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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Daniel Gallan (earlier) and Rob Smyth (later)

England beat New Zealand by five wickets: third women’s cricket ODI – as it happened

England New Zealand
England’s Nat Sciver-Brunt plays to the legside as New Zealand wicketkeeper Izzy Gaze looks on.
England’s Nat Sciver-Brunt plays to the legside as New Zealand wicketkeeper Izzy Gaze looks on. Photograph: Michael Steele/ECB/Getty Images

Raf Nicholson’s match report

The winning moment

England win by five wickets and win the ODI series 3-0!

38.4 overs: England 212-5 (Sciver-Brunt 76, Capsey 35) After three dot balls from Sophie Devine, Nat Sciver-Brunt clips a yorker for a single to complete an ultimately comfortable victory with 20 balls to spare.

They were made to work harder than in the first two games, and were in a bit of bother at 72 for 4, but they were always favourites while Sciver-Brunt was at the crease. She is one of the greatest players England have ever had, and her 76 not out was another masterclass in risk-free runscoring. Even the greats need support, though, and Sciver-Brunt got plenty from Amy Jones (50) and Alice Capsey (35 not out)

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38th over: England 211-5 (Sciver-Brunt 75, Capsey 35) Capsey takes England past 200 with a beautifully placed pull for four off Penfold. This has been a good, level-headed innings from Capsey, who gets her third boundary with another controlled thump through extra cover. A pair of twos bring the scores level.

37th over: England 197-5 (Sciver-Brunt 74, Capsey 23) Sophie Devine brings herself back on for the last rites. Four from the over, which leaves England needing 15 from 30 balls.

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36th over: England 193-5 (Sciver-Brunt 71, Capsey 22) Molly Penfold returns, though it’s surely too late in the day/night. It’s a good over though, three from it, and a life-affirming blast of Jimmy Eat World from the DJ at the end.

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35th over: England 190-5 (Sciver-Brunt 71, Capsey 19) A loopy full toss from Halliday is carted behind square for four by Capsey, who gets five more off the next ball after a needless throw to the boundary. Whatever chance New Zealand had disappeared with those two deliveries.

34th over: England 177-5 (Sciver-Brunt 69, Capsey 9) Kerr tosses a few up in the hope Capsey will feed the bad wolf. She resists the temptation for now, even though it means playing out four dot balls. Two from the over. England need 35 from 48 balls.

33rd over: England 175-5 (Sciver-Brunt 68, Capsey 8) Four singles from Halliday’s over; that’s all England need. Well actually, if they keep scoring at that rate it’ll be a tie, but you know what I mean.

32nd over: England 171-5 (Sciver-Brunt 66, Capsey 6) A full toss from Kerr is belted towards the cover boundary by Capsey. Halliday saves two runs with a fine diving stop.

31st over: England 166-5 (Sciver-Brunt 64, Capsey 4) What a chance! Sciver-Brunt has been dropped by Plummer at extra cover, a fairly comfortable opportunity off the bowling of Halliday. That would have brought New Zealand right back in the game.

WICKET! England 162-5 (Jones c Gaze b Halliday 50)

A bit of hope for New Zealand. Jones snicked Halliday to Gaze, who took a good catch at the second attempt. It was given not out on the field but New Zealand reviewed successfully. Jones goes for a terrific run-a-ball 50.

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30th over: England 162-4 (Sciver-Brunt 63, Jones 50) Kerr returns, a necessary gamble given the match situation. Jones slices a single to reach a confident, stylish fifty from 49 balls, then Sciver-Brunt drags a googly past short fine leg for four. The precision of her strokeplay, all round the ground, is exceptional.

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29th over: England 156-4 (Sciver-Brunt 58, Jones 49) Nope, it’s Brooke Halliday who replaces Rowe. Like Devine, she could be awkward on this pitch if she gets her line right.

And her length: a dipping full toss is clouted to cow corner for four by Jones, and the usual singles make it another good over for England. They need 56 from 78 balls.

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28th over: England 148-4 (Sciver-Brunt 56, Jones 43) That burst of boundaries around the 20th over has allowed England to deal mainly in low-risk singles, and there are six more from Carson’s fourth over. New Zealand need a wicket very, very quickly; it’s surely time to give Melie Kerr another spell.

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27th over: England 142-4 (Sciver-Brunt 53, Jones 40) Rowe, in her final over, comes so close to getting the wicket New Zealand need. Jones flicks just short of Kerr at short midwicket – and then she’s dropped by Kerr, a sharp diving chance to her left.

