The 36-year-old began the day with 56 wickets from 154 T20 internationals. But in her last 18 games for the White Ferns, dating back to 2022, she had been asked to bowl three times, picking up a solitary scalp.
Bates was ready, though, with the team’s leaders earlier opting to bowl out Kerr (1-29) and Fran Jonas (0-18) while there was still a slither of hope.
“We were talking about our best bowlers at the back-end taking pace off,” Bates said. “But we were saying, we don’t want to go the last over and save our bowlers, let’s bowl them now and see if we can stay in the game and take wickets.
“As I was saying that I was working out in my head that we were going to be an over short. I didn’t suggest myself but I felt like that may be where it headed. I warmed up for about four overs just to get the shoulder going.”
The preparation proved effective. With her first ball of off-break, Bates bowled out Holly Armitage, a concussion substitute on debut.
England eked out four from the next three, left requiring another four from the final two, and after a dot ball Bates deceived Charlie Dean to have her stumped and seal the win.
“I was mentally prepared that it might come down to that,” she said. “I just love that I got the opportunity and managed to get us across the line when we were two-nil down.
“Against one of the best teams in the world, it’s probably one of our best wins in recent times.
“I’m just so proud of the fight that we did show when we were two-nil down — not just the fight with the ball and in the field, but Sophie and Melie fought to get in and get a decent score.”
That had been the White Ferns’ problem in the first two games, and in their previous home series defeat by Pakistan.
But after averaging 130 in their last four losses, New Zealand enjoyed a decent start through Bernadine Bezuidenhout (34 off 27), before Devine (60 off 27) and Kerr (44no off 35) carried their side to a score they could defend — barely.
Maia Bouchier (71 off 47) had threatened to take away the game before Devine snared her wicket, while Kerr’s direct-hit runout of Heather Knight — coming off two half-centuries in the series — was a key contribution in a 6-25 slide.
The teams will reconvene on Wednesday at the Basin Reserve, where the White Ferns now know what is needed.
“I’m just so proud we showed belief the whole way through, even when they were ahead of the game,” Bates said. “How we went about it today was the blueprint. It’s not always going to be Sophie’s day, but as a cricket team we want everyone to be pushing.”
