Smriti Mandhana scored a brilliant century as the Indian women’s team thumped New Zealand women by nine wickets in the first One-day International at Napier on Thursday. India’s men had beaten the Black Caps at the same venue yesterday by eight wickets, and the women went one step better at McLean Park.
After being sent into bat by skipper Mithali Raj, New Zealand Women started solidly as their opening pair of Suzie Bates and Sophie Devine added 61 runs for the opening stand, before Devine was run out by Deepti Sharma for 28 runs.
The run out turned out to be a key turning moment in the game- the Kiwis never quite seemed able to recover from that wicket, with no other partnership crossing 50 afterwards. Lauren Down and Bates fell in quick succession, leaving the home side in a spot of bother at 70 for 3.
Skipper Amy Satterthwaite and Amelia Kerr stabilized the innings by putting on a 49 run stand, albeit a very slow one, for the fourth wicket before Poonam Yadav sent both back to the pavillion.
India’s slow bowlers continued to strangulate the home side, with Maddy Green and Leigh Kasperek both out cheaply as they slumped to 148/7.
Hannah Rowe provided some resistance at the end with her 25 to take the home side total past the 150 run mark. They were eventually being bowled out for 192 runs in 48.4 overs.
Ekta Bisht and Yadav were India’s best bowlers as they both claimed 3 wickets each, while Deepti Sharma bagged 2
Chasing a target of 193 runs, the opening pair of Mandhana and Jemima Rodrigues added a record 190 run stand- India’s highest against New Zealand, as the visitors made short work of their target.
The 22 year old Indian vice captain, who was also recently named the the ICC women’s cricketer of the year, scored her fourth one day hundred, studded with nine fours and three sixes, before she was dismissed by Amelia Kerr.
The 18 year old Rodrigues scored a magnificent unbeaten 81 of 94 balls with nine fours as the visitors won with 17 overs to spare.
The second one day international will be played in Mount Maunganui on January 29.