The White Ferns need to find some self belief and quickly.
The New Zealand women's cricket side suffered a humbling nine wicket loss to India in their opening one day match in Napier yesterday.
Batting first the White Ferns were dismissed for 192 and never got out of second gear as they struggled with the Indian spinners who took eight of the ten wickets to fall.
Suzie Bates - who top scored with 36 - and Sophie Devine, 28, put on 61 for the opening partnership but while five of New Zealand's top six batters got to double figures none were unable capitalise on their starts, struggling against the Indian spinners on a slow McLean Park pitch.
The only other partnership of significance was a 49 run stand between skipper Amy Satterthwaite (31) and Amelia Kerr (28).
Spinners Ekta Bish with 3-32, Deepti Sharma 2-27 and Poonam Yadav 3-42 took eight of the 10 wickets to fall as the home side was dismissed in the 49th over.
India knocked off their target in just 33 overs and for the loss of just one wicket with openers Smriti Mandhana making 105 and Jemimah Rodrigues 81 not out respectively.
White Ferns captain Amy Satterthwaite. Photo: Photosport
White Ferns skipper Amy Satterthwaite said her side needs to "take it" to India in game two in Mount Maunganui on Tuesday.
"If we sit back they will keep on top of us...it is a bit of a mental challenge but we need to back ourselves to be able to step up."
"We can't just rely on Suzie, Sophie and myself (but) the whole batting order. We've got some quality people there who can score runs...but we have just got to believe that we can do it."
