New Zealand have stunned West Indies by eight runs to reach the Women's Cricket World Cup final in the United Arab Emirates.
Their opponents needed 15 runs off the final over for victory, with veteran Suzie Bates entrusted with the ball. The first ball was dispatched to the boundary for four, but the second was a dot and the third collected the leg stump of Zaida James.
With the Windies needing 11 off three deliveries, the next went for a single, but the penultimate ball was another dot... and the task was complete. The Kiwis now face South Africa in the final, after they toppled defending champions Australia in the other semi.
Winning the toss and choosing to bat first, the White Ferns accumulated 128/9, with opener Georgia Plimmer continuing her breakout performance at this tournament, leading the way with 33 runs off 31 balls, including three fours and a six.
Her opening stand of 48 with Bates set the foundation for the innings, which seemed to lose its way, when four wickets fell for just eight runs, including the prized scalp of skipper Sophie Devine for just 12.
Wicketkeeper Izzy Gaze held the tail together with an unbeaten 20 off 14 balls, but the explosive West Indies batting line-up was probably favoured to knock off those runs.
New Zealand's three-pronged spin attack of Amelia Kerr, Eden Carson and Fran Jones were quickly on top of their big-hitting rivals, who fell behind the required run rate early and never really recovered. At 63/5, Deandra Dottin threatened to drag them back into the contest, hitting three sixes among her 33 runs and a partnership of 33 with Afy Fletcher.
Dottin was ultimately caught by Jonas off Kerr, as the Kiwis sensed history in the making.
Last time they made the tournament semifinals was 2016, when the West Indies prevailed by six runs. Bates, Devine and fast bowler Lea Tahuhu were survivors of that defeat, but they now have a chance at redemption against the Proteas.
Carson finished with figures of 3/29 to take out Player of the Match honours, as she did against Pakistan, when the Ferns clinched their spot in the final four.
"As you can see, I'm a bit emotional, but really proud of the girls," reflected Carson, who hobbled off the field in the final over.
"The girls really stuck around each other and we knew we could get it done.
"We really had to defend another total below par, but we tried to get early wickets against the West Indies, because they're a dangerous side, as we saw against England. Those early wickets really put pressure on them, which really helped us."
The White Ferns entered the tournament on a 10-match losing streak and expectations — at least externally — were low, but victory over India in their opening fixture really set them up for a deep run.
"It hasn't sunk in at all yet," admitted Devine. "It's a real privilege to have the opportunity to play in a World Cup final.
"I thought our last two or three overs [with the bat] probably saved out bacon, because we were looking a bit under par, but Izzy scraped a few extra runs. We thought 130 would be a competitive total, so we knew we were in with a great shout.
"This wicket here can be tough and, in our innings, we saw it could be difficult to get away and find the boundary. With the ball, taking wickets regularly always helps, but with players like Hayley Matthews and Deandra Dottin in the opposition, it's never really over."
The decision to bowl Bates last — her only over of the match — was poignant.
"To have someone of Suzie's experience... she's been harping on a training, saying this is what she's practised for," chuckled Devine. "To call on her and have that clarity, especially with only three fielders out, that's pretty clutch.
"It's pretty special for me to be able to throw her the ball and to finish that innings up was cool for Suze."
The final is scheduled for 3am Monday (NZ time) at Dubai.
New Zealand 128/9 (Plimmer 33, Bates 26, Gaze 20no; Fletcher 2/23) West Indies 120/8 (Dottin 33; Carson 3/29)
NZ win by eight runs
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