Online Reporter
Blessing Malinganiza, [email protected]
ZIMBABWE’S women’s cricket team ended their New Zealand tour with a heavy defeat in Dunedin yesterday after the White Ferns claimed a 200-run victory in the third One Day International to seal a 3-0 series whitewash.
New Zealand posted an imposing 303 for 6 after being sent in, building their innings steadily before lifting the scoring rate in the middle overs.
Stand-in captain Amelia Kerr anchored the effort with a composed 80 while Maddy Green top-scored with a fluent 94. Brooke Halliday added 40, and Isabella Gaze chipped in late as the hosts pushed their total beyond the 300 mark.
Zimbabwe’s bowlers worked hard but struggled to slow the flow of runs once the New Zealand middle order settled. Christabel Chatonzwa was the most effective of the visitors’ bowlers and finished with figures of 2 for 48, though she received little support as the hosts steadily built their total.
Chasing 304 was always going to test Zimbabwe and the innings never really found momentum.
Loreen Tshuma offered some resistance with a determined 34 and tried to steady the chase while wickets fell around her, but New Zealand kept tightening the pressure through disciplined bowling.
Rosemary Mair and Nensi Patel struck early to leave Zimbabwe under pressure before Kerr returned to the attack and delivered the decisive blow.
The leg-spinner tore through the lower order in a devastating spell of 5 for 22 in just 3.1 overs. In the middle of that burst, she removed Audrey Mazvishaya, Tendai Makusha and Nomvelo Sibanda with successive deliveries to complete a hat-trick that effectively ended Zimbabwe’s hopes of a recovery.
Zimbabwe were eventually bowled out for 103 in 27.1 overs.
The victory capped a dominant series for Kerr, who was leading New Zealand for the first time in a white-ball campaign.
She finished with 140 runs and 16 wickets across the three matches to be named Player of the Series.
Zimbabwe were also without Kelis Ndlovu in the final match after the all-rounder suffered a concussion during the second ODI.
