Source: Radio New Zealand
Black Caps player Bevon Jacobs. Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
The Black Caps admit they didn’t adjust quick enough to the wicket as they suffered a 7 wicket loss to South Africa in the opening T20 international.
After deciding to bat first New Zealand were bowled out for just 91 in the 15th over in Mt Maunganui.
The home side was 36 for 5 before James Neesham hit 26 and Mitchell Santner and Cole McConchie both made 15.
“A weird game of cricket, we were probably a bit slow to adapt to the surface,” quick bowler Zak Foulkes said afterwards.
Nqobani Mokoena took 3 wickets, while Gerald Coetzee, Ottneil Baartman and Keshav Maharaj took 2 each.
“They bowled really well up top and put us under a lot of pressure and 92 was never going to be enough,” Foulkes added.
South Africa did lose 3 wickets but reached their target in the 17th over.
“We strive scrapping and we came together and said lets make this the hardest 92 runs for them to get and we made it look hard for them at times,” Foukes said.
Melie Kerr congratulates Georgia Plimmer. Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
Earlier the White Ferns had not troubled dispatching South Africa by 80 runs.
New Zealand scored 190 for 7 with captain Amelia Kerr top scoring with 78 and Georgia Plimmer 63. Sophie Devine then took career best figures of 4 for 12 as South Africa finished on 110 for 7.
Plimmer was very happy with their overall game.
“That was one of the best performances we’ve put in for the last couple of years. We could put on 190 runs and then for the bowlers to bowl at the stumps and execute those change-ups I think it was a pretty well rounded performance,” Plimmer said.
The second double header of five is in Hamilton on Tuesday.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
