Everyone is always looking for a narrative, New Zealand couldn’t have provided a better one: from ten losses in a row to World Champions, slipping under the radar, holding their nerve when England and Australia lost theirs, to win the tournament.
A brilliant team performance, from the grandmas to the fresh-faced twenty-somethings. A cracking end to a memorable tournament, played in front of 21,000 spectators, and the perfect topping to an amazing day for New Zealand cricket.
And that’s it from us – Raf’s report will be here shortly. The third and final Test starts tomorrow in the small hours. Thanks for all your messages – good bye!
The T2o trophy at last!
Now New Zealand for the handshakes. Bouncing on air, they collect their medals.
Nine tournaments, twice runners-up, now winners:
Sophie Devine – “I started to let myself dream last night about what it would be like to hold that trophy up in front of that team. For New Zealand cricket, it has been a long time between drinks.
“Results haven’t gone our way recently but we knew what we were building to. We played the two best teams in the row but at a World Cup everyone starts at zero.
On ‘the grandmas’: To have Suz in the side – so stoked in what we were able to do for her. Lea is the sort of person you want in your team, she’ll scrap for you, she was fantastic today
And on changing her mind on stepping down as captain of T20 team. “No chance. I am done.”
“Amelia Kerr is a once in a generation player – I’m pretty sure she can’t feel her legs at the moment and she’s probably chundered everywhere. She’s an amazing cricket and person.”
And at last she is freed to lift the trophy. Up go the fireworks, up goes the champagne and New Zealand are crowned champions at last.
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South Africa collect their medallions. Laura Wolvaardt: “We had a really good semi-final, the focus was to reset, but we didn’t nail our cricket today.
“They really came at us hard in the power play, at first we thought we could ride the wave, but they just kept on going. At the half way stage we were still backing ourselves though.”
“I though it was game on, but overs 7-11 was not our best phase but they bowled really well. I’m very excited for the future, very experience players like Marizanne Kapp but we’ll keep building, go back to the drawing board.”
She thanks the management, who don’t always get mentioned. And all the family who flew out.
I love this from Nasser. “Some of those catches Suzie Bates has taken, the joy on her face, that you can still have that hunger and passion for the game – it is like a virus that spreads through the game.”
The pillars of New Zealand Cricket ❤️
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) October 20, 2024
Suzie Bates, Sophie Devine and Lea Tahuhu 👏 #CricketTwitter #T20WorldCup #SAvNZ pic.twitter.com/Iv3aX4mD0C
Ah! A figure at last – 21,000 people were in the stadium today, though most of them have drifted back through the turnstiles before the presentation ceremony.
Player of the match and player of the tournament: Amelia Kerr
“I’m a little bit speechless and I’m just so stoked to get the win after all the team has been through. I thought 145 kept us in the game. Brooke Halliday took so much pressure off me, she did it in the semi-final to do it again in the final was class.
“I was cramping up in the field, found myself hiding in the ring and short third. The first ball I bowled I cramped up and I thought I’m not going to be able to bowl as fast today… Bowling is what first got me in the White Ferns.”
The go between? I love it, I’ve played international cricket for a while, and I’ve been able to play with some of the greats but to be a similar age to the young players is amazing too.
Georgia Plimmer on Suzie Bates: “Shes been incredible not just for New Zealand cricket but the world game, she’s an exceptional human being and I’m so unbelievably lucky to have played alongside her.”
An all time great is now a world champion: Susie Bates “I’m in shock really. This tournament little things have gone our way. Whatever happened today I was really proud of the group and to think we’ve won the thing is unbelievable. We just wanted to take the game on, we wanted to play with freedom, Georgia was incredible for such a young kid.”
Re Devine. “This means everything for us, we’ve played team sport for so long. WEepulled our way back to the top. She’s been so outstanding leading this team, I think we’ll probably have a cuddle for even longer later. There have been some dark times, we questioned ourselves as leaders.”
