A few New Zealand cricket fans were likely left scratching their heads at the end of 2024. While the New Zealand women’s cricket team secured a remarkable victory in the T20 World Cup, beating South Africa by 32 runs in the final held in Dubai, they finished off the year with one of the most disappointing three-match ODI series in recent memory.
There was a lot of hope when Australia came to town, especially with the T20 World Cup in their cabinet. Although there were standout performances from Amelia Kerr and Suzie Bates, the Aussies ended up dominating the series, winning 2-0 after the first match was abandoned due to rain.
This all pointed to a clear disconnect in how the White Ferns wanted to play. While they could run rings around any team in 20-overs, elongating those overs to 50 seemed to be a step too far. Why is this the case, and how can the White Ferns become dominant in all forms of cricket?
New Zealand’s Attacking Problem
There’s no doubt that the White Ferns know how to attack. One of their strongest attributes during the T20 World Cup was their ability to bite the ball right from the start, especially in their powerplay overs. The team has several standout batters, including players like Amelia Kerr and Sophie Devine, all of whom can clear the boundary with ease.
When it comes to bowling, they also have a well-rounded lineup with a mix of pace and spin. While Amelia Kerr is a key asset thanks to her leg spin, Jess Kerr never fails to bring the aggression, with the ability to be a constant threat in the middle overs.
With all of this in mind, it’s hard to say that the White Ferns lack an aggressive approach, but what they do lack is consistency and durability. There is a difference, after all, between T20 and ODIs. On nearly every , you’d find the White Ferns heavily favoured for T20s, while their odds for ODIs are nearly always less favourable.
Any bettor will tell you that a clear distinction needs to be made on the format of cricket the White Ferns are playing before any bets are placed, and this is a rather condemnatory statement considering they won a World Cup just seven months ago.
What needs to change is the White Ferns’ ability to sustain their aggressive play over longer periods and adapt to the slower, more strategic pace of the ODIs.
How the White Ferns Can Improve
While the White Ferns’ attacking mindset serves them well in T20 cricket, where quick scoring is paramount, the longer format – in both ODIs and Test Cricket – demands a more measured approach. To succeed in these formats, they need to develop far more consistency in building partnerships, maintaining pressure with the ball over long spells, and being more patient in their batting.
This means shifting from a purely high-risk, aggressive game to one that combines calculated aggression with the ability to absorb pressure and build innings. While it’s true that in cricket nowadays, the concept doesn’t work for everyone. In fact, the most successful teams can layer their approach, becoming ultra-dynamic in the shorter formats yet adaptable and steady in the longer ones.
For this team, that means learning to balance aggression with the need for resilience. Even with the White Ferns’ recent injuries, they have the right talent in their ranks and the mental fortitude needed to succeed. They just need to be able to switch from one format to the next seamlessly, attacking the ball cleverly rather than aggressively.
