New Zealand survive scare to eke out four-run win

New Zealand's shaky World Cup campaign was at risk of taking a turn for the worse as Ireland came agonisingly close to handing the defending champions their third defeat in as many games. Amelia Kerr's side scored 140 and nearly didn't defend it, as Gaby Lewis (58 off 53) and Orla Prendergast (2/26 & 59 off 53) almost pulled off a sensational victory. In the end, Ireland fell just four runs short, giving New Zealand their first points of the tournament.

Ireland's chase came down to needing 15 off the final over when Amelia threw the ball to Suzie Bates for the first time in the game. Bates summoned all her experience, conceding ones and twos as Ireland could only push the equation to 6 off 1 ball. A dramatic finish would have given Ireland their greatest World Cup moment, but the holders walked away with a slender but crucial four-run win that keeps them alive in the competition.

Ireland's chase was ignited by captain Lewis and Prendergast, who scored fifties and added 110 runs off 95 deliveries for the second wicket after opener Amy Hunter was dismissed early. They maintained a scoring rate of six-an-over, picking 13 off Nensi Patel in the 13th over and 9 off Amelia in the 14th. Prendergast reached her half-century in the 15th over, Lewis an over later, as Ireland needed 34 off the last 24 deliveries with nine wickets in hand.

Jess Kerr and Amelia then bowled two overs that threw Ireland off course — the 17th fetching just five runs and the 18th bringing two wickets (Prendergast and Rebecca Stokel) and going for only four runs. Rosemary Mair conceded 10 in the penultimate over but crucially dismissed Lewis, leaving two new batters to pull off a final-over heist, which they couldn't.

Earlier, New Zealand saw their boat rocked when Ireland reduced them to 10/3 in the fourth over. Prendergast took out opener Isabella Gaze and Maddy Green, while Aimee Maguire dismissed Georgia Plimmer in the first over. Amelia and Brooke Halliday then dragged New Zealand out of the deep quagmire with a 38-run partnership.

Cara Murray ended that fight by sending Amelia packing for a 24-ball 30. At 48/4, New Zealand stared at an embarrassingly low total, only to be rescued by a gritty partnership. Halliday combined with Izzy Sharp for a fifth-wicket alliance that took New Zealand past 100. Halliday managed 34 off 37 balls, while Sharp hit four fours in her 36 off 28.

New Zealand scored 41 in the death overs, with 22 coming in the last two, including a Suzie Bates six on the final ball of the innings.

Brief Scores: New Zealand 140/6 in 20 overs (Izzy Sharp 36, Brooke Halliday 34; Orla Prendergast 2-26, Cara Murray 2-26) beat Ireland 136/4 in 20 overs (Orla Prendergast 59, Gaby Lewis 58; Amelia Kerr 2-23) by 4 runs