White Ferns win thrilling final for first world title

Lynn McConnell

December 23, 2000

Two down, one to go.

That's the feeling in New Zealand Cricket after the CLEAR White Ferns today added the CricInfo Women's World Cup to the ICC KnockOut trophy won by the men's team in Kenya in October.

New Zealand Cricket chief executive Christopher Doig said after returning from Nairobi that the Women's World Cup and the World Cup of 2003 were the next goals for New Zealand.

The women matched, if not exceeded, the efforts of the men in winning an absolute thriller of a final at BIL Oval by a four-run margin.

This was a genuine World championship decider and the winners know that they deserve the title. It was expected to be thrust and counter thrust. And so it proved.

New Zealand seemed to have blown its chance by scoring only 184.

But it fought back brilliantly.

New Zealand, and possibly world women's cricket, has never seen a finer moment.

This was the advertisement for the sport that marketers give their right arms for.

It had everything. Fine, tight bowling. Belligerent, effective batting.

But in the end it came down to the fielding.

New Zealand practised all winter to improve the quality of its fielding.

And a little Kiwi "in the circle fielder" Helen Watson became the hero of the hour.

She was the last player chosen for the team as the selectors deliberated over whether to include an extra bowler or batsman.

In the end they went for a fielder. And that proved the difference.

It was her third over throw that broke the wicket with the ever dangerous Karen Rolton, the most prized wicket of the tournament, not even in the third umpire's frame.

Then, with the countdown running heavily in Australia's favour, she ran out Therese McGregor for 19 and it was left to the Australian tail-order to try and win.

They couldn't, and it was the Kiwi fielders and bowlers who triumphed.

The honour of taking the final wicket belonged to off-spinner Clare Nicholson. She started the tournament as New Zealand's opening partner for Katrina Keenan but was the last bowler employed by captain Emily Drumm today.

She bowled a defiant Australian captain Belinda Clark, who scored an outstanding 91 runs and departed to leave her side 150/7.

It was the wicket that set in train the final collapse.

When the 50th over started with Australia needing five runs from six balls, it seemed Haidee Tiffen would be given the ball. It turned out that Drumm thought Nicholson had bowled her 10 overs.

When she realised she hadn't it was decided to use Nicholson's experience in preference to Tiffen.

It proved the equivalent of the wisdom of Solomon.

Nicholson had Charmaine Mason caught at the wicket by Rebecca Rolls from the first ball of the over.

Chaos then reigned as the field was invaded and the White Ferns disappeared in a wave of humanity.

Nicholson finished with 2-38 off 9.1 overs while Keenan took 2-19 off 10 and Pullar 2-35 off 10.

© Cricinfo

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