Thailand thankful for NZ's cricket masterclass

Thailand were handed a cricket lesson in their sole warm-up match for their maiden Women's T20 World Cup, and neither their players, their coaching staff nor their fans could have been more grateful.

From the moment Thailand's captain Sornnarin Tippoch won the coin toss and was embraced by her teammates after she ran to them with news they would be fielding in their first major tournament appearance, it was a day of historic firsts and heartwarming friendships.

Not that the White Ferns went easy on their exuberantly enthusiastic foes.

As expected of a team considered a potential winner of the event, NZ took to Thailand's bowling and plundered 4-194 from their 20 overs before reducing the underdogs to 2-0 within three balls of the run chase before Thailand showed admirable resolve to post 8-113.

Then, after both teams agreed to participate in a rehearsal super-over, NZ's Lea Tahuhu restricted Thailand to just two runs from six balls before big-name, big-hitting openers Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates helped themselves to 18 runs off seamer Ratanaporn Padunglerd.

But if Thailand were disappointed with their inaugural showing at their first World Cup – their earlier scheduled warm-up game against Bangladesh in Brisbane was washed out – they presented no outward sign.

Indeed, the group that had bowed upon entering and leaving the playing arena, greeted umpires and opposition players with 'Sawasdee' and a prayer-like gesture and celebrated each batting accomplishment with an elaborate three-phase glove punch routine could not conceal their delight at game's end.

Image Id: 75817EDEAA3C42C9A84F8E4EA2973786 Image Caption: Thai players bow before walking onto the ground // Getty

After posing for photographs with the group of fans who had chanted 'go go Thailand' and beat a single drum tirelessly throughout the match, they invited the White Ferns players to join them at which point the same fans broke into cries of 'New Zealand, New Zealand'.

Even more remarkable scenes followed as the NZ players happily accepted a request from Thailand's coaching staff to share a few insights with their ever-curious opposition, and Karen Rolton Oval became the site of an impromptu players' information swapping session.

Devine spoke to members of both teams during a group huddle, before groups of specialist batters, pace bowlers and spinners formed boundary-side and the Thai players hung on every word offered by the likes of NZ opener Bates, leg spinner Amelia Kerr and keeper Rachel Priest.

As the wide-eyed students listened intently and posed questions sporadically, field settings were explained using a collection of white balls placed strategically on the turf, bowling actions were dissected, and shot-making secrets were divulged.

"As Kiwis, we like to get to know our opposition and with a team like Thailand, who we've never played before, it's nice to speak to people from other cultures and they just wanted to have a bit of a chat about how we go about our cricket," Priest said after the session.

"We're happy to do things like that.

"I'm so pleased for them to get to the World Cup and they've obviously had a really good run to get here, but it's probably going to be a pretty tough ride for them.

"So we just shared some of our knowledge and asked them a few questions – it was just back and forth, getting to know each other."

Image Id: 4119E2F9CBF74E3D9E6B515511F8FC21 Image Caption: Thailand supporters were out in full force // Getty

Thailand opener Natthakan Chantham, who first played cricket 15 years ago using a plastic ball and against boys at school in her home town in the hill country around Chiang Mai (near the Myanmar border), was especially keen for a few pointers.

Chantham has been a star of Thailand's batting line-up as they won through the ICC's World Cup qualifying tournament (alongside Bangladesh) and last month she belted 82no against India A.

But against NZ today she was bowled for a second-ball duck, stretching forward to off-spinner Leigh Kasperek who then removed Thailand's number three Nannapat Koncharoenkai with her next delivery.

At that point, the drumbeat that had pounded optimistically throughout the White Ferns batting onslaught fell poignantly silent for the first time in the match, only to thump back into action next over when left-hander Nattaya Boochatham punched consecutive boundaries through point off Rosemary Mair.

