New Zealand Women vs South Africa Women, 2020: 3rd ODI – NZ Women's rare whitewash at home, Sune Luus' record effort, NZ Women’s losing streak and more stats

South Africa Women completed a whitewash against the New Zealand Women in 3-match ODI series following a 6-wicket win in the last ODI at the Seddon Park. Suzie Bates was amongst runs once again scoring a 58-ball 51 but her dismissal in the 25th over triggered a collapse. Leg-spinner Sune Luus recorded figures of 6/45 after coming in as 5th change bowler. She picked up six of the last seven wickets to fall in the New Zealand innings. As a result, the hosts were bundled out for 149 from being 96/3 at a stage. South Africa lost four wickets and needed 37.2 overs to chase down the target.

All the statistical highlights from South Africa Women’s whitewash over New Zealand Women:

A rare whitewash for New Zealand at home:

2012 – The last instance of New Zealand Women getting whitewashed in an ODI series at home was against England in the 3-match series played in March 2012. Overall, this was only the 4th time they were whitewashed in an ODI series at home. Australia Women defeated them by 3-0 margin in New Zealand during the 1987/88 and 2002/03 series.

6* – New Zealand Women suffered their 6th consecutive defeat in ODI cricket; their longest losing streak since nine successive defeats during 2009-2010 period. This was also the first time since 2013 that the New Zealand Women lost three successive home ODIs.

First major whitewash by South Africa:

6 – South Africa Women affected whitewash for the 6th time in ODI cricket but the first against a top team in Women’s cricket. They recorded 3-0 away series wins against Ireland and Netherlands in 1997 and 2007 respectively and whitewashed Bangladesh (3-0 in 2013 and 5-0 in 2018) and Sri Lanka (3-0 in 2019) at home.

A record-breaking effort from Sune Luus:

1 – Sune Luus became the first player in the history of Women’s ODI cricket to claim two 6-wicket hauls. She had taken 6/36 in the 2016 Dublin ODI from her ten overs against Ireland.

5 – This was overall the 5th 5-wicket haul for Luus in ODI cricket; the joint 2nd most by any player in Women’s ODIs. Anisa Mohammed has claimed as many as six 5-wicket hauls while Katherine Brunt also has five 5-fers thus far.

6 – Sune Luus is also the first player in Women’s ODI history to take a 6-wicket haul as coming in as 7th bowler of an inning. Before her, two players claimed 5-fer coming in as 7th bowler in Women’s ODI cricket.

In Men’s ODI cricket, only Graeme Cremer has managed such feat. The Zimbabwe leg-spinner took 6/46 against Kenya in 2009 while coming in as 7th bowler of the team.

8 – Number of 4-wicket hauls by Sune Luus in ODI cricket; the joint 3rd most by any player in Women’s ODIs. Anisa Mohammed (12) and Cathryn Fitzpatrick (11) are the only players ahead of Luus in this list. These are also the joint-most 4-fer hauls in Women’s ODIs for South Africa alongside Dane van Niekerk.