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“Kiwi women coast to easy victory”

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Description: This image was taken by the Evening Standard on 21st of January 1982 and published on the 22nd. It depicts the New Zealand women’s cricket team taking on the International XI women’s team in a limited over match for the Hansell's Vita Fresh Women's World Cup 1981/1982. The match was held at Fitzherbert Park in Palmerston North. The New Zealand team won by 97 runs.

Caption: “NEW ZEALAND batsman Barbara Bevege lets this ball strike her on the body during her fine innings yesterday of 80. Backing up at the non-striking end is captain Pat McKelvey who, together with Bevege, featured in the opening partnership during yesterday's match. The wicketkeeper is New Zealander Chris Miller, a member of the international side.”

Article by Lorraine Vincent: “Kiwi women coast to easy victory”

“The New Zealand women's cricket side coasted to a comfortable 97-run victory over the International XI in a World Cup limited over match at Fitzherbert Park yesterday.

A fine opening stand between New Zealand skipper Pat McKelvey and Barbara Bevege, which reaped 106 runs off the morning's 38 overs, set the Kiwi side on the winning road.

Bevege was clearly the more dominant of the pair - McKelvey content just to play the anchor role - driving the ball sweetly through the field on both sides of the wicket, particularly in the period before lunch.

The New opener, however, might well be thanking her lucky stars for keeping her at the batting crease so long. She offered a catchable chance to first slip off the second ball of Karen Jobbling's opening over - but the ball failed to stay in the hands.

That was the only blemish, though, in a careful, steady partnership which proved the one spark in a rather sluggish day’s cricket.

New Zealand, put into bat by the International after losing the toss, reached its 50 in 68 minutes, the 100 coming up in 111 minutes.

The run rate ticked over smoothly until lunch, with the International XI striking quick success soon after the resumption of the afternoon's play.

Cantabrian Sue Rattray, a late addition to the international side but certainly justifying with some refreshing cricket, trapped Bevege leg before for 80 in the fourth over of the session. McKelvey followed soon after, bowled Jobbling for 23.

Eileen Badham didn't last long. Again, it was Rattray who struck, this time comprehensively bowling the No. 4 batsman as she attempted to pull a straight ball through square leg.

Debbie Hockley had a lucky let-off when sitting on 14, Rattray dropping an easy caught and bowled chance to the turf. But it was to be only a momentary reprieve, Rattray sent Hockley's stumps askew the very next ball.

Some alert New Zealand running and sloppy international fielding helped the Kiwi side to a respectable 177 total after the completion of its 60 overs, for the loss of eight wickets.

In reply, the International side was dismissed for a meagre 80 runs after 56 overs.

Sadly, the team never looked like overhauling the target at any time.

While the chase was started brightly enough by Lynne Thomas and Chris Miller, the splurge barely got going before it ended. Soon it became a rare sight to see the batsmen attempting runs.

Miller top-scored for her side, eventually being run out for 21. After surviving a chance on 19 she swatted a Linda Fraser full toss toward Jackie Lord at Point.

The ball went high and although Lord managed to get fingers to ball she couldn't prevent it sliding through and over her head. But it was very slow cricket... very slow.

Fraser nabbed her first wicket, when she cleaned out Dutch International player Ingrid Van der Elst with a middle stump delivery. Incoming batsman Australian Rhonda Kendall lasted only a few overs before having her stumps scattered by another Fraser ball.

When tea was taken, the International XI total was 48 for three – and that was after 29 overs.

The non-scoring trend, much to the disappointment of the spectators continued after the break, while the wickets kept falling.

International skipper Thomas was finally out, after a long grinding innings of 16, to a superb throw from Sue Brown coming in smartly from gully.

Rattray was in and out, New Zealand not giving her the opportunity to repeat her quick 33 runs effort scored against the Australians on Wednesday.

Kiwi wicketkeeper Edna Ryan made no bones about Gill McGonway’s stumping, whisking the bails off in a flash and leaving the batsman truly high and dry.

Indian player Sandra Braganza was out to a fine caught and bowled dismissal by Lord. The umpires, Dave Kinsella and Dickie Bird, were forced to confer for the out after Lord dived forward and took the catch with her back to them – but there was little doubt and the finger went up.

Brown put the garnish on New Zealand’s victory, taking the final wicket.

Best of the New Zealand bowlers were Fraser and Lord, each finishing with three wickets from their 12 overs.

Brown was the smartest New Zealander in the field. She was instrumental in two of the three run outs, with a sharp display of chasing and throwing. Hockley too, consistently returned balls from the outfield to the top of the stumps.”

Hosting the Women’s World Cup was a huge coup for the New Zealand Women’s Cricket Council. They had managed to secure corporate sponsorship in a time of amateur status in the women’s game. Most matches were well attended and raised the profile of the women’s game in New Zealand, with a marked increase in adult players over the coming years. It was also mired in controversy - the West Indian team pulled out of the event in protest at New Zealand’s acceptance of the touring Springbok Rugby team in 1981. The counties who participated were New Zealand, England, Australia, India and an International XI comprised of international players who had not made their representative sides, plus two players from the Netherlands.