New Zealand Women pulled off a record chase against South Africa Women by 2 wickets with 2 balls to spare in the 2nd ODI of the three match series at Wellington. After being invited to bat first, South Africa Women posted a huge total of 346/6 in 50 overs. Anneke Bosch played a superb knock of 91 runs off 90 balls, while Laura Wolvaardt supported her with a composed 69 off 74. A blazing quick half-century by Chloe Tryon at the end helped South Africa Women reach 346. Breeame Illing (3/60 in 10 overs) was the most successful bowler for New Zealand, while Kayley Knight also claimed 2 wickets in the run feast.
While chasing, Amelia Kerr played a brilliant innings of 179 not out off 139 balls, guiding New Zealand to the finish line almost single-handedly as wickets fell around her. Izzy Gaze supported Kerr with a valuable knock of 68 runs off 48 balls. With two balls to spare, New Zealand completed a chase of 347, marking the highest successful run chase in women’s ODI history. With this win, New Zealand Women leveled the series 1-1.
South Africa Post Strong Total
Earlier, South Africa had looked confident after being sent in to bat by New Zealand, despite losing the toss. Tazmin Brits fell early in the eighth over, but strong partnerships from Laura Wolvaardt (69 off 74) and Anneke Bosch (91 off 90) had propelled the team to 132 runs in 124 balls.
Other South African partnerships added further momentum: 44 between Bosch and Luus (40), 34 between Luus and Sinalo Jafta (37), 40 between Jafta and Chloe Tryon (52*), and 36 runs in just 18 balls between Tryon and Nadine de Klerk (18). The unbroken seventh-wicket stand of 25 runs between Tryon and Reyneke (9*) helped South Africa post a competitive total despite wickets from Bree Illing (3/60) and Knight (2/65).
Early Setbacks for New Zealand in Historic Chase
Despite the record-breaking chase, New Zealand faced early difficulties. After losing Suzie Bates in the fifth over, bowled by Ayabonga Khaka, the team was four wickets down by the midway stage. Kayla Reyneke struck twice and Sune Luus took one, dismissing Georgia Plimmer, Maddy Green, and Brooke Halliday cheaply.
Key Partnership Between Kerr and Isabella Gaze
New Zealand’s innings regained momentum when Kerr found a partner in Isabella Gaze, the No. 6 wicketkeeper-batter. The pair added 120 runs in 82 balls, with Kerr scoring 47 off 34 and Gaze contributing 68 in 48, including 11 boundaries. By the time Gaze was dismissed by Masabata Klaas, Kerr was already on 113 off 97 balls and looked set to dominate.
Kerr Accelerates With Lower-Order Support
With the lower-order batters for company, Kerr accelerated the scoring. She contributed 23 runs in a 40-run stand with Izzy Sharp, then added 25 in just 12 balls with her sister Jess Kerr, before guiding the team home alongside Kayley Knight. Kerr reached her fifth ODI century off 90 balls, with 79 additional runs coming off just 49 deliveries.
South Africa Women batted well and posted a competitive total. However, it was a spectacular show by Amelia Kerr at the Basin Reserve on Wednesday. She single-handedly led New Zealand to a historic win in the second ODI of the series. Kerr scored an unbeaten 179 off 139 balls, in a game that saw three other notable innings and a total of 696 runs in 99.4 overs. As a result, it became the highest successful chase in women’s ODI history.
Although South Africa hoped their total would secure victory, Kerr’s remarkable innings turned the game around. With skill, composure, and explosive hitting, she guided New Zealand over the line. Ultimately, her performance set a new benchmark for women’s ODI cricket and turned a tense match into a record-breaking triumph. Stay tuned with JUSZNEWS for regular updates!