Kiwis dish up masterclass to down Proteas

New Zealand ripped a page from the SA playbook and in doing so tore their hearts out in Sunday’s T20 World Cup final. A bold all-out attacking gameplan, which the Proteas had used so successfully to defeat Australia in the semifinals, was thrown back in their faces by the other Antipodean nation, who claimed a 32-run victory at the Dubai International Stadium.

In the process they etched their country’s name on a Cricket World Cup for the first time, ending their own sustained period of heartache, and giving three pioneers in their squad a fitting rewards for years of endeavour.

For the Proteas and SA cricket, the wait for a world title continues and there will be plenty of pain to absorb for a group of players who, after losing out to Australia in Cape Town in 2023, thought their moment had arrived. Instead it was the White Ferns who seized the initiative from the first ball, unsettling SA’s bowlers, forcing errors with the ball and in the field.

It was SA’s worst bowling display of the tournament, and while much of that was because of New Zealand’s intent, the composure that Chloe Tryon had talked about before the match was lacking especially in the second half of the Kiwis’ innings.

Four fours in the opening two overs offered a clear illustration of what New Zealand’s aim was, much like the Proteas had done when they batted against Australia in the semifinal.

In particular, the way they attacked Marizanne Kapp was impressive. The Kiwis know what a big player she is and struck a psychological blow by coming down the wicket in her first two overs, with opener Georgia Plimmer responsible for one mighty blow over midwicket and then a pull behind square after she forced Kapp to change her strategy.

Plimmer only scored 9, but the way she did so clearly demonstrated her team’s strategy. The 43 runs conceded in the power play was the highest against the Proteas in the competition.

Though Tryon provided control with her left arm spin, and Nonkululeko Mlaba was able to nip out Suzie Bates for 32, the New Zealanders showed resilience. Captain Sophie Devine’s dismissal three balls after the mid-innings drinks break should have created a foothold for the South Africans, but from then on the nature of the innings changed.

Brooke Halliday was primarily responsible, blasting 38 off 28 balls and taking advantage of wayward bowling not just in terms of line but length too. Halliday and the player of the tournament Amelia Kerr, who made 43, shared a fourth wicket partnership of 57, which put New Zealand in a powerful position despite the Proteas’ preference for batting second.

They struck at a rate of more than nine runs an over in the last eight overs, scoring 79 runs in that period to reach 158/5 as SA’s discipline faltered. Again extras were an issue, as they were in the group stages, with the Proteas conceding a total of 15, including 10 wides and three no balls.

The run chase started with purpose with Wolvaardt hitting five boundaries in her innings of 33. However, Tazmin Brits struggled to find the boundary, as did Thursday’s heroine, Anneke Bosch, and Kapp.

Kerr followed her brilliance with the bat with even more with the ball, striking two mortal blows in her second over. First she induced a false drive from Wolvaardt which the Proteas skipper hit straight to Bates in the covers. Off the last ball, she had Bosch caught behind. The rest of the innings crumbled as the required rate increased, leaving the Proteas crestfallen and New Zealand delighted.