On this day in 2018: Amelia Kerr registers the highest individual score in W-ODIs

On this day, five years ago, New Zealand all-rounder Amelia Kerr notched up the highest individual score in the history of Women’s One Day Internationals. New Zealand faced Ireland in the third ODI during their tour of Ireland and England, in Dublin on June 13, 2018. In the game, Kerr registered her name in record books and helped her side clinch one of their most memorable victories in ODIs.

Winning the toss, New Zealand opted to bat first. Amy Satterthwaite and Kerr opened the innings and stitched up a 113-run stand in just 14 overs before the former was dismissed by Gaby Lewis. Leigh Kasperek walked in at number three to join hands with Kerr, and the duo put up a scintillating 295-run stand for the second wicket as New Zealand breached the 400-run mark.

Hannah Rowe and Kate Ebrahim scored two runs each after walking in to bat following Kasperek’s dismissal, but Amelia Kerr remained unbeaten and scored 232 runs off just 145 deliveries. Her knock included a whopping 31 fours and two sixes as she batted at a jaw-dropping average of 160.00. The Irish bowlers were left baffled, as New Zealand finished the innings at 440/3.

New Zealand virtually confirmed a victory when they posted the humongous target of 441 runs for the hosts to chase. Ireland’s start to the innings was not ideal, as they lost their opening batter Rachel Delaney in the fifth over. While Una Raymond-Hoey kept the scorecard ticking, she could not build a stable partnership with any of the batters.

New Zealand bowlers did a really good job by picking up wickets at regular intervals. While Una scored 42 runs off 68 deliveries before being dismissed by Amelia Kerr, wicketkeeper-batter Shauna Kavanagh was the second-highest run-scorer for her side with her 60-ball 29. Amelia Kerr was unstoppable in the second innings too, as she picked up a five-wicket haul and finished with figures of 5/17 in seven overs.

Kerr was awarded the Player of the Series award as she accumulated 342 runs in the three games and laced it up with eight wickets, five of which came in the third ODI. With her knock, Amelia Kerr scripted history as she broke the record for the highest individual score in women’s ODI, thereby breaking Belinda Clarke’s then 21-year-old record of 229 runs.