Cricket: White Ferns beat India in rain-reduced fourth ODI

Rosemary Mair in action. Photo / Photosport

The White Ferns made it four wins out of four in their one-day international series against India, in a rain-affected match in Queenstown.

After morning rain cleared at John Davies Oval in Queenstown the match effectively became a Twenty20, where Melie Kerr helped lead the White Ferns to a 63-run win.

India won the toss and sent New Zealand in, only for the top four of Suzie Bates (32 off 24), Sophie Devine (41 off 26), Kerr, and Amy Satterthwaite (32 off 16) all to deliver.

But Kerr saved the best till last, finishing unbeaten on 68 off 33 as the White Ferns posted 191-5 from their 20 overs.

The visitors slumped to 19-4 in the fifth over of their chase before recovering to 75-4, needing a further 117 runs off the final 60 balls.

In the end they were all out for 128 in the 18th over, with Kerr picking up the final three wickets in the space of five balls while missing out on a hat-trick.

She finished with 3-30, while Jensen took 3-32, Jess Kerr took 2-11, and Frankie Mackay took 2-22.

New Zealand had four players unavailable for the fourth game of the series, with hand injuries for spinner Fran Jonas and batter Maddy Green, Lea Tahuhu was missing as a precaution after she left the field injured in the last ODI and batter Brooke Halliday is out for the remainder of the series due to being a close contact of a positive Covid-19 case.

Halliday dined outside with her partner, who subsequently tested positive for Covid-19, and was therefore required to isolate in her hotel room for seven days.

Halliday returned a negative Covid-19 test yesterday. She will be tested again on day five of her isolation and if she returns a second negative test, can finish her isolation period and rejoin the team on Friday.

Both Halliday and her partner have followed all Government and team health protocols.
Coach Bob Carter said the team was rallying around Halliday.

"This is obviously a frustrating time for Brooke," said Carter.

"But she's remaining upbeat, and as a team we're supporting her and checking in on her by phone etc.

"Of course, we're looking forward to her rejoining the team once she's met the appropriate protocols.

The fifth and final game of the series is in Queenstown on Thursday.