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A delighted Gaze: “It hasn’t sunk in. I heard the snick (from Bosch) really clearly . We’ve got so much belief, we came into the tournament not on the best streak but we’ve done it. This is for them [the older players], hopefully we’ve made them proud. “
Devine hugs every member of her crew, before wiping away her own tears with the elbow of her sleeve. The other side of the mirror, subdued embraces from South Africa. A grim-faced Wolvaardt leads her team out to shake hands – their second runner’s-up prize in a T20 final in succession.
New Zealand win the World Cup by 32 runs!
20th over: South Africa 126-9 (Mlaba 4, Khaka 4) The Trophy is New Zealand’s for the first time! Hugs, tears and huge huge smiles.
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19th over: South Africa 121-9 (Mlaba 2, Khaka 1) Just the formalities to go. 38 needed off six balls
WICKET! Jafta b Mair 6 (South Africa 120-9)
A second from the over! Jafta has a huge swing, misses, and the ball alleluias into the top of leg stump.
WICKET! Tryon c Green b Mair 14 (South Africa 117-8)
Tryon has to go for it, leans back, hits big, but not big enough and Green collects, almost down on her haunches at long on.
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18th over: South Africa 117-7 (Tryon 14, Jafta 5) Kerr is bowled out – three wickets to go with her 43 runs – player of the match for sure, player of the tournament too? 42 needed in 12 balls
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WICKET! Dercksen c Bates b Kerr 10 (South Africa 111-7)
A third wicket for Kerr, a third catch for Bates – prowling at as cover as another fielder ducks and slides out of the way so they don’t collide.
17th over: South Africa 107-6 (Tryon 13, Dercksen 8) Glum faces from South Africa. Dercksen , bright green boots, hauls the ball down the ground. Some cracking fielding by Green stops the boundary, though leaves her sprawled over the rope. 52 needed from 18 balls
16th over: South Africa 100-6 (Tryon 12, Dercksen 2) Halliday the hidden assassin – she so befuddles South Africa with her allsorts, that they can’t get a handle on her. 59 needed in 24 balls
WICKET! Luus c Bates b Halliday 8 (South Africa 97-6)
The captain’s hunch brings a terrible curled up marmite sandwich of a first ball and a wicket with the second! Bates takes a back of the hand catch with joy at extra cover.
15th over: South Africa 96-5 (Tryon 11, Luus 8) Tryon goes straight and big and bold and sends Tahuhu for four. Another big shot but can’t find the rope. A healthy ten from the over but the RR has crept up to more than 12.
Key event
14th over: South Africa 86-5 (Tryon 3, Luus 6) Kerr thinks she’s got an lbw, Devine shrugs and goes upstairs – but ball grazes glove and no cigar. New Zealand have no reviews left.
13th over: South Africa 81-5 (Tryon 1, Luus 3) Luus and Tryon are energetic in their dibbing and dabbing – but South Africa need more than that now.
Simon McMahon: “Think South Africa have two chances now, Tanya. Slim, and none, and slim just left town…”
WICKET! de Klerk c Kerr b Mair 6 (South Africa 77-5)
Two in two as Mair comes back on. A super ball, and de Klerk can only muscle an outside edge to Kerr on the edge of the circle.
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WICKET! Kapp c Plimmer b Carson 8 (South Africa 77-4)
Kapp swipes to deep midwicket – but Plimmer is waiting – and holds on. A moment caught in time as the camera catches Kapp’s moment of knowing disappointment as Bates roars with joy.
12th over: South Africa 77-4 (de Klerk 6) Grim faces on the South African bench. Gaze is convinced she has got another catch as de Klerk goes to sweep. We go upstairs. Anna Harris is in the third umpire’s room. She calls for ultra edge – we wait…. Plimmer helps Carson stretch out her legs…not out. A clever bit of fielding on the rope comes to naught as Kapp finds the rope from the bounce back. But she falls next ball.
