Halliday, Devine's fifties take NZ to 227/9 against Bangladesh

Guwahati, Oct 10 (PTI) Brooke Halliday and skipper Sophie Devine rescued New Zealand from a sloppy start with a 112-run stand, helping the White Ferns post a modest 227 for nine against a disciplined Bangladesh in a Women's ODI World Cup match here Friday.

Opting to bat, New Zealand did not have the best of starts, losing their first three wickets at the score of 38 in 10.5 overs as Georgia Pimmer (4), Suzie Bates (29) and Amelia Kerr fell in quick succession.

Devine (63) and Halliday (69) joined hands and played cautiously to share 112 runs for the fourth wicket.

Pimmer was the first to depart, caught by wicket-keeper Nigar Sultana off the bowling off leg-spinner Rabeya Khan (3/30) in the ninth over and a ball later Bates was run out.

Kerr was the next to depart, bowled by Khan in the 11th over.

Devine and Halliday stabilised the innings with a cautious approach to take New Zealand forward. Halliday brought up her fifty in style, slamming off-spinner Nishita Akhter over mid-on for a boundary.

Once she reached her fifty, Halliday stepped on the gas and struck leg-break bowler Shorna Akhter over wide long-on for a maximum.

While Halliday was aggressive, Devine adopted a patient approach to build her innings.

Devine's subdued and cautious knock can be ascertained from the fact that she hit her first boundary in the 38th over which was followed by another.

Halliday smashed leg-spinner Fahima Khatun over square-leg but a ball later she perished top-edging a full delivery to Sultana behind the stumps.

Halliday hit five fours and a six in her 104-ball knock.

Devine notched up her half-century with a massive six over long-on off Nishita Akhter Nishi. It was her third fifty-plus score in as many games at this World Cup.

Once reached fifty, Devine opened up her arms and clobbered Nishita over cow cover for another maximum in the next ball.

But a ball later Devine perished in search of one too many with Nishita cleaning up her timbers as the batter went for another big shot.

Devine scored her runs off 85 balls with the help of two fours and as many sixes.

Towards the end, Maddy Green played a good hand but New Zealand lost her and Jess Kerr in successive balls. They lost wickets at heaps towards the end which denied them a big total. PTI SSC SSC AT AT