Tawa College’s Amelia Kerr sets cricket world record

Amelia Kerr playing for Wellington last summer. PHOTO: Mike Lewis.

Tawa College year 13 student Amelia Kerr set a new world batting record in women's one-day cricket with her unbeaten 232 against Ireland in Dublin overnight.

Kerr, 17, broke the record total during the third match of their series. In an age of bash and smash,  she hit just 31 fours, and just two sixes. Opening the batting, she faced 145 balls. She scored her first century off 77 balls and surpassed her previous highest scored for the White Ferns of 81 not out last week in the same series.

If that wasn’t enough for her to put her feet up the leg-spinner then took  5-17 with the ball as Ireland were bowled out for 135, chasing 441 to win. 

Australia's Belinda Clark had held the record - 229* against Denmark in 1997, three years before Kerr was born.

At 17 years and 243 days, Kerr is also the youngest double-centurion in the format across genders.
​
Kerr's 232* is the third highest score in ODI cricket history.

India men's player Rohit Sharma is at the top of the pile with his 264 scored against Sri Lanka in 2014, with the unbeaten 237 made by New Zealand's Martin Guptill, against West Indies in 2015, holding second spot.

She was also involved in a 295-run partnership for the second wicket with Leigh Kasperek (113) which is now the second highest partnership in women's ODIs,  behind Deepti Sharma and Punam Raut's 320 against Ireland in May 2017. The stand is also the women's ODI record for second wicket and a New Zealand record for any wicket.

Two years ago,Kerr  become the first person to score more than one Twenty20 century on the famous Basin Reserve cricket ground in Wellington, scoring 108 off 79 balls.

In February last year, she scored the 100th century scored in the New Zealand's women’s domestic One-Day competition - she bet Sara McGlashan to it by 14 minutes.  She also became the youngest ever centurion in the competition – a tick over two years younger than Suzie Bates was when she scored 183 not out against Auckland when she was 18.

“At the moment I’m in the New Zealand squad as a bowler, but at every other level I’m considered an all-rounder as well,” she told College Sport Media after this feat.

“At the start of the [Wellington] Blaze season I was batting about seven and then I worked my up to be opening.

“It is my goal to become an all-rounder at the top level too. In a few years when I am bit bigger and stronger and I keep developing my batting I will be both.” 

It appears she has achieved that goal!

Highest scores in women's ODIs

• Amelia Kerr (New Zealand) 232* v Ireland, 13 June 2018
• Belinda Clark (Australia) 229* v Denmark, 16 December 1997
• Deepti Sharma (India) 188 v Ireland, 15 May 2017
• Chamari Atapattu (Sri Lanka) 178* v Australia, 29 June 2017
• Charlotte Edwards (England) 173* v Ireland, 16 December 1997

---