11th over: South Africa 70-3 (Kapp 3, de Klerk 4) The two new batters farm Jonas nicely for six runs, but the run rate is now over nine an over.
WICKET! Bosch c Gaze b Kerr 9 (South Africa 64-3)
The tiniest tickle of cough on the flat line ends Bosch’s World Cup story. Kerr didn’t look so convinced when Devine went for the review – but Gaze had the look of a woman who knows. Two huge wickets in the over, and Kerr, who is moving like a cheap clockwork cracker toy, continues her incredible WC form.
10th over: South Africa 64-3 (Kapp 1)
WICKET! Woolvaardt c Bates b Kerr 33 (South Africa 59-2)
The big one! Woolvaardt decides to go for broke against a limping Kerr, she goes up, but can’t beat the ring of players in the circle and Bates jumps neatly to collect the catch, then roars in celebration.
9th over: South Africa 59-1 (Wolvaardt 33, Bosch 5) In terms of runs scored at this point in the game, the teams are neck and neck. Bosch ignores a bouncer from Tahuhu, looks at the umpire for the signal, but it doesn’t come. Just one from the over- aggressive, accurate stuff from Tahuhu.
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8th over: South Africa 58-1 (Wolvaardt 32, Bosch 5) And here is Kerr, who must have recovered enough to bowl. South AFrica don’t try anything too fancy, just milk her for six. A loud lbw appeal agains tBosch, but the umpire says no and would have been umpire’s call.
7th over: South Africa 52-1 (Wolvaardt 30, Bosch 1) Jonas, who starts the over with a couple of dots, with the vital breakthrough – though no time for celebrating yet as the wicket only brings in Bosch.
”As you correctly pointed out this is the first time none of the big three are present for the final, leaving the aspiring big teams a chance for glory.” taps Jeremy Boyce. “Don’t forget Windies in all this, who did a job on England. There’s only room for two in a final though, obviously....” Yes, they were really impressive I thought against New Zealand, particularly in the field. New Zealand – so far – have upped their game in the field since that semi-final.
WICKET! Brits c Green b Jonas 15 (South Africa 51-1)
A cracking pick up and ping from Brits – but it is a big ground, and a long boundary, and Green is waiting. Very well held. New Zealand with the very very very needed breakthrough.
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6th over: South Africa 47-0 (Wolvaardt 29, Brits 15) Fireworks are sprayed into the air as Wolvaardt stands and drives – with the power of the mountain – to the mid-on boundary, nearly decapitating her partner at the same time. Win predictor still hedging its bets: 50/50. Now Brits gets in on the act, taking a huge stride and lifting an over pitched ball from Mair for four.
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4th over: South Africa 37-0 (Wolvaardt 24, Brits 10) Excellent from Carson, who pulls the initiative back – conceding just three singles from her second over.
3rd over: South Africa 34-0 (Wolvaardt 23, Brits 8) Wolvaardt is the leading scorer in this tournament, with more fours than anyone – and here is another as she picks Tahuhu off her boots and sends her lfying for four. And another! Slammed over deep mid wicket Tahuhu regains control with a final dot ball.
3rd over: South Africa 24-0 (Wolvaardt 14, Brits 7) Jonas with her slingshot action. She drags one down, just spitting distance from the bowling crease, and Wolvaardt tucks in with a flamed backfoot drive. New Zealand struggling to grip the ball in the humidity.
2nd over: South Africa 14-0 (Wolvaardt 7, Brits 4) It’s baby-faced Carson at the other end, who has been so effective this tournament. Starts with two dots but Wolvaardt tucks into the fourth, swivels and punchily pulls her down for four. Amelia Kerr is back on the field but is visibly uncomfortable with cramp and is given another rehydration drink on the rope.
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New Zealand need 159 to win
1st over: South Africa 7-0 (Wolvaardt 1, Brits 3) Mair with the new ball – not the best start, three wides winging down the leg side.
