Cricket’s new star: Amelia Kerr, 17, smashes women’s ODI batting record

New Zealand all-rounder scored 232 not out
and took 5-17 against Ireland in Dublin

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Teenager Amelia Kerr broke the batting record in women’s one-day
international (ODI) cricket yesterday with an unbeaten 232 against
Ireland in Dublin. The 17-year-old scored 31 fours and two sixes as
the White Ferns posted a huge score of 490-3 – cricket’s
highest-ever ODI total, the BBC reports.

Kerr’s 232 not out is also the third-highest score in ODI
history. Fellow Kiwi Martin Guptill scored 237 in 2015 against West
Indies and the highest score is held by India’s Rohit Sharma after
his 264 against Sri Lanka in 2014.

It’s not just with the bat where Kerr excelled against
Ireland. She also took 5-17 as Ireland were skittled out for
135.

Speaking to NewsHub.co.nz about her record-breaking
performance the teenage star said: “It was just a crazy day and I
just can’t really believe it’s happened. [I] hit a six and everyone
was clapping and I had no clue what they were clapping
about. I found out at the end when I walked off, so pretty
special.”

Quoted by The Guardian, Kerr revealed that she did not
know the women’s record had been broken. She said: “I think I heard
them say stuff on the speaker and everyone was clapping but I had
no idea.”

White Ferns head coach Haidee Tiffen was excited to watch Kerr
break the record. Tiffen told ESPNCricinfo: “Records are there to be broken,
and there’s been a fair few in this series and it’s just really
exciting from the coach’s point of view – the way the team’s
tracking and the way we can hit in the future.

“Amelia is a pretty humble character. She had a wry smile
on her. She’s chuffed inside absolutely. She wants to do well and
contribute, but how the team celebrates her successes is what it’s
about as well.”