Cricket: White Ferns smashed again in second ODI as India continue dominance over New Zealand

The White Ferns are in a slump.

An eight–wicket defeat to India at Bay Oval in the second of three ODIs has seen India claim an unassailable 2-0 series lead, and continues a concerning slide for New Zealand.

2018's record-breaking thumpings of Ireland are now a distant memory, with this series reaffirming what the Twenty20 World Cup first enforced – the White Ferns are well off the pace of the powerhouses of women's cricket.

Not so long ago, that didn't seem the case. Some competitive performances were mixed in with the odd victory over Australia, and rare was the occasion where the Ferns would get completely outplayed.

Now, in their first ODIs since losing to England in July, the Ferns seem to have no answers when taking on the world's best, with India again suffocating the White Ferns' top order with some excellent slow bowling.

Ekta Bisht was the star, producing the extremely miserly figures of 2-14 from eight overs, while Poonam Yadav claimed 2-38, and vastly experienced seamer Jhulan Goswami took 3-23.

Goswami's scalps included the prized wicket of Suzie Bates, for a fourth-ball duck, and when fellow destructive opener Sophie Devine also departed in the fourth over, the hosts were always going to struggle.

Captain Amy Satterthwaite showed glimpses of her 2017 form by making 71, but Leigh Kasperek's 21 was the next best on offer as the Ferns were dismissed for 161 in 44.2 overs.

Hope emanated when two wickets fell early in India's reply, but Smriti Mandhana backed up her century in the first clash with an unbeaten 90, while captain Mithali Raj added 63 not out as they cruised home with 14 overs to spare.