White Ferns v Sri Lanka: Tourists take first Twenty20 after tight bowling effort

Eden Carson claimed a key wicket from the first ball. Photo / photosport.nz

A tight bowling effort and a well-timed chase have lifted the White Ferns to victory in the first Twenty20 against Sri Lanka.

After dropping the ODI series 2-1 — their first series defeat by Sri Lanka in any format — New Zealand responded on Saturday with a comfortable five-wicket win in Colombo.

All-rounder Amelia Kerr led the way with a run out, two catches from her own bowling and 34 off 28 with the bat, while opener Suzie Bates (44 off 47) took the tourists to the verge of their target of 107.

The White Ferns were never under much duress during that chase and eventually cruised home with seven balls to spare, after they had used eight bowlers to effectively restrict the hosts once skipper Sophie Devine had asked them to bat.

The pivotal moment might have arrived from the first ball of the match. After Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu had carried her side to their ODI triumph with two centuries — including smashing an 80-ball 140 in the decider — off-spinner Eden Carson ensured there would be no repeat by immediately rocking the opener’s middle stump.

Along with her two tons, the dismissal was Athapaththu’s second golden duck of the tour, and set the tone for a stuttering innings to follow.

The Ferns spin trio of Carson, Kerr and the recalled Leigh Kasperek did the majority of the damage, each snaring two wickets and economically bowling out their allotment, while Bates was the other bowler to strike.

Pleasingly for coach Ben Sawyer after a sloppy ODI series with the ball and in the field, New Zealand conceded only one wide while holding their catches and affecting two runouts.

Sri Lanka’s running was admittedly reckless at times as they looked to push the pace following a slow start that saw them creep to 47-3 at the halfway mark.

Opener Vishmi Gunaratne (25 off 28) was the only player to pass 20 as the home side batted out their 20 overs while settling for a mediocre 106-9.

In reply, the White Ferns’ loss of an early wicket eventually played into their hands, as Bernadine Bezuidenhout’s dismissal in the third over saw Kerr join Bates for a partnership that would essentially determine the result.

The pair put on 58 from 53 before Kerr fell in the 12th over, followed two balls later by Devine for a duck as Inoshi Priyadharshani (3-17) delivered a minor scare to her opposition.

But despite the off-spinner then picking up the wicket of Maddy Green in her next over, Bates remained steady at the other end and eventually received the support she required from Georgia Plimmer (16no off 18).

Bates was trapped in front in the 18th over but, with her side only four runs short of their target at that point, the job had been virtually completed by the veteran.

The two teams will now meet twice more at the same venue, with the series’ second match on Monday before New Zealand complete their tour on Wednesday.