June 2018 saw arguably one of the most one-sided women’s ODI series ever. New Zealand women’s team, the White Ferns were visiting England and on the way, they played one T20I and 3 ODI against the Ireland women’s team. Obviously, the Ireland team were weaker compared to the White Ferns, who had some of the game’s greats in Suzie Bates, Sophie Devine, Lea Tahuhu and a seventeen-year-old Amelia Kerr, already destined for the great things in future. After a 10-wicket win in the T20 match, the teams started the ODI series on 8th June 2018.
In the first match, New Zealand batting first posted the highest ever ODI total combining men’s and women’s matches. Their Captain Suzie Bates scored 151, Maddy Green scored 122 and young Amelia Kerr scored a quick fire 81 off just 45 balls with nine fours and three sixes. The final team total was 490. They had a chance to post the first ever 500 plus total in ODI but could score only 19 runs in the last over.
Ireland women’s team never had a chance and could score only 144 as Leigh Kasperek ended with four wickets for 17 runs. The victory margin was 347 runs, 4th highest ever in women’s ODI.
Not stopping there, the White Ferns posted 400 plus totals in next two matches also. They also successfully bowled out Ireland to register two more 300 plus victory margin; 306 in the second match and 305 in the third match.
The third match of the series played on 13th June is also on the record books, thanks to Amelia Kerr. Opening the batting, Kerr broke the 21 years old record of Belinda Clark to score 232 runs, the highest ever individual score in women’s cricket. Overall it was the third highest score after Rohit Sharma’s 264 and Martin Guptill's 237. Kerr also came back to deliver a match-winning spell of five for 17 and this all-round performance of her will be very difficult to match in years to come.
New Zealand won the series 3-0 where they posted more than 400 runs and won by more than 300 runs in all the matches.
