Lankan lasses run into huge 188 defeat at the hands of the Kiwis
View(s):Opener Rachel Priest struck her second ODI century with a blistering knock of 157 runs off 146 deliveries as New Zealand Women won the third of the 5-match series by a massive 188 runs against the visiting Sri Lanka Women at Lincoln yesterday. Choosing to bat first, New Zealand Women were given a staggering opening partnership of 196 from Priest and skipper Suzie Bates as the home team piled up a massive 326 runs for the loss of five wickets. The Sri Lanka Women, ironically, were skittled out for 138 runs, still 19 runs shorter than Priest’s individual brilliance, with 55 deliveries to go.
Priest, currently in brilliant form, after the knocks of 108 – her maiden ODI century – in the first game last Tuesday and an unbeaten 51 in the second match, continued her bat to do the talking with a 146-ball knock, which included 23 boundaries. Her second century in ODIs is the second best recorded by a New Zealand Women cricketer with the best being 168 off 105 deliveries by her opening partner Bates against Pakistan Women in 2009.
Bates faced 77 deliveries and hit 10 boundaries on her way to hit 80, before being dismissed by Inoka Ranaweera at 196, in the third delivery of the 32nd over when Priest was on 113. The centurion was able to add just nine runs for the second wicket with Amy Satterthwaite (4) and become the third victim of the New Zealand innings when she was caught by Ama Kanchana off Maduri Samuddika in the first delivery of the 42nd over. By then Priest had added 57 runs for the third wicket with Sara McGlashan, who hit 39 off 43 deliveries. Sophie Devine came later on to hit a cameo 29 off 18 deliveries inclusive of five boundaries as the home team ended their quota of 50 overs, putting the Sri Lankans under tremendous pressure with a target of 327 runs. Ama Kanchana claimed two wickets while Maduri Samuddika, Chamari Atapattu and Inoka Ranaweera took a wicket each.
Sri Lanka Women were not given the comfort to settle in by the hosts as they lost wickets at regular intervals before being bowled out for a paltry total of 138 in the 42nd over. The top scorer for the visitors was Ama Kanchana, who returned to fight her way to a well compiled 28 not out off 58 deliveries, She hit four boundaries during her knock as her team mates fell victim to the tight bowling attack unleashed by the New Zealanders. Erin Bermingham claimed three wickets while Amy Satterthwaite and Lea Tahuhu picked two wickets each. Suzie Bates and Anna Peterson claimed a wicket each. The two teams will meet again on Tuesday in the fourth outing at Lincoln in a series that is already decided and a dead rubber.
New Zealand Women 326 for 5 wickets in 50 overs (Suzie Bates 80, Rachel Priest 157, Sara McGlashan 39, Sophie Devine 29, Ama Kanchana 2 for 54) Sri Lanka Women 138 all out in 41.5 overs (Chamari Atapattu 16, Prasadani Weerakkody 19, Dilani Manodara 18, Ama Kanchana 28n.o, Erin Bermingham 3 for 26, Amy Satterthwaite 2 for 5, Lea Tahuhu 2 for 36)