7 Oct 2022

White Ferns finish Caribbean tour with another win

10:28 am on 7 October 2022

The White Ferns captain Sophie Devine says she's pleased that they were able to find another way to win as they completed their tour of the West Indies with a five wicket victory in the fifth and final T20 international in Antigua.

White Ferns batter Maddy Green

Maddy Green Photo: PHOTOSPORT

New Zealand won the series 4-1.

Chasing 102 the White Ferns reached their target off the last ball in the innings.

"We know that the scores probably haven't been as high as would have liked but we played to the conditions," Devine said after the game.

Four of the five games were decided in the last over with one going to a super-over.

"It's fantastic learning for us to be put under pressure and to experience that which is really hard to get in trainings.

"With the World Cup just around the corner and to be put under pressure like that with different people standing up it's a tour we can take a lot of confidence out of."

"To be able to head home with two trophies (having also won the ODI series), if you'd asked that at the start of the series we would have been very happy with that."

After being asked to bat first the homeside managed to get through to 101 for eight largley thanks to captain and opener Hayley Matthews.

Matthews hit 56 off 54 balls including three fours and two sixes.

No other batter reached double figures with extras (10) the next highest score.

New Zealand got off to a strong start in their chase with Devine and Suzie Bates putting on 25 for the opening wicket, however it was Amelia Kerr and Maddy Green in the middle order that guided the tourists through to their target.

Green hit the winning run, finishing unbeaten on 32.

Kerr made 25 and Devine 23.

Earlier in the first innings Suzie Bates continued her impressive return to the bowling crease taking three wickets for ten runs from three overs.

Fran Jonas and Eden Carson also took two wickets each.

Auckland bowler Molly Penfold made her T20 debut for New Zealand

The White Ferns next series is at home against Bangladesh starting on December 2nd.

They played three T20 internationals and three ODI's.

However for a number of the New Zealand squad including Devine, Bates and Kerr, they now head to Australia for the Big Bash which starts next week.