Kerr just living her teenage dream

On a normal Thursday afternoon, Amelia Kerr would be attending high school like any typical Auckland teenager.

On this particular Thursday afternoon, however, 16-year-old Kerr found herself not only playing cricket for her country, but taking the wicket of the world's No.1 batter Meg Lanning with a cunning plan that paid off first ball.

Brought on in the 21st over with the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars cruising at 1-109, Kerr bowled her first three balls to opener Beth Mooney, before a single brought Australian captain Lanning on strike.

Quick Single: Aussies level Rose Bowl series

Faced with the daunting task of bowling to Lanning – who was looking ominous on 44 – for the first time, Kerr produced a superb wrong'un that bowled the world's best batter.

"The bowling coach thought it would be good if I bowled my googly to her early, so I just thought I'd give it to her as early as possible," Kerr told cricket.com.au.

"It was pretty good that my plan worked. I didn't really want to bowl to her for too long."

With her next delivery, Kerr bowled the in-form Elyse Villani around her legs for a duck, but she was denied a hat-trick when Australia vice-captain Alex Blackwell saw off another wrong'un.

"(Villani) tried to sweep it, which is a shot she's good at but luckily she missed it.

"For Blackwell, I had a leg slip and slip, so I bowled my googly trying to get her lbw or bowled."

She later added another two big-name scalps to her tally, bowling Beth Mooney on 57 before taking a return catch to end Alyssa Healy's innings on 36.

The leg-spinner finished with 4-54 in the White Ferns' four-wicket loss to Australia, continuing what's been an outstanding start to an international career that began against Pakistan last November, having received the call-up from selectors just four days after her 16th birthday.

From six ODIs and two T20Is, Kerr now has 15 wickets, with her haul in Thursday's second Rose Bowl ODI her second-best to date, behind the 4-42 she snared against Pakistan in Nelson.

"I was disappointed about not getting the win but hopefully we pull through next game.

"I'm happy with my own performance, it was bit messy at some stages but the wicket was turning, which helped me a bit."

Australia can expect to see the teenager a little earlier in Sunday's decider, with New Zealand captain Suzie Bates later admitted she probably should have considered bringing Kerr on earlier than the 21st over.

"I probably left her a little bit late (because) you think she's only 16 and she'll be under pressure," Bates said.

"But what I've learned about Amelia is there's no such thing as pressure to her.

"She just wants the ball. She's going to be massive star for us and maybe I'll get her in a bit earlier on Sunday.

"She knows her game and the game of cricket as well, so she's great to captain because she knows what she wants to do and has great control.

"She's got no fear and that's what I love about her."

The granddaughter of former New Zealand Test batsman Bruce Murray, and the daughter of parents who both represented Wellington, Kerr's career might have only just began, but she's building a cult following among White Ferns fans, with a large sign in the Bay Oval crowd reading on Thursday, "Amelia, I'm skipping school too!"

"I never thought playing for New Zealand would happen this soon, so it's a pretty cool experience," Kerr said.

"My school is pretty understanding and proud of me, they're good with extensions and what I do with my work when I'm away."

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