06/19/26 04:18:00
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06/19 16:17 CDT New Zealand edge Ireland by 4 runs to keep Women's T20 World
Cup hopes alive
New Zealand edge Ireland by 4 runs to keep Women's T20 World Cup hopes alive
SOUTHAMPTON, England (AP) --- New Zealand kept alive slim hopes of defending
the Women's Twenty20 World Cup title by beating Ireland by four runs in a
thriller to the last ball on Friday.
Ten dropped catches cost New Zealand its first two games against the West
Indies and Sri Lanka, and it faced elimination with two group games remaining
if it didn't beat Ireland, also winless.
New Zealand recovered from 10-3 to post 140-6 on a last-ball six by Suzie
Bates, the storied allrounder making her first appearance in the tournament
only after fellow retiree-to-be Sophie Devine became ill.
New Zealand pacer Bree Illing bowled out with a sterling 1-18 but Ireland
captain Gaby Lewis and Orla Prendergast played around her and Jess Kerr (0-23)
in a partnership of 110 into the 18th over.
They put Ireland in sight of an historic first World Cup win after 19 defeats
but Prendergast was caught near the boundary on 59. Lewis was still there on
58, though, until the next and 19th over when she gave Bates a catch at cover.
That left Ireland needing 15 runs from the last over to win and Bates conceded
only 10 and restricted the Irish to 136-4.
"It has been a disappointing start to the tournament so today was just about
body language and turning up," said New Zealand captain Melie Kerr, the player
of the match. "We need to turn and believe we can still win games of cricket."
Ireland chose to bowl first and Prendergast and Aimee Maguire reduced New
Zealand to 10-3 in the fourth over.
Melie Kerr picked up the pace with 30 and Brooke Halliday and Izzy Sharp
combined for 62 in 50 balls. Bates came in at No. 7 for the first time in her
T20 career and contributed with a cameo 19 off 12 balls, including a last-ball
six that cleared long leg and ultimately proved decisive.
On Saturday, there's Australia vs. Netherlands, Pakistan vs. Bangladesh and
England vs. Scotland.
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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
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