52 from 49 balls with six fours, while Payne was more restrained in her polished 93 from 131 balls, with seven fours.

India's spin bowlers, who had wreaked havoc on Monday in their upset win against England, were negated and Payne played some exquisite on-drives which bisected the field.

In reply, India laid the foundation for a solid reply with a 75-run opening stand, but then petered out, with the mid-to-late-over assault never coming against a steady White Ferns attack.

Captain Anjum Chopra laboured 77 balls over 23, which bogged down the run rate.

New Zealand, because they restricted India to under 199, also collected the bonus point from the match, drawing them level with first-round winners Australia and India.

The pick of the Black Caps' attack was opening bowler Nicola Browne and debutant left-arm spinner Rebecca Steele, who recorded economical figures, with Steele unlucky not to secure a wicket.

However, New Zealand will be concerned at their concession of wides, 21, which they will seek to limit in their next match at the four-nation world series event against England tomorrow.

Australia play England today.

* Jaya Sharma's 64 from 33 balls and a devastating bowling spell from Nooshin Al-Khadir lifted India to a six-wicket win over England on Monday.

Off-spinner Al-Khadir captured five wickets for 14 runs from 6.5 overs which restricted England to 86 in 36 overs of the rain-shortened contest.

India took just 29.5 overs to reach their target. Their 50 came up off 133 balls in 88 minutes.

In the opening match of the tournament, Australia beat New Zealand by 63 runs.

- NZPA