Tea turned to coffee in the kitchen. The players are already out, the chase nearly on.
Hello Guy Hornsby! “Well that’s a brilliant innings from New Zealand, Tanya. They seemed to time the reverse bell-curve perfectly with that big start, then accumulating in the middle and really taking down multiple bowlers at the end. 150 felt a great total, so I’m willing to say this feels 10 over par to get. Kerr and Halliday really timed they’re acceleration well and they took surprisingly lot of runs off Khaka. This should be fascinating, because while South Africa have the firepower, NZ have a strong spin attack. Game very much on!”
I fancy it is too many as well – but South Africa have pulled more than a few surprises in recent years… and Wolvaardt and Brits have runs in their souls.
Time to grab a very quick cup of tea. Advantage New Zealand I think. Hello there Tim Hare!
”Following your coverage from Brittany. What an amazing weekend for NZ- America’s Cup, Test win in India, Silver Ferns hosing the Aussies in Wellington and now going very well in the T20 final. Got to love a country that punches so far above its weight in so many sports.”
Agreed. This one of many things to love New Zealand for.
New Zealand 158-5 - South Africa will need a record total in a T20 women's final to win!
20th over: New Zealand 158-5 ( Green 12, Gaze 3) What a fabulous final flourish – 16 from the last over including an beautifully struck up and over six by Green when Khaka misses her yorker, which flies over the rope at midwicket. South Africa huddle on the pitch, but no side has ever chased down that many in a women’s T20 World Cup final.
19th over: New Zealand 142-5 ( Green 1, Gaze 1) Eleven from the penultimate over -but the big prize in Kerr gone.
WICKET! Kerr c Brits b Mlaba 43 (New Zealand 141-5)
Kerr tips her head back in dismay – but she’d already farmed ten from Mlaba’s first four balls. A nice catch from Brits low down, almost slipping, hunting at deep midwicket.
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18th over: New Zealand 131-34(Kerr 33, Green 1) Can New Zealand keep the momentum now Halliday is gone. Can Kerr pick up the pace?
“Hi Tanya.” Hello there Simon McMahon.
Was good to see Alistair Cook and Neetu David, both newly inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame, carrying the trophy before the start. Hoping for a close, exciting game, either of these sides would be worthy champions…”
Ah, that’s why he’s there! And agreed – here’s to a thriller.
WICKET! Halliday c Bosch b Tryon 38 (New Zealand 127-4)
A huge roar as Bosch at backward square leg steadies herself and accepts the gift swept up and away by Halliday. The end of a cracking innings that gave New Zealand its momentum back. Tryon is poker-faced – job not nearly yet done.
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17th over: New Zealand 125-3 (Kerr 31, Halliday 36) Kapp is back, but starts with a no ball – uncharacteristically undisciplined. There have been a few extras in this innings. Kapp nearly has Halliday with a low full toss that evades her bat but skips (inexplicably) past the stumps. Kapp finishes with 0-25 from her four overs.
16th over: New Zealand 117-3 (Kerr 29, Halliday 31) A drop! Not easy, as Kerr slams the ball straight back to the bowler and Khaka instinctively reaches for it but can’t hold on. To add to their woes, South Africa are four minutes behind the clock.
15th over: New Zealand 110-3 (Kerr 23, Halliday 26) New Zealand suddenly mounted and charging. Halliday neatly dismisses a slightly frazzled looking de Klerk past point for four. A back foot no ball then brings a free hit – which Kerr makes the most of: up and over mid off for four more. Click clack.
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14th over: New Zealand 97-3 (Kerr 20, Halliday 21) A first boundary since the sixth over! Halliday the woman – who follows up her haul over deep square leg with another next ball, this time to long-on – fluffed on the rope by de Klerk.
13th over: New Zealand 85-3 (Kerr 19, Halliday 10) Mlaba returns. The outfield is not fast, the ball sticking like glue as Halliday cuts to the rope and the fielders are able to chase it down. The crowd is filling up.
