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

Move over Kane Williamson, there’s a new star in New Zealand cricket.

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 the West Indies and the highest score is held by India’s Rohit Sharma after his 264 against Sri Lanka in 2014.

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Kerr didn’t just excel against Ireland with the bat. 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 didn’t 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.”