Rowe, who has bowled excellently, finishes with figures of 9-0-38-2.

26th over: England 141-4 (Sciver-Brunt 51, Jones 40) Jones mistimes a drive off Carson that teases Devine, running back from mid-off, before landing safely. England are hurrying to victory; they need 71 from 96 balls.

25th over: England 135-4 (Sciver-Brunt 50, Jones 36) One of the most impressive things about this partnership is that they’re scoring at a run a ball yet it has felt almost risk-free.

Sciver-Brunt drives Rowe straight down the ground to reach a supreme 49-ball fifty. We’re in the presence of greatness and no mistake.

24th over: England 128-4 (Sciver-Brunt 45, Jones 34) Jones almost offers a return catch to Carson before under-edging between the keeper’s legs for four. It feels like this is slipping away from New Zealand. Time for drinks.

23rd over: England 122-4 (Sciver-Brunt 44, Jones 29) Rowe continues in pursuit of that wicket. England look in control now, though, and Sciver-Brunt works a single to bring up a superb fifty partnership at more than a run a ball.

22nd over: England 118-4 (Sciver-Brunt 42, Jones 28) The young offspinner Eden Carson comes into the attack for the first time and is targeted immediately, with Jones hammering her first ball for four. Carson does well to concede four singles from the remainder of the over, but New Zealand are in urgent need of a wicket.

21st over: England 110-4 (Sciver-Brunt 40, Jones 22) New Zealand were 109/2 at this stage, since you asked.

20th over: England 106-4 (Sciver-Brunt 38, Jones 20) Jones hits back-to-back boundaries off her own off Penfold, a thumping pull followed by an elegant cover drive – and she gets another off the last ball with a pull-drive over mid-on. Out of nothing, England have scored five boundaries in eight balls.

19th over: England 94-4 (Sciver-Brunt 38, Jones 7) A full inswinger from Devine is driven majestically past midwicket for four by Sciver-Brunt. It was in the air but immaculately placed. She’s putting on another masterclass – and she follows up with an even better shot, a back-foot on-drive that has Mark Butcher purring in the Sky commentary box. On an awkward, two-paced pitch, Sciver-Brunt is 38 not out from 34 balls.

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18th over: England 85-4 (Sciver-Brunt 30, Jones 7) Kerr continues to toss the ball up, trying to buy another wicket. She’s milked for six runs, which takes England’s target down to 127 from 24 overs. Could be a tight finish.

17th over: England 79-4 (Sciver-Brunt 26, Jones 5) Jones gets her first boundary with a cracking shot, punching Devine through extra cover. England bat pretty deep, with Alice Capsey and Charlie Dean still to come, so New Zealand need to keep taking wickets. If they can get Sciver-Brunt in the next half hour, they’ll be favourites.

16th over: England 72-4 (Sciver-Brunt 24, Jones 0) Kerr has been expensive, conceding 25 from three overs, but that wicket makes it all worthwhile.

WICKET! England 72-4 (Dunkley c Gaze b Kerr 15)

Beautifully done! Melie Kerr finally gets Dunkley with the googly; it bounced to brush the glove, with Dunkley late on her attempted cut, and was brilliantly caught by Izzy Gaze. Dunkley goes for 15 from 24 balls.

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15th over: England 64-3 (Sciver-Brunt 19, Dunkley 12) Devine is bowling a nagging wicket-to-wicket line. She drifts too straight and is clipped fine by Dunkley, with the fielder on the edge of the circle doing very well to save four.

14th over: England 62-3 (Sciver-Brunt 18, Dunkley 11) Dunkley thumps Kerr back over her head for four, a shot of authority, and later in the over Sciver-Brunt pulls another boundary. She’s making it look easy, as she usually does: in her last 20 ODI innings she averages 79.

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It’s a tie at Cheltenham! Astonishing stuff. Glamorgan are all out for 592 and I don’t know what else to tell you, especially as I’m supposed to be reporting on this game.

13th over: England 51-3 (Sciver-Brunt 12, Dunkley 6) A poor ball from Devine is put away to the fine leg boundary by Sciver-Brunt. England need 161 from 29 overs.

Meanwhile, Glamorgan need one run off the final ball to achieve the highest runchase in first-class cricket history!

12th over: England 46-3 (Sciver-Brunt 7, Dunkley 6) Another googly is squirted for four by Dunkley. She didn’t pick it but reacted smartly to glide it past the keeper.

