Cricket: White Ferns’ T20 World Cup campaign in tatters after big loss to South Africa

Jess Kerr of New Zealand makes her way off after being dismissed against South Africa. Photo / Getty

The White Ferns Twenty20 World Cup campaign is in ruins after a disastrous defeat to South Africa.

Chasing 133 to win against the hosts in Paarl, the Kiwis capitulated to be all out for 67, dropping to 0-2 after their record opening defeat to Australia.

Two days after the Ferns scored their fourth-lowest total in history, they went even lower, rolled for their second-lowest score in a 65-run pummelling.

While a crushing at the hands of the mighty Australians could be forgiven, this performance was inexcusable, with South Africa having lost to Sri Lanka in their opener and being a team that any side with aspirations of Cup glory should be dispatching.

Although Cup glory was never a realistic ambition for the Ferns, making the semifinals should have been feasible, but is now miles out of reach.

While there is still a decent chance South Africa, Sri Lanka and New Zealand all finish with a 2-2 record, the Ferns net run rate is a horrendous –4.05, meaning they would have to destroy Bangladesh and Sri Lanka – while hoping Australia continue to thrash all-comers – to have even a slim hope of progression.

It’s become too familiar a tale for this team at major events, with the Ferns having failed to reach an ODI or T20 World Cup semifinal since 2016, and that doesn’t deserve to change after today’s display.

While the Ferns bowled better than against Australia, their fielding was rubbish, and that allowed South Africa off the hook after a strong start.

Solid bowling from Eden Carson (2-23) and Lea Tahuhu (2-27) saw early inroads made, and a ridiculous quick single attempt from skipper Sune Luus gave the visitors a freebie runout as well as South Africa struggled to 62-4 at the halfway stage, and then to 78-5 midway through the 13th over.

However, South Africa’s last two recognised batters built a partnership, and made the Kiwis pay for sloppy fielding.

Wicketkeeper Bernadine Bezuidenhout dropped the powerful Chloe Tryon on 31, and three balls later also put down Nadine de Klerk on three, and the pair’s 47-run stand for the sixth wicket allowed the hosts to reach 133-6, with Tryon making 40 off 34 and de Klerk 28 not out off 26.

While seemingly pivotal contributions, perhaps South Africa would have won anyway, given the dreadful batting display offered by the Kiwis.

After their openers fell for golden ducks against Australia, this time there were improvements, as they were both dismissed for second-ball ducks.

If New Zealand had any batting depth in their domestic ranks, questions would be asked about the slow slide of Suzie Bates, with the 35-year-old having gone from averaging 30.7 at a strike rate of 109.2 before 2020, to just 21.6 at a strike rate of 95 in 30 games since.

Alas, an average of 21.6 is spectacular by the standards of the top order right now, and Bates’ second consecutive duck was overshadowed by fellow opener Bezuidenhout inexplicably coming down the wicket to attempt a defensive shot, and deservedly being stumped.

Georgia Plimmer was added to the team at three but was dismissed for seven chasing a wide delivery, while Amelia Kerr departed for 10 after also edging a ball outside off, as South Africa showed the difference competent fielding can make.

Sophie Devine had been dropped down the order to bat at five but found herself at the crease in the fourth over anyway at 18-4, and any hopes of a salvage mission had disappeared when the Ferns laboured to 25-4 at the end of the eighth over.

Maddy Green made seven off 14 balls before being limply dismissed; her contribution and limp dismissal matched by Hayley Jensen (seven off 14) who was run out as desperation set in.

When Devine (16 off 26) was trapped lbw by Tryon three balls later, the White Ferns’ hopes of victory were extinguished, and so too was their Cup dream.