12th over: New Zealand 79-3 (Kerr 17, Halliday 6) New Zealand staying busy, running well between the wickets, rotatig the strike, being bold, Halliday top-edges a switch hit. Five from Luus’s over.
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11th over: New Zealand 74-3 (Kerr 15, Halliday 3) No boundaries since the power play for New Zealand and lots of pressure now on Kerr. On comms they suggest her strengths lie in massaging the bowling – leaving the big hitters to strike the rope.
WICKET! Devine lbw de Klerk 6 (New Zealand 70-3)
Respect to de Klerk for both the wicket and the review! She persuades Wolvardt to go upstairs – and the tech gives it out, Devine misses her pull and is hit above the knee -but the ball would have hit the top of the stumps. Big wicket that one.
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10th over: New Zealand 70-2 (Kerr 14, Devine 6) New Zealand not finding it easy to get stuck into Tryon’s slow left arm. But they keep plugging away and rinse eight from the over. At the half way point in this innings they pause for DRINKS, ice packs and a change of gloves.
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9th over: New Zealand 62-2 (Kerr 12, Devine 1) Kapp is brought back, determination oozing from every pore. A rare onfield smile as the ball fails to come out of her hand in delivery. She dries her hand on a cloth. I think it must be very humid out there – we’ve already seen the batters pause for drinks breaks.
8th over: New Zealand 57-2 (Kerr 10, Devine 0) What can Devine and Kerr do from here? Three handy wides from the over.
WICKET! Bates b Mlaba 32 (New Zealand 53-2)
Bates dipped like a doughnut by a quicker ball, shuffling around the crease, goes to paddle one round the corner, but loses her stumps. She throws her bat in the air in dismay. Great energy at the top of the innings though.
7th over: New Zealand 50-1 (Bates 25, Kerr 8) The cameras aren’t quite making it clear how full, or otherwise the ground it. Lots of noise anyway. New Zealand farm seven from the over.
6th over: New Zealand 43-1 (Bates 25, Kerr 8) A double change as Mlaba replaces Khaka. A striking figure, her short hair dyed blond – a neat nose ring. A leading edge from Bates drops just short of point But Bates makes the most of a leg-side offering, kneeling and shovelling four. End of the power play – with this the most runs conceded by South Africa in the power play this tournament.
5th over: New Zealand 36-1 (Bates 18, Kerr 8) A bowling change, as Tryon replaces Kapp. Wolvaardt, who looks permanently worried, bites her lip. Some running-between-the-wickets confusion for the first time, but South Africa can’t capitalise as Kapp fumbles slightly in her pick up. Excellent over.
4th over: New Zealand 34-1 (Bates 17, Kerr 7) Khaka keeps it tight, New Zealand farming ones and twos, till the last ball when Bates pulls past the diving mid off to the rope. Alastair Cook is here, watching with his young family.
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3rd over: New Zealand 24-1 (Bates 10, Kerr 4) New Zealand’s aggressive intent continues, though with less to show from it. A no ball from Kapp – but no sweeties as Kerr is bowled from the free hit.
2nd over: New Zealand 20-1 (Bates 7, Kerr 4) Bates get in on the act, swiping Khaka to the midwicket boundary. Plimmer falls –good strong catch from Luus 0 but Kerr comes in and immediately is on the attack too, pulling four from her first ball. This is A PLAN.
WICKET! Plimmer c Luus b Khaka (New Zealand 16-1)
Plimmer goes big one too many times and Luus is waiting…can she hold on? The seconds still, but she does, to South African sprinting delight.
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1st over: New Zealand 9-0 (Bates 1, Plimmer 8): My my! Young Plimmer has the bit between her teeth – aggressive from the first ball, a boundary from the fourth as Plimmer hauls Kapp to the rope., four more as she lays into a shorter ball, swivels and pulls with gumption.
The players are out, Marizanne Kapp has ball in hand, here we go!
