And with that, this game is done. We’ll be back on Sunday. Bye for now!
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And Heather Knight, England’s skipper, has a go:
It was a really hard-fought win. I thought they were really good today. The way Amy played in partnership with Kate was outstanding and got us to a total we felt was defendable. We talked about 270 being a really good score on that wicket. Amy just looked really calm and really calculated in her options that she chooses at the moment, she puts pressure back on the bowlers, hits balls over the top when they’re there and when they’re not, plays it on merit and it gives us a lot of confidence in the top order that we’ve got her and players in the middle order who can score big runs if they need to. I’m really pleased with how we’ve gone here. We’ve been tested, which has been really nice, we’ve been put under pressure at certain points, which is good for us as a side. To be put in those situations is really important.
Amelia Kerr, the New Zealand captain, has a chat:
Another tough loss but I think there was a lot of great stuff. I think they got to a pretty good score on a tough wicket, and they bowled really well at the start again. Even though the scorecard doesn’t look so good that partnership [between Brooke Halliday and Izzy Gaze] gave us a shot at potentially winning the game and I thought it was outstanding. Throughout the game there were moments when we competed really well, with different players standing up, and that’s been awesome to see.
Tammy Beaumont’s 96-ball 81 earns her the player of the match award.
I think the best time to bat was probably with the new ball, but then it definitely got tougher in the middle and I think at times I couldn’t work out if it was me or the wicket. I was getting a bit frustrated but I got to 50 and then kicked on a bit. My dad’s probably sat at home telling me it was criminal to get out for 81 and leave the team with some work to do. I think the way Amy Jones and Kate Cross shepherded the team to a par total was exceptional.
I think Maia Bouchier and myself in the powerplay like to take the bowlers on and hit strong shots, and a few came off the middle of the bat which is always nice. There’s real competition for places now and I think that pressure’s a good thing, to geep trying to reinvent yourself. There’s so much more I can do and the team can do to keep pushing on and challenge every single team.
So England win the three-game series with a game to spare. That English ninth-wicket partnership of 55 between Amy Jones and Kate Cross proved decisive in the end. The final match will be played on Sunday, also in Hamilton, or the distinctly more poetic Kirikiriroa as it’s known in Maori, and it will bring the curtain down on a successful tour, with the T20 series having been won 4-1.
It's all over! England win by 56 runs!
Bezuidenhout was padded up and ready to come in, but she obviously thought 56 runs was too many for her to help with and decides against – and with that the game ends!
WICKET! Jonas lbw b Ecclestone 0 (New Zealand 196-9)
Sophie Ecclestone gets her first wicket with the last ball of the over and the first of Fran Jonas’s micro-innings, landing it on the big toe of the batter’s back foot. The umpire raises her finger, and New Zealand chance their arm with a review that was bound to fail. Now, does Bernadine Bezuidenhout come in?
WICKET! Rowe run out 16 (New Zealand 195-8)
Hesitation from Rowe after she pulls to Danny Wyatt at square leg, who while still on her knees returns the ball to Ecclestone, who catches, leans over and hits the stumps.
44th over: New Zealand 193-7 (Rowe 4, Tahuhu 0) Kate Cross’s first delivery is delightfully biffed down the ground by Hannah Rowe for four, setting New Zealand on their way to 11 off the over. They’re left requiring precisely 60 off the last six overs, with effectively two wickets in hand.
43rd over: New Zealand 182-7 (Rowe 4, Tahuhu 0) After a couple of dots Rowe connects with a short ball, hammering it through midwicket, but Bouchier dives to stop it reaching the rope. Rowe comes back for two and then tries to slog-sweep the next and fluffs it, but the top-edge loops up and lands safe. That allows her to run a single, and leaves Kerr on strike for the last. She also goes aerial, and she’s not so lucky.
WICKET! Jess Kerr c Ecclestone b Sciver-Brunt 1 (New Zealand 182-7)
New Zealand throw off the shackles, and they don’t get rewarded! Instead Jess Kerr lifts it straight to mid-off off the toe of the bat.
42nd over: New Zealand 179-6 (Rowe 4, J Kerr 1) Well it was all happening there. A second wicket in the over would have been disastrous for the home side, but one and just three runs isn’t exactly helpful. They need 74 off 48 at 9.25 an over.
