David Leggat: White Ferns left to dwell on what could have been

So close. New Zealand's women cricketers will reflect today on all manner of things they could have done differently in their world T20 final defeat by Australia in Barbados yesterday.

Might they have restricted Australia to less than their 106 for eight? Possibly, but New Zealand fielded well - captain Aimee Watkins' one-handed catch at cover was a corker - and no one bowled poorly.

The flop at the top of the innings, and the grinding halt through the middle stages left too much to be done at the death.

Losing cheap key wickets early was disastrous. Both Suzie Bates and Sarah McGlashan, strong hitters and in-form batsmen, fired their sticks away.

Australia's bowlers did well, backed by desperate fielding and the jitters set in for New Zealand.

Remember, the White Ferns had won the last six T20s against Australia. They started favourites but when the heat went up, they were unable to switch on the fan.

Sophie Devine's spirited unbeaten 38 off 35 balls almost got New Zealand home. But five were needed off the last ball. Too much, and as one team hugged in jubilation, the other sank into a fug of despair.

On another day, New Zealand would have been given a four, not two in the final over on a fielder's sliding save on the boundary line; on another day Shelley Nitschke's brilliant one-handed sprawl on the fence two balls later would have crossed the line.

It was a day of small margins. So is being beaten in the final a decent effort or a failure?

It all boils down to context.

If this was the perennially under-achieving men, you'd argue making the world final was a fair effort. But the women will view it differently.

If there were seven teams who'd have seriously rated their chances of winning the men's title, there were three in the women's event - the finalists plus defending champions England who, unlike their men, had a 'mare, eliminated in group play.

So making the final was a bare minimum expectation for a team who had the sign on Australia in the shortest form over the last summer.

It was third time unlucky, after losing the World Cup one-day final 14 months ago, then the world T20 final last June, both to England.

New Zealand had the player of the tournament in allrounder Nicola Browne. Small consolation? No consolation, more like.