Apparently Dunkley was given out LBW, not caught behind, not that it matters now.

REVIEW! England 42-3 (Dunkley not out 1)

A reprieve for Sophia Dunkley. She was given out caught behind off a beautiful googly from Melie Kerr, but replays showed it went through the gate and missing the inside-edge.

11th over: England 40-3 (Sciver-Brunt 6, Dunkley 1) The captain Sophie Devine, who should bowl well on this pitch, replaces Hannah Rowe (5-0-22-2). Sciver-Brunt survives an LBW appeal after whipping across the line. There were two noises and it might have been missing leg, but I’d still like to see it again. That looked close.

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10th over: England 39-3 (Sciver-Brunt 6, Dunkley 0) Sciver-Brunt pulls Penfold for four, expertly bisecting the two deep fielders.

In other cricket news, Glamorgan may be about to chase a target of 593 in the County Championship. They need eight from the last two overs – but they only have one wicket remaining.

9th over: England 34-3 (Sciver-Brunt 2, Dunkley 0) This is a good opportunity for Dunkley to make meaningful runs on her return. She can take a bit of time to get her eye in, with the required rate still well below six an over.

She almost falls for a duck, mind, when she wafts airily at an outswinger from Rowe. Careful now.

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8th over: England 33-3 (Sciver-Brunt 1, Dunkley 0)

WICKET! England 33-3 (Bouchier c Gaze b Penfold 19)

England are officially in trouble. Bouchier shapes to hook a very high bouncer from Penfold, tries to pull out of the shot and gets the thinnest edge through to Izzy Gaze.

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7th over: England 29-2 (Bouchier 16, Sciver-Brunt 0) “Tammy ‘Gilchrist’ Beaumont?” wonders Damian Clarke.

I honestly think it might have been subconscious guilt because of the dropped catch.

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WICKET! England 29-2 (Knight ct and b Rowe 9)

Godder! Knight’s scratchy innings of 9 from 21 balls comes to an end when she pops a simple return catch. Really well bowled by Rowe, a perfect length and with just enough movement to hit the leading edge as Knight tried to work to leg.

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6th over: England 26-1 (Bouchier 15, Knight 6) Knight drives Penfold pleasantly down the ground, only for a single but it’s her best shot so far. Bouchier clips two more through midwicket, which takes her series average to a modest 182.

5th over: England 22-1 (Bouchier 12, Knight 6) Bouchier top-edges a hook for six off Rowe. It didn’t clear deep backward square by much, though, and even Bouchier is struggling to time the ball on this awkward pitch.

4th over: England 12-1 (Bouchier 4, Knight 5) An exploratory yorker from Penfold is dug out by Knight, who looks calm if not yet fluent. A good maiden from Penfold ends with Knight slicing on the bounce to backward point. This is really good from New Zealand.

3rd over: England 12-1 (Bouchier 4, Knight 5) Rowe is getting some dangerous outswing. After a couple of wides, she induces a leading edge from Knight that drops short of mid-off and then scuttles away for three. This is shaping up to be a decent test for England.

2nd over: England 4-1 (Bouchier 1, Knight 2) Maia Bouchier, fresh from that coruscating hundred at Worcester, gets off the mark by clipping Molly Penfold for a single. New Zealand have started with good intent, both with the ball and in the field.

1st over: England 1-1 (Bouchier 0, Knight 1) It was missing leg stump, and by a fair way. That’s a bad misjudgement from Tammy Beaumont, who should still be at the crease. She marched straight off as if she’d been hit on the toe in front of middle stump. Maybe there was some kind of subconscious guilt after her reprieve earlier in the over.

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WICKET! England 0-1 (Beaumont LBW b Rowe 0)

A huge early wicket for New Zealand! Beaumont pushed around her front pad and walked off the moment the finger went up, even though it looked well worth a review. It might have been missing leg stump and was probably umpire’s call at best/worst.

Izzy Gaze will have enjoyed that wicket even more than the bowler Hannah Rowe: she dropped Beaumont off the first ball of the innings. She took a clean diving catch to her right only to drop the ball when she hit the turf.

Here come the England openers, Tammy Beaumont and Maia Bouchier, who have batted spectacularly in this series. But the consensus among the Sky pundits is that this could be a deceptively tricky runchase.