Image Id: D8F6741EDECC43618F24AC003B7A68FA Image Caption: Chantham was bowled for a second-ball duck // Getty

"We were quite nervous, but after today's match I think we will improve a lot and learn a lot about this game," Chantham said at day's end, before the team heads to Perth for their first match of the World Cup proper against West Indies at the WACA on Saturday afternoon.

"We would like to challenge ourselves more, and we will keep doing that.

"Today we were quite excited to play against New Zealand, it was the first time for our team against them.

"They’re the most difficult team we've faced because they are quite strong batting and they are quite a confident team.

"And they connect with the ball well.

"I think today we could have been more accurate with the ball, and they punished us for our mistakes."

For all their enthusiasm in the field (where they missed a couple of vital run-out opportunities and costly catches), energy with the ball and enterprise at the batting crease where they refused to take a backward step against Tahuhu who is one of the fastest bowlers in the women's game, the gap between Thailand and their teachers was achingly clear.

Untroubled by any great pace or demonstrable spin, NZ's batters placed themselves deep in the crease which gave them ample time to belt the ball into gaps in the field, or over the top as they blazed an impressive 28 boundaries and two sixes in their total.

And it was that differential in power that was the most noticeable disparity, as Thailand's batters relied more heavily on deft glides and delicate placement.

Although number eight Onnicha Kamchomphu earned a flourish from the drummer and a hug from her tail-end batting partner Suleeporn Laomi when she lifted NZ quick Holly Huddleston beyond the boundary at backward square leg to post Thailand's sole six, and carry their total past 100.

However, as Chantham pointed out, given that Thailand had not played international cricket in any format until 2007 – two years before the first Women's T20 World Cup was staged in the UK – there are far greater rewards for her team to reap besides simply on-field success.

Cricket receives no regular television coverage in Thailand, and the exploits of the national women's team – which trains six days a week (with Mondays off) in Bangkok where all squad members share a house rented by the Cricket Association – are followed through social media channels at home.

"People in Thailand are also excited like the team, because it's the first time and we've never been here (at a World Cup) before," Chantham said today.

"So they encourage us.

"I would like to say to them we will do our best, and we will learn a lot from the T20 World Cup.

"This changes my life and changes it also for the team because the one thing we would like is to inspire future generations in Thailand, and help Thailand know more about cricket."

The Thai team will have a couple of days' training in Perth to implement the advice passed on by their NZ rivals for their upcoming tournament opener against 2016 winners, West Indies.

Apart from their few "wobbles in the field", Priest admits to being impressed by Thailand's batting capability and acknowledged they had beaten some quality teams (including Ireland and Scotland) to earn their place as the first non-ICC Test cricket nation at the women's showpiece event.

But if any upcoming opponents of the White Ferns – who play their first game against Sri Lanka at the WACA on Saturday evening – are hoping for some similar post-game tuition once the tournament proper starts, they might need to reconsider.

"It's safe to say that us and England didn’t have a catch-up after (last Sunday's warm-up) game," Priest said.

"But we've done it in the past, we've had catch-ups in the changerooms with some of the teams that we don't get to see that often.

"A few years ago, we had a catch-up with Pakistan after a game.

"It's just up to the teams to decide.

"If the cricket's finished for the day, we're all mates after the game so we're happy to do it with teams like Thailand that are just so pleased to be here, and so willing to learn.

"They deserve to be here, and I'll be watching closely how they go throughout the tournament."

2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup

Australia squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Erin Burns, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy (wk), Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham

February 21:Australia v India, Sydney Showgrounds

February 24: Australia v Sri Lanka, WACA Ground

February 27: Australia v Bangladesh, Manuka Oval 

March 2: Australia v New Zealand, Junction Oval

March 5: Semi-final 1 & Semi-final 2, SCG

March 8: Final, MCG

For a full list of all World Cup fixtures, click HERE

* All matches will be broadcast on Fox Cricket and Kayo, while Australia’s matches will also be broadcast on the Nine Network