On to the back foot and over the leg side for 6 from Brooke Halliday LIVE and free in NZ on TVNZ DUKE and TVNZ+ #NZvENG pic.twitter.com/c4hhSElMQg
— WHITE FERNS (@WHITE_FERNS) April 4, 2024
NOT OUT! Disaster averted for New Zealand!
The ball was just missing leg stump, and Jess Kerr is reprieved!
WICKET! Jess Kerr is out lbw - or is she?
Is Jess Kerr out first ball here? The umpire certainly thinks so, but it’s worth checking…
WICKET! Halliday st Jones b Cross 57 (New Zealand 176-6)
Disaster for Halliday and New Zealand! She attacks Cross with such vim that, on unexpectedly making no contact with the ball, she lets go of her bat and sends it flying to midwicket while behind her Jones whips off the bails.
41st over: New Zealand 176-5 (Halliday 57, Rowe 3) Sciver-Brunt is back, and Halliday heaves a slower ball over cow corner for the first six of the innings! New Zealand’s innings could unravel quickly from here, but right now the game’s on a knife-edge, precisely where you want it.
40th over: New Zealand 166-5 (Halliday 50, Rowe 0) England miss another half-chance: they should probably have run out Izzy Gaze as Halliday went for a sharp single to reach her half-century and her partner reacted late, but the throw to the keeper was poor. The very next ball, however, Gaze is run out, nudging the ball to third and reacting late to Halliday’s call.
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WICKET! Gaze run out 47 (New Zealand 166-5)
Izzy Gaze goes for a run that wasn’t there, and gets punished for it!
39th over: New Zealand 163-4 (Halliday 48, Gaze 46) Five dots and a single off the last. Sure, the appeal was a bit embarrassing, but that was England’s best over for a while and it sends the required run rate shooting above eight.
No she isn't!
Brooke Halliday was absolutely miles away from that. If she was holding two bats she’d still have missed it. Amy Jones led the appeal, but even she didn’t seem convinced. But England need to break this partnership, so chanced their arm.
Is Halliday out here? England send it upstairs!
The batter looks completely nonplussed, but England are going to see if she nicked the ball on its way through. The answer will be that she didn’t.
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38th over: New Zealand 162-4 (Halliday 47, Gaze 46) Four balls into Cross’s over both batters are on 46, one sweet strike from a half-century. They get together in the middle for a little chat, presumably reminding each other not to get excited, to stay calm. And they certainly do that: one more run follows.
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37th over: New Zealand 158-4 (Halliday 46, Gaze 43) A couple of dots from Bell and Halliday attacks one, but the timing’s completely off and it loops over the head of extra cover and drops safe. The next is top-edged over the keeper for four. Then Gaze chips one to midwicket, but again it lands safe. Another seven runs in the bank, and they’re living a charmed life.
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36th over: New Zealand 151-4 (Halliday 45, Gaze 38) New Zealand let the required run rate climb to the mid-sevens but have dragged it back a bit from there, and in the last few overs have been comfortably scoring at that kind of speed. 32 off the last four.
35th over: New Zealand 144-4 (Halliday 42, Gaze 34) Lauren Bell is back, and New Zealand attack her aggressively. Gaze finally gets the last ball away, hitting across the line and sending it past a diving mid-on for four.
34th over: New Zealand 134-4 (Halliday 40, Gaze 27) Now Halliday sweeps, fine this time, and this goes for four as well. She top-edges the last ball of Dean’s over, but it’s safe.
33rd over: New Zealand 127-4 (Halliday 33, Gaze 27) Gaze advances and sweeps Capsey through midwicket for four. That is sweetly timed, and fair rockets to the rope.
32nd over: New Zealand 119-4 (Halliday 31, Gaze 21) And six off Charlie Dean’s seventh. This partnership has been worth 53, off 77 balls so far, and is keeping New Zealand in this game. The run rate is rising, but it isn’t unachievable, particularly with a couple of set batters.
31st over: New Zealand 113-4 (Halliday 29, Gaze 17) Four singles. Capsey’s going at 6.33 an over, by a margin the most expensive of England’s bowlers.
30th over: New Zealand 109-4 (Halliday 27, Gaze 15) A single off Dean’s first ball, confirmed only after the umpires check for a run-out, and nearly a run-out also off the second – Gaze might have gone had Dean thrown the ball into the stumps rather than leaning and reaching.
29th over: New Zealand 103-4 (Halliday 26, Gaze 13) A slog sweep from Izzy Gaze lands safely between two fielders, