Amelia Kerr put on a show as she guided New Zealand Women to a record run chase of 346 for a narrow two-wicket win in the second ODI in Wellington on Wednesday.
Proteas Women blasted their way to 346/6 in the first innings, but Kerr was undaunted, putting together an incredible 139-ball 176 not out to make history and tie the series up at one apiece.
New Zealand lost opener Suzie Bates in the fifth over to Ayabonga Khaka and while the Proteas Women celebrated, it was actually the beginning of their demise as Kerr walked to the crease.
But she was running out of teammates. Georgia Plimmer, Maddy Dreen and Brook Halliday all fell relatively cheaply, leaving the White Ferns 130/4 at the halfway point.
And finally, Kerr found a willing partner in Isabella Gaze. The duo bashed 120 runs in 84 balls, before Gaze’s enterprising 68 off 48 came to an end. The partnership had given the hosts hope and Kerr was keen to ride that wave all the way to the unlikely finish line.
Despite 46 needed off the last four, Kerr shifted gears again, scoring the bulk of the runs before hitting Nadine de Klek’s medium pace for three fours in the final over to get the charges over the line with just two balls to spare.
Earlier, the Proteas Women were smitten with their 356 after being asked to bat. Tazmin Britas fell early, but captain Lara Wolvaardt and Anneke Bosch combined for 132 off 124 to put them in the driving seat.
Contributions continued down the order, with Sune Luus (40) and Sinalo Jafta (37) propelling the Proteas Women toward 300, but it was Cloe Tryon’s swashbuckling 52 off 25 that got them to what they thought was a winning total.
The series decider takes place at the same venue on Saturday.
