Maddy Green paid tribute to Pakistan as a rising force in the women’s game, but conceded that the White Ferns’ batting and bowling fell beneath their own expectations during their historic T20 loss in Sunday.
New Zealand were beaten by seven wickets by Pakistan at University Oval in Dunedin after the tourists chased down a target of 128 with two overs to spare, earning them their first T20 win against New Zealand in nine attempts.
Green said the White Ferns, who laboured to 127-6 in their innings, were about 25 runs short of what would have represented a decent total, while a lack of accuracy with the ball resulted in Pakistan getting home with something to spare.
“I think we just missed our lines more than anything today,” Green said.
“I know it’s certainly not on purpose.
“So on Tuesday, it’s just about bouncing back really quickly and trying to bowl nice and tight and make them play hard shots off good bowling.
“…[a] first win against New Zealand, but it’s going to happen at some point.
“I think I was there in Dubai when they beat us for the first time in one-day internationals a few years back.
“I think they’re really improving side and we’ve seen that in global tournaments, they’re pushing the best teams in the world.
“We know that they’re going to be really wily with their bowling and make it hard for us, but I thought the way that Nida Dar came out with her intent and really put the pressure on our bowling attack.
“I thought that was an excellent innings from her and probably took the game away from us, to an extent, through that middle phase.”
Fran Jonas was the most economical of the New Zealand bowlers, conceding 20 runs off her four overs, but Lea Tahuhu and Eden Carson went for a total of 51 runs off six overs and the solitary wicket.
Green said the White Ferns didn’t execute their bowling plan, and even a mid-innings pep talk couldn’t correct their course on a cold Dunedin afternoon.
”We talked pregame about trying to bowl it fuller and hold the sticks a bit more, and it probably took us a little bit to get to that,” she said.
“We got together at that 10-over mark and said we just needed to be tighter.
“So, we didn’t bowl our best. But credit to the way the Pakistan girls came out.
“They were pretty ruthless in trying to put the pressure on us, and I thought they did an excellent job through that middle phase.”
Joe Allison/Getty Images
Pakistan celebrate after winning game one of the T20 series in Dunedin on Sunday.
The second match of the three-game T20 series will take place in Dunedin on Tuesday, and the White Ferns will now not be under any illusions about the determination and enthusiasm evident in the Pakistan side.
Although Pakistan missed some half-chances created by the White Ferns’ determination to run for as many singles as possible, they were energetic in the field and managed to keep the pressure on by breaking up every partnership before it got settled.
“We would have loved 150 I think, looking at the way that they batted,” Green said. “That certainly would have been a good score on that wicket.
“It was just probably through that middle phase. We just didn’t quite get going and lost wickets at regular intervals, and made it hard for ourselves at that back end.”
Slightly better conditions are forecast for Dunedin on Tuesday, but the White Ferns already know it’ll be a long summer unless major improvements are made.
