Wellington, April 1 – Amelia Kerr produced one of the greatest innings in women’s One Day International (ODI) history, guiding New Zealand to a record chase of 347 against South Africa at the Basin Reserve. Her unbeaten 179 off 139 balls powered the White Ferns to 350/8, the highest successful run chase in women’s ODIs, surpassing all previous records.
Speaking after the match, Kerr described her approach and emotions throughout the innings. “I was really calm out there and just focused on simplifying things, aiming to get the job done over each over and knowing where we needed to be. And then, when we were around 20 or 15 runs, you start to think about how amazing it would be to win. But again, I probably didn't have those thoughts until that moment, and I just needed to focus on getting the job done,” she said during the post-match press conference.
“And yeah, I thought that because I was relatively calm, I wouldn't show too much emotion, but when I hit the winning runs, I was actually really thrilled, and that shows how much it means to me. I’m a pretty relaxed person, and that’s how I handle celebrations, but this was special, and it was important to win the series 1-1,” she added.
Reflecting on her innings, Kerr confirmed it was the pinnacle of her career. “Yeah, no doubt it's number one. Yeah, I think to get a big 100 like that in a big chase against a quality side, it’s definitely number one.”
She highlighted the importance of her partnership with Izzy Gaze, who provided aggressive support through the middle overs. “Yeah, eventually getting to 100 first and then my partnership with Izzy, I thought she was amazing. The way she played, it allowed us to be in a good position at the end of the game, even when she got out,” she said.
“When I got to 100, I thought about how many more runs we needed and I thought if I could get another 80, then we would get the rest of the runs through the rest of the team, and I could try to finish on 180. That was my thought process,” she added.
Kerr admitted that New Zealand’s bowling unit had struggled in the first innings, conceding 346/6, but emphasised the team’s strategy to break the chase into manageable segments.
“Yeah, I think it was a really disappointing 50 overs for us, and we didn't focus on that at the time because you still have half the job to do. Dean and Maka just spoke about where we needed to be at certain points in terms of run rates, so setting small targets and that helps you not think it's too hard,” she said.
“It's not like you're chasing 350 and it feels so far away. It's actually about going at six or over for this period, and then going at seven, and then it's a T20 game and going at eight, and we’ve done that throughout the entire T20 series. So, simplifying it helps make the job not seem so big. So yeah, obviously incredible 50 overs with the bat from the whole team, but definitely a lot to work on in the first 50,” Kerr noted.
On handling pressure, Kerr reflected on her mindset and childhood ambitions, saying, “I was just wanting to be in those moments, and I think back to when I was a kid that's where I wanted to be. I wanted to be in those moments hitting the winning runs for New Zealand, and that's what I've always dreamt of.”
“Sometimes it doesn't go your way, and sometimes there are games where you probably should win, but you don't do the job for the team. But I think today it was just about being really present, wanting to be in the moment, and when given the opportunity, making sure you take it and make the most of it,” she stated.
Looking ahead to the series-deciding third ODI, Kerr emphasised areas for improvement, particularly in the field, saying, “It’s a pretty quick turnaround. It probably has to be our catching. It hurt us in the first game and it hurt us again today. And like I said the other day, no one means to drop catches. We’re humans, we make mistakes. But it wasn't good enough really. That's fine. There's things to work on, and we will get better, and we are so much better than that. That was just a bad day, and sometimes they happen. But it's important that we park that and work on it when we can and move forward to showcase what we really are as a fielding unit.”
Finally, on the significance of the historic chase, Kerr reflected on the growth of women’s cricket and the belief it inspires.
“Yeah, very special. I think one thing is seeing the growth of the women's game and how exciting that is. And I think through the 50-over World Cup, seeing the likes of Jemimah Rodrigues and her run chase against Australia, I think the final, or Wolvaardt got a 150, and there were teams chasing big scores over there. And even though it wasn't us doing it, I guess again seeing that helps you believe that we're capable of doing it too.
“And for me that was probably in my mind a little bit at the halfway stage, is that teams have chased big scores before, so there's no reason why we can't. And I wanted to, I guess once I got in and got myself set, I felt as though it was my responsibility to take it deep and be there at the end,” she concluded.
