HANNAH ROWE, CLAUDIA GREEN and ROSEMARY MAIR will return to New Zealand with Commonwealth Games medals around their neck after the WHITE FERNS beat England for a bronze in Birmingham last night.

Women's cricket was part of the Games for the first time in Birmingham and, in a courageous last game, the New Zealand Team representatives bounced back from a close semi-final loss to Australia just 12 hours earlier to produce by far their best performance of the tournament - to seal a spot on the historic podium.

 

Hannah Rowe, Claudia Green, Rosemary Mair and CD Alumna Sara McGlashan

PHOTOSPORT

England had destroyed New Zealand in the pool matches, the only loss for the WHITE FERNS before heading into the medal round after scratchy wins against South Africa and Sri Lanka had ensured a semi-final berth.

India then upset England in their semi-final to progress to the final against eventual champion Australia, while New Zealand prepared itself for a rematch with their strong host.

Mair and Green - the latter still uncapped after her second tour to the UK with the WHITE FERNS - carried the drinks while Rowe took 1-13 off her two overs in the Medal match, finding sideways movement and getting the huge wicket of England first drop Alice Capsey who nicked behind at 10/2 in the third over.

PHOTOSPORT

It was Rowe's third wicket of the tournament from a total of just five overs. She made her presence felt in the field throughout in the field with three catches, while Mair got two starts but bowled just two overs for a best of 1-13.

New Zealand had been asked to bowl first in the bronze medal playoff, but dominated from start to finish, executing an eight-wicket win with a resounding 49 balls to spare.

Players spoke afterwards with emotion in their eyes, acknowledging the remodelled team's tough road through the tournament and the sting of the losses in the lead-up.

After having restricted England to 111/9 in the crunch match, captain and leading run-scorer for the team Sophie Devine took control of the winning chase and finished it off in the 12th over with an unbeaten half century.

The podium finish for the WHITE FERNS has contributed to one of New Zealand's highest ever medal tallies at a Commonwealth Games.

PHOTOSPORT

Article added: Monday 08 August 2022