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Lauren Bell’s reaction

Hitting the pitch really hard and finding that length was important, and taking pace off at the end went well. I’m really trying to progress my game and doing it out in the middle can be challenging. In the long run I think I’ll benefit from it, and today it came to fruition.

It’s a bit of a tricky pitch but we’ve got a good batting line-up so it should be a good chase.

It’s so exciting having so many good seamers available for selection. It’s good for the group and good for all of us.

42nd over: New Zealand 211-8 (Rowe 9, Penfold 1) New Zealand did well to pilfer 24 from the last three overs, which means England’s target is 212. Bell leads England off, beaming as she raises the ball to crowd: she finished with outstanding figures of 9-0-37-5 and bowled beautifully at the death.

Her first wicket was the most important: Sophie Devine bowled for a run-a-ball 43. New Zealand were never able to get away after that: in the second half of the innings they scored 102 for 6 off 21 overs.

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WICKET! New Zealand 207-8 (Down c Sciver-Brunt b Bell 14)

Lauren Bell gets her first five-for in international cricket! Another terrific slower ball is spooned to mid-off, where Sciver-Brunt takes the catch and instantly breaks into a beaming smile. The England players are all so happy for Bell.

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41st over: New Zealand 202-7 (Down 14, Rowe 2) After four singles from five balls, Lauren Down walks down the track to wallop Sciver-Brunt down the ground for a one-bounce four. Shot!

One over to go, with Lauren Bell hoping to get her first five-for in international cricket.

“Wanted to point out to readers that Sky Sports filmed a feature last night at a local pub in Bristol, the Old England,” says Tom Barrington. “We have a Sunday cricket team and one of the few pubs in the UK to have its own cricket nets out the back! The whole club are tuned in, waiting for the interval to see our captain mumble through a vox pop after he’d enjoyed a hearty weekend at Glastonbury. Nets tonight from 6pm for anyone who wants to join in!”

‘Hearty weekend at Glastonbury’ is a marvellous phrase that may well be adapted for these pages.

40th over: New Zealand 194-7 (Down 8, Rowe 0) That was the last ball of the over.

WICKET! New Zealand 194-7 (Gaze c Sciver-Brunt b Bell 4)

Lauren Bell gets another wicket, and as things stand these are career-best figures of 4/28. It was a lovely slower ball that the dangerous Gaze launched high in the air; Nat Sciver-Brunt did the rest.

39th over: New Zealand 187-6 (Gaze 3, Down 2) Pace at both ends now, with Sciver-Brunt back on for Dean (8-0-39-0). It definitely looks tougher against the seamers, who have combined figures of 23-0-92-5; the spinners have managed 16-0-92-0.

38th over: New Zealand 183-6 (Gaze 1, Down 0) That could be the decisive over of the match.

“There’s a lot of sport on, isn’t there?” says Andrew Miles. “Is there some form of ranking system for the various events currently running, so allow us to prioritise our time effectively?

“I’m sure that it’s down to personal preferences, but I’d go with:

1. Cricket of all varieties

2. Rugby union summer tours

3. European football championship

4. Wimbledon

5. Tour de France.”

I see you haven’t mentioned the darts, specifically today’s Players Championship 14 in Milton Keynes. I’m not angry, I’m disappointed.

WICKET! New Zealand 182-6 (Halliday c Jones b Bell 31)

Two wickets in the over for Lauren Bell, and the two set batters as well! Halliday gloved a pull down the leg side, where Jones took a smooth diving catch.

WICKET! New Zealand 181-5 (Kerr LBW b Bell 57)

A timely breakthrough from Lauren Bell. Kerr missed a vigorous slap across the line and was hit on the back thigh in front of middle. The ringer went up and, when Kerr reviewed, replays supported Anna Harris’s decision. Kerr goes for a well-made 57.

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37th over: New Zealand 178-4 (A Kerr 57, Halliday 31) Halliday slog-sweeps Dean for four, an inelegant but very effective stroke. Dean then makes a good stop off her own bowling to keep New Zealand to six from the over. England will take that.

“Really enjoyed an unseen interaction on the boundary during the last over,” says Michael Jelley. “Sophie Ecclestone in hi viz making a nuisance of herself, making Alice Capsey laugh and giving chat as the bowler comes in. Speaks well of the camaraderie in the side. Bristol going chilly and grey, but no sign of rain at the moment…”

I think there might be a bit more around 7pm, but we should get a game. Sophie Ecclestone’s personality reminds me a bit of Jasprit Bumrah, the happy-go-lucky genius of men’s cricket.

