Host New Zealand recorded their first win of the tournament when they handed Bangladesh a nine-wicket defeat in a rain-limited ICC Women’s World Cup game on Monday. New Zealand bowlers first limited Bangladesh to 140 for 8 after a long rain delay, before Suzie Bates stroked an unbeaten half-century to propel the hosts to a win with 42 balls left in the match which was reduced to 27 overs apiece . The win gave New Zealand, which lost to the West Indies in the tournament opener, two valuable points as it rose to third place, while Bangladesh was left scoreless from their two games and is in seventh place.
Chasing the target, the White Ferns had a slow start. Their innings were further dented in the seventh over when spinner Salma Khatun sent skipper Sohie Devine (14), but other than that, the Bangladeshi bowlers didn’t bother the hosts much.
Bates used all her experience and deception in her 79 of just 68 deliveries. She racked up a match-winning 108-run tie with Amelia Kerr (47 not out).
It was Bates’ 28th ODI-fifty, as she became only the sixth batter to score 1000 runs in Women’s World Cup Games when she found the line late in her innings.
The all-rounder hit eight fours, two more than the entire Bangladesh team, while Kerr found the fence four times.
Earlier hitting New Zealand after a four-hour rain delay, openers Fargana Hoque (52) and Shamima Sultana (33) gave Bangladesh, which lost to South Africa in their campaign opener, a bright start.
Now that the five-over power play was complete, Bangladesh looked set to race to a competitive total at 41 without a loss.
But the opening partnership was ended by spin all-rounder Frances Mackay (1/24). The 31-year-old right-arm off-spinner then went on to run out of Hoque’s half-century in the 15th over.
Then it was a show from Amy Satterthwaite (3/25) as the veteran all-rounder cast a crucial spell, taking three wickets from five overs.
Bangladesh couldn’t recover from losing their openers, as only two more batters reached double figures.
The Nigar Sultana-led side succumbed to the pressure and dropped to 81 for three after 15 overs, their positive start undone by losing three wickets for 21 runs.
promoted
Ritu Moni (4) couldn’t make her usual cameo as Devine pocketed the catch that gave Satterthwaite her 50th wicket in ODI cricket.
With this performance, she joins an illustrious group that has racked up 3,000 runs and taken 50 wickets in one-day internationals, including Charlotte Edwards, Karen Rolton and Stafanie Taylor.
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