The WHITE FERNS are not underestimating dangerous South Africa as Suzie Bates’s unbeaten New Zealanders look to clinch a spot in the ICC World Twenty20 2016 semi-finals.
Despite having gone three from three to be out in front as the current leaders, the WHITE FERNS remain in an intriguing race with Australia and South Africa to finish in the top two from Group A, and they are not jesting when they reiterate that they are treating every match at this tournament as a knockout Final.
That said, a win tonight would sort it for the WHITE FERNS.
Conditions in the lush south are significantly different from their thrilling last match in Nagpur — in the hot, spinning centre of India. But the venue is a familiar one to storming Suzie Bates and the team: it’s where they played their entire One-Day and Twenty20 series against India in July year, winning that historic inaugural T20 Series 2-1.
Good times in Bengaluru last year. PHOTOSPORT
It’s where Sophie Devine smashed her world record 18-ball half century (70 off 22 balls), and where opener Rachel Priest followed up with a smashing half ton of her own, off 22 balls against the hosts on their own turf.
However, South African captain Mignon du Preez's team was also looking at home at practice in the build-up to tonight, skiddy pace bowler Shabnim Ismail always one to watch out for and 20-year-old legspinner Sune Luus having ripped through Ireland to finish with spectacular figures of five for eight from four overs.
South African strike weapon Shabnim Ismail. ICC/Getty
Bates is far from underestimating the x-factor in their attack — and neither has the richly experienced captain forgotten history. The last time these teams played each other in a WT20, in Bangladesh, it was South Africa who upped and knocked the WHITE FERNS out of the 2014 edition of the tournament.
“So it’s a big game for us tonight,” says Bates.
“It’s the type of tournament where you can’t afford to take any game lightly, and we’re still no guarantee for the Semi-Finals. We’re going to play our strongest team, whatever that may be [for the conditions].”
Listen to the prematch presser with Suzie Bates and Haidee Tiffen
Coach Haidee Tiffen hinted that there is more pace in the Bengaluru deck than at any of their previous venues.
“Any team can beat any team: T20 is a fickle game that can change in the space of one or two deliveries. We are up against a quality side in South Africa, but we are not going to rest up until the last delivery is bowled. We have to work hard and stick to our game plans.”
Not getting ahead of ourselves: WHITE FERNS coach Haidee Tiffen. ICC/Getty
While the WHITE FERNS’ top three, and Bates especially, have consistently been doing the job in India, the side also has the luxury of having one of its most experienced allrounders coming in behind.
Classy Amy Satterthwaite is in sight of the 1000 runs milestone, and has the knack of bringing composure to the crease no matter what the situation.
A calm, crisp striker: Amy Satterthwaite. ICC/Getty
“We’ve performed really well to this point,” says Satterthwaite, “and there’s talk about us being favourites, but to a certain extent those kinds of tags mean nothing in this tournament. It’s on the day in those big games at the end, so we can’t get too far ahead of ourselves and need to keep doing what we have been doing.”
But yes, says Satterthwaite, it is exciting to be leading the way.
“Our win against Australia was very pleasing, the way we have played in all the games has been very pleasing, and we’ve been vigilant with our recovery in the hot conditions.
“People have been doing their job both with bat and ball, top order batsmen not leaving it to others down the order. We’ve also had a little bit of time to refresh ahead of this match, after a hectic schedule, which I think is good timing for us.
“I think we’re in a strong position leading into our last Group game.”
• WHITE FERNS opener Suzie Bates remains the leading runscorer (all teams) in the women's ICC Twenty20 2016 with 142 runs from three matches — at an average 47.33, and a strike rate above 100 per cent. The captain has taken her overall T20 career runs tally to 2086 runs, the first New Zealand woman to have surpassed 2000 runs (she achieved the mark in the win against Ireland). The only woman to have scored more T20 International runs is veteran England captain Charlotte Edwards (2467).
• When Sophie Devine dismissed Ellyse Perry lbw in the win against Australia, she became the first WHITE FERNS allrounder to achieve the 50 wickets /1000 runs double in women's international T20 cricket. Devine is only the second player in the world to reach this milestone, after West Indian star Stafanie Taylor, who is also in action over in Group B in this WT20. New Zealand has a long tradition of producing quality allrounders in both men's and women's white ball cricket, and this is reflected by Suzie Bates also requiring only another six wickets now to become the third to join this elite group.
• Amy Satterthwaite (957 runs) is fast appoaching 1000 career runs in Women's Twenty20 International cricket.
• Offspinner Morna Nielsen is the most economical bowler of the tournament: hear Nielsen's audio preview of tonight's match here. Nielsen's opening spell of 4-0-4-0 in the win against Australia at Nagpur was also the most economical return by any woman in WT20 history, as well as one of the two most economical returns in the history of the ICC World Twenty20 (men's and women's versions). The best figures belong to Aizaz Shah who took 4-1-4-2 for Hong Kong men.
WHITE FERNS v South Africa Women
Last WHITE FERNS pool match in Group A: Sunday, 27 March 2016 3am NZT at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, India
(note: not a televised game)