36th over: New Zealand 172-4 (A Kerr 56, Halliday 25) Halliday pulls out the reverse sweep off Capsey but can’t beat short third. Kerr shows how to do it later in the over, using her wrists to place it between the keeper and Bell at short third. That’s her fifth boundary.

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35th over: New Zealand 166-4 (A Kerr 51, Halliday 25) Back comes Charlie Dean, whose first ball is edged down to third for a couple by Halliday. The outfield looks pretty slow, so England won’t want to chase much more than 230.

Halliday is dropped by Bouchier, a sharp chance to her right at extra cover. She’d probably take that seven times out of 10.

34th over: New Zealand 160-4 (A Kerr 50, Halliday 20) Capsey drifts down the leg side to Halliday, who helps herself to a couple of leg-byes. I shouldn’t say ‘helps herself’; that makes it sound as if she volleyed the ball down to fine leg and ran off in celebration. She missed a flick to leg, the ball hit the pad and ran down to fine leg. Are we happy now?

A deft late cut for two brings up Kerr’s fifty. It’s been a classy innings: 72 balls, four fours. She’s the key to New Zealand getting a matchwinning total.

33rd over: New Zealand 154-4 (A Kerr 48, Halliday 20) Another quiet over from Sciver-Brunt. Ten to go.

32nd over: New Zealand 151-4 (A Kerr 47, Halliday 18) Alice Capsey replaces Sarah Glenn, whose figures of 5-0-40-0 reflect a difficult day. She gets away with a full toss that Halliday can only wave down the ground for a single, one of three from the over.

31st over: New Zealand 148-4 (A Kerr 46, Halliday 16) Sciver-Brunt starts with a wide but soon finds her line, particularly when the right-hander Kerr is on strike. It doesn’t look easy to score when the seamers bowl wicket to wicket.

30th over: New Zealand 146-4 (A Kerr 46, Halliday 15) Halliday gives her strike-rate a boost with two boundaries in three balls off Glenn. The first was cracked back over her head, the second reverse swept round the corner.

Kerr sweeps the last ball for another boundary to make it a very good over for New Zealand: 13 from it, and there are 12 overs remaining. Time for drinks.

29th over: New Zealand 133-4 (A Kerr 42, Halliday 6) Sciver-Brunt returns in place of Cross. You can understand New Zealand wanting to build a partnership and avert a potential collapse, but they’re in danger of going nowhere. Since Devine’s dismissal they’ve scored 24 in eight overs, and Brooke Halliday is 6 not out from 22 balls.

28th over: New Zealand 131-4 (A Kerr 41, Halliday 5) A couple of short balls from Glenn are pulled for a single apiece. In fact it’s a good over for New Zealand, with five of the six deliveries milked for a single.

27th over: New Zealand 126-4 (A Kerr 38, Halliday 3) Cross continues to bowl a really tight line, shaping the ball back to cramp the right-handed Kerr. Two from the over, which means she finishes a good day’s work with figures of 9-0-46-2.

26th over: New Zealand 124-4 (A Kerr 37, Halliday 2) An excellent comeback over from Sarah Glenn – one from it, and almost a wicket when Kerr is duped by a skiddy delivery that only just misses leg stump.

25th over: New Zealand 123-4 (A Kerr 37, Halliday 1) Halliday is beaten twice by Cross, then gets off the mark with a fiddle to fine leg. The wicket of Devine has unsurprisingly changed both the mood and the tempo

24th over: New Zealand 121-4 (A Kerr 36, Halliday 0) Kerr edges Bell well wide of the keeper for four. New Zealand, who lost their last seven wickets for 27 at Worcester, will be hearing The Giant is they lose another wicket here.

23rd over: New Zealand 117-4 (A Kerr 32, Halliday 0) DRS is now back up, too late for Maddy Green. The more you see her LBW, the more you think it might have missed leg. We’ll never know.

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WICKET! New Zealand 116-4 (Green LBW b Cross 5)

Thanks Daniel, hello everyone. Maddy Green gets her first boundary with a cracking straight drive off Cross – so straight that it hit the stumps at the non-striker’s end and ricocheted through mid-off.

The umpires then inform the players that DRS is down – and that means Green has no right of reply when she’s given out LBW! In truth I don’t think it would have been overturned, though it was closer to leg stump than it first looked. Umpire’s call I suspect.

22nd over: New Zealand 111-3 (Kerr 30, Green 1) A successful return for Bell who bags the big scalp and concedes just two runs.

