New Zealand’s Suzie Bates on Monday said figuring out a way to tackle spin twins Poonam Yadav and Ekta Bisht was her biggest takeaway from an otherwise disappointing ODI series defeat to India.
Mithali Raj and Co won their first bilateral away series against the White Ferns, which was a part of the ICC Women’s Championship, by a 2-1 margin. India won the first two matches by nine and eight wickets respectively, with opener Smriti Mandhana and the spinners setting up the wins.
Bates finally had some form going her way in the final game where she brought up her 25th half century in an eight-wicket victory. “We really wanted to try and back our bowlers up with our chase,” Bates said after the match.
“The win gives massive confidence to the group. After the first two games, it would have been disappointing not to have come out and play well,” Bates was quoted as saying by the official Twitter handle of the team.
During the third game, Bates was lofting leg-spinner Yadav’s flighted deliveries, clearing her front leg. She hit eight fours and a six in her 57 off 64 balls.
“The way we played the spinners [was the biggest positive],” Bates said. “We have got to be aggressive when they toss the ball up and that has been my biggest learning. We have to attack when we are having a partnership as both batters settled makes scoring a bit easier.
With inputs from PTI
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