This is Devine’s last match as New Zealand’s T20 captain, and Suzie Bates today overtakes Mithali Raj to become the most capped player in women’s international cricket.
Here come the umpires, here come the teams for the anthems, hand in hand with the children mascots. The Kiwis are in fine voice tonight and Sophie Devine grins wolfishly at the end.
Now South Africa’s turn, hands across their chests, with the best anthem in cricket.
New Zealand XI
New Zealand XI: Suzie Bates, Georgia Plimmer, Amelia Kerr, Sophie Devine (capt), Brooke Halliday, Maddy Green, Isabella Gaze (wk), Lea Tahuhu, Rosemary Mair, Eden Carson, Fran Jonas
Unchanged from the semi-final.
South African XI
South Africa XI: Laura Wolvaardt (capt), Tazmin Brits, Anneke Bosch, Marizanne Kapp, Chloe Tryon, Sune Luus, Annerie Dercksen, Nadine de Klerk, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Nonkululeko Mlaba, Ayabonga Khaka.
Unchanged all tournament.
“It feels to me like a chasing ground,” says Nasser. It’s growing dark, it’s over 30 degrees and the seats are filling up…
Ninety-seven chances have gone down in this competition. Why. Why???? Mel Jones has been asking. “Some people say it is about the lights, some about the pressure. I think we have to go back to basics over the next four year cycle in catching and fielding.”
New Zealand wanted to bat anyway – and they too keep the same side from the semi-final. Sophie Devine says that she has exchanged messages with the men’s team over in India, who just won for the first time in India for over 36 years.
South Africa win the toss and will field!
Laura Wolvaardt: “I think it has worked really well for us throughout the tournament. I think we have batting resource we haven’t even used yet, though I hope the top order can do the job.”
South Africa keep the same side.
And this is a super read on where South Africa and New Zealand sit (as well as the now knocked out West Indies.)
Three of the four semi-finalists at the 2024 Women's #T20WorldCup came from outside the Big Three, overcoming unique challenges to shine on the biggest stage ➡️ https://t.co/th8SAe8B3H pic.twitter.com/YViTOyTJFE
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) October 19, 2024
I love this from Suzie Bates:
“We’re the grandmas of this team, still standing. Leah [Tahuhu] with her bionic knees, Sophie having dealt with a lot of stuff as captain, and me keeping on going - it’s really a special moment. There have been tough times, we have been through ups and downs, but that we have made the final is special. We look after each other.”
And for all us women over 35, @valkerie_baynes has this from Suzie Bates about why it’s never too late. https://t.co/B1z89hD7Sy#T20WorldCup
— Firdose Moonda (@FirdoseM) October 20, 2024
Preamble
Hello! This is it. A T20 World Cup final – but not just any T20 World Cup Final. A T20 World Cup final without Australia, without England, without India – for the first time in the history of the women’s T20 competition.
But, as big as the news has been about England and India’s underwhelming performances, (see Raf Nicholson here):
And Australia’s shock defeat (see Megan Maurice here):
The real news is the rise of New Zealand and South Africa. Both surprise finalists, both on the rise from the “middle group” of women’s cricket teams – who have seemed so far away from the big three. But not so now.
Sophie Devine’s New Zealand started the tournament after a disastrous year of results. Their rebuilding phase had not brought any tangible benefits, and Devine worried to women’s cricket podcast “Powerplay” that young girls were gravitating towards netball or rugby union instead. But once they hit the tournament, everything started to come together, with the tournament’s leading wicket taker Amelia Kerr the shining light.
South Africa, who knocked out England to reach the final in the last competition have been hovering on the edge of the big time, “Two finals in two years, we must be doing something right” in the words of Laura Wolvaardt. Their strength has been that batting – topped by Anneke Bosch’s incredible 74 not out against Australia.
By this evening will be a new name on the trophy. Play starts at 3pm BST. Join us to see history made.