With that I’m signing off and Rob Smyth will see you to the close.

WICKET! Devine b Bell 43 (New Zealand 109-3)

Breakthrough! It’s the returning Bell who bags the big fish. On a length, angling back into the stumps after shaping through the air, Devine leans back and tries to dab it for a single behind square on the off side. But she cramps herself and stabs at the ball, catching it with an inside edge that clatters her wickets behind her. She throws her head back in disbelief. She was looking so good but has to go.

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21st over: New Zealand 109-2 (Kerr 29, Devine 43) Cross rejoins the attack and this time she does have Jones standing up to the stumps. The Kiwi batters are circumspect, making do with three singles. Good return for the number two ranked bowler in the world.

20th over: New Zealand 106-2 (Kerr 28, Devine 41) I went too early with my ‘Heavenly from Devine’ line because the Kiwi skipper has just unfurled a cover drive from the gods. Overpitched by Dean, but Devine had to wait for it, leaning in at just the right time and opening the face to thread the needle between point and cover. A wide and two singles has the scoreboard ticking along.

19th over: New Zealand 99-2 (Kerr 27, Devine 36) That’s heavenly from Devine who is now hitting at a run a ball. Two lovely boundaries – one drilled through the covers and the other hammered past midwicket – brings the partnership past 50. The last five overs have gone at 8.2 and Kerr is rotating well, feeding her skipper the strike.

18th over: New Zealand 89-2 (Kerr 26, Devine 27) Another boundary for Kerr who threads a gap off the back foot as Dean drags down. Shows what I know. Kerr is purring now! Seven off the over. Suddenly New Zealand are going alright.

17th over: New Zealand 82-2 (Kerr 21, Devine 25) A bowling change. Odd, I thought Sciver-Brunt was going well. Perhaps she needed a breather. Glenn into the attack and New Zealand sniff an opportunity. Devine slaps a four off the back foot through the covers and Kerr shows her first bit of intent by skipping down the track and lifting Glenn back over her head for four. Three more runs in the over adds up to 11 and possibly points to a shift in gears.

16th over: New Zealand 71-2 (Kerr 15, Devine 20) Good again from Dean. She’s been really impressive. Just four from it. Crucially, Kerr is striking below 50%. How long does her skipper wait before she gives her the ‘hurry-up’? Or is Kerr dropping anchor in the traditional role?

15th over: New Zealand 67-2 (Kerr 12, Devine 19) Finally, a bit of something from a Kiwi. After bunting three balls into the covers for no runs, Devine leans into a fuller ball and hoiks it up and over the infield for four to deep backward square. Sciver-Brunt adjusts and pulls her length back and Devine pulls it high into the leg side. Beaumont is under it but can’t quite get there – though the bowler reckons she should have – and it bobbles for four. Eight from it. Better from New Zealand.

14th over: New Zealand 59-2 (Kerr 12, Devine 11) Another over costing just one run. This is excellent bowling from Dean but New Zealand really have to try their hand. This innings is going nowhere fast. The last five overs have contributed a mere 13 to the total. With the ring field, someone has to have a go and look to hit over the top. I know, I know. It’s easier said than done. But they are elite athletes.

13th over: New Zealand 58-2 (Kerr 12, Devine 10) New Zealand need to get a move on here. But England are firmly in control with a ring field and wicket to wicket bowling. That’s an excellent over from Sciver-Brunt who is probing around a tricky length and conceding just one single at the top of the set. Kerr has faced 26 balls. Maybe she is the one that needs to kick on.

12th over: New Zealand 57-2 (Kerr 12, Devine 9) Better from Dean who is now giving it a bit more air and landing it around the fifth stump, inviting the batters to press forward. Once she angles one the hips and coughs up a single to Devine, and there’s a neat push from Kerr into the off side after using her feet. But otherwise Dean wins this over on points.

11th over: New Zealand 55-2 (Kerr 11, Devine 8) As expected Cross takes a breather and Sciver-Brunt comes into the attack. She’s got Jones standing up to the stumps and is looking to bowl into the pitch. Apart from a loosener down the leg side – spanked by Kerr but straight to the fielder on the boundary – Sciver-Brunt is tight on the stumps. Three from her first over.

10th over: New Zealand 52-2 (Kerr 9, Devine 7) Time for spin now as Charlie Dean enters to scene having already snagged a run-out. She hasn’t quite found her line yet, straying too close to the pads. That allows the batters to easily milk her for four singles on the on side. Dean adjusts but Kerr jabs a couple wide of short third.

Now the sun pokes through, stretching shadows across the turf.

9th over: New Zealand 44-2 (Kerr 5, Devine 4) An eventful over. Three boundaries – two for Bates who sliced through the covers and biffed over square leg – and one for Devine who spanked her second ball to the cover-point fence. But crucially the over, worth 16 runs, also brought a wicket. I reckon that’ll be the end of Cross who over-stepped twice.

WICKET! Bates c Jones b Cross 24 (New Zealand 40-2)

That’s a sharp grab from Jones, diving to her right with one hand. Bates had the measure of Cross, clobbering two fours already in the over, but the bowler wins in the end. It’s a teaser wide outside the off-stump. I’m not sure if that was deliberate but let’s give Cross the benefit of the doubt. Bates goes fishing and gets a fat edge. Jones gets out the big leap and holds on well.

8th over: New Zealand 30-1 (Bates 16, Kerr 4) Bit of a mixed bag from Bell who struggled for consistency, but that’s not always a bad thing in white ball cricket as it means the batters can’t settle on a line or length. Kerr clips a couple past midwicket and nudges a single off her hips. Otherwise the Kiwis struggle to find the middle of the bat. England on top at the end of the powerplay.

7th over: New Zealand 27-1 (Bates 16, Kerr 1) A quality over from batters and bowler. Lovely once more from Cross. Gorgeous shape away from the right hander. They’re trying to use their feet against her but she’s sharp enough to spot them coming so drags her length back and beats the outside edge all the same. Perhaps Jones could stand up to the stumps, but that wouldn’t be easy with it hooping round corners.

New Zealand, though, landed punches with Bates clipping a delicious four to the boundary and two singles adding up to six to the over.

6th over: New Zealand 21-1 (Bates 11, Kerr 0) Good from Bell who concedes just a single to Plimmer down to deep third. Perhaps it’s that pressure that compelled the Kiwis to try force a single that was at best 50/50. Either way, Plimmer should not have been on her heels. She was, so when Bates called her for that single, she was always playing catch-up.

WICKET! Plimmer run-out (Dean) 7 (New Zealand 21-1)

Suicidal! Fantastic fielding from Dean who ran in from backward point and shot down the stumps with a direct hit, but you have to wonder why they tried that risky single just as they were starting to look settled. Bates chopped off the back foot into the off-side and called her partner through. Plimmer’s horizontal dive was valiant, but in vain.

Direct hit. Plimmer had to pull out the big dive. Has she got there?

5th over: New Zealand 20-0 (Bates 11, Plimmer 6) Anyone got some cream? Because Cross has just delivered a peach? Doesn’t matter that it was called a no-ball. It came in on the angle, swung late and beat the off-stump by a whisker. A genuine jaffa. However, the free hit was spanked over long leg for a double bounce four by Bates, who also collected a single from an inside edge.

4th over: New Zealand 13-0 (Bates 7, Plimmer 5) There’s nearly a return catch for Bell as she digs in a short ball that sticks in the surface. Plimmer goes to pull but instead prods, popping the ball back up the pitch where Bell dives but can’t reach it. That would have been a soft dismissal. Not sure why the Kiwis are being so tentative. Just give it a whack! There’s a single for Bates backward of square and Plimmer shows more conviction with a neat clip for two that requires swift work by the fielder at fine leg to save a boundary.

3rd over: New Zealand 10-0 (Bates 6, Plimmer 3) Cross burns a review after compelling her skipper to go upstairs. It was never out, hitting Bates outside the line of off stump and I’m not even sure it would have gone on to hit the wickets. Cross was convinced. The rest of the over is tight – full enough to tempt a drive and hovering around the fourth stump line. Bates starts using her feet to negate the movement and eventually gets a single away to the left of Siver-Brunt at mid-on.

2nd over: New Zealand 9-0 (Bates 5, Plimmer 3) Lauren Bell opens up the other end. I love watching her bowl with that natural shape back into the right hander from her long levers. Like Cross, she’s targeting the stumps. She drags her length back a touch which allows Bates the time to swivel back and tuck a pull shot behind square for a single. Plimmer is off the mark immediately with a single to deep third and adds another two with a clip off her pads.

1st over: New Zealand 5-0 (Bates 4, Plimmer 0) It’s Kate Cross with the new ball under heavy clouds. She’s full and straight, as you’d expect from the veteran seamer. One, though, is too straight and Bates leans forward and whips it away in front of square for four. There’s a no-ball – unpunished from the free hit – in the mix as well.

Alrighty, the players are making their way onto the field!

Revised start time - game reduced to 42-overs a side

Finally, some progress. We’ll get going soon with the first ball bowled at 2:35pm.

There’s still some moisture in the air but we’ll get a game, albeit one with 16 less overs than originally planned.

OK, so we might get some cricket after all!

Just not any time soon I’m afraid.

Light rain, like we have here, ruins cricket matches. Heavy storms, like the ones raging in the Caribbean, ruins lives.

If you have a moment, could you please read this and, if you’re feeling generous and want to provide some aid to a region that has given so much to the cricket world, they could sure use helping hand.

At least Raf has something to do….

Since it’s raining, it seems like an appropriate time to share this obituary of a man who changed our sport:

No good news I’m afraid. The rain is getting heavier in Bristol.

It’s not raining everywhere.

If you pinky promise to come back soon, take a gander at Tanya Aldred’s rolling County Championship blog.

England’s spin well runs deep. How many teams could rest a player like Sophie Ecclestone and still maintain their indomitable aura?

Good signs ahead of a T20 World Cup in Bangladesh later this year.

“Absolutely huhning it down here in Bristol Dan”

That’s the bleak report from Michael Jelley. I’m not sure what was meant by ‘huhning’, but choose your own adventure here. However you cut it, it’s wet.

“We’ve stopped for a dosa on the way to the ground. Looking forward to seeing Dunkley regain her touch after a difficult year or so…”

Enjoy that dosa Mike. Agree with you. Dunkley is class when she’s in good nick. Hopefully she comes right today (if we get some cricket that is).

Oh no, the rain has started lashing down! Brollies out, covers on, not looking good.

New Zealand change two in hope of redemption

They’re batting first again. Will their two changes in the bowling ranks make any difference?

It’s Hannah Row and Eden Carson coming for Jess Kerr and Fran Jones.

New Zealand: Bates, Plimmer, Kerr, Devine (c), Green, Halliday, Down, Gaze (wk), Rowe, Penfold, Carson.

Three changes for England

Dunkley in for Wyatt, Glenn for Ecclestone and Bell for Flier. Knight said it was more a case of rotation and giving players an opportunity. England’s strength in depth is pretty frightening.

England: Beaumont, Bouchier, Knight (c), Sciver-Brunt, Dunkley, Jones (wk), Capsey, Dean, Glenn, Cross, Bell.

England win the toss and bowl first

Heather Knight gets the coin flip right and fancies chasing. She reckons the moisture in the air will be a factor. “Relentless” is a word she echoes.

Sophie Devine, New Zealand’s skipper, also wanted to bowl. No surprise, setting targets has proved disastrous for her side so far on this tour.

There are still some covers on the deck. We might have a delayed start, though both sides are warming up.

England have already wrapped up the series, but could that be their doom?

Jimmy’s good, eh? Seriously, what a phenomenal athlete.

He’ll be 42 at the end of this month and here was, running up like the well-oiled machine that he is, unfurling that textbook perfect action, and zipping in seamers and swingers that rattled stumps and collected edges en route to a staggering seven-for!

Even his old enemy, Nathan ‘The Goat’ Lyon, was purring over the GOAT.

While I’ve got you, if you’ll allow the indulgence, here’s this week’s Spin penned by yours truly.

Did the Proteas choke (again)? Nay, says I. Keen to hear your thoughts.

Preamble

Here we are, the third and final ODI between England and New Zealand on this multi-format tour. Heather Knight’s team have already wrapped up the first leg of the series, claiming comfortable wins in the first two ODIs by nine wickets and eight wickets respectively.

That first victory was set up by four wickets for Charlie Dean and a quickfire 76 from Tammy Beaumont.

Then Maia Bouchier registered her first international ton after Sophie Ecclestone claimed her second ODI five-for.

So far, so good then for the home side though a stiffer challenge today might do them good. A test for middle order could be beneficial down the road but that won’t be the target this afternoon. Another thrashing will be the aim as England look to seal a 3-0 sweep in the 50-over format.

My name is Dan/Daniel – whichever you prefer. I’d love to hear from so if you’ve got a thought you want to share with the group, or you just want to say hi, drop me a mail.

First ball at 1pm. Toss, teams and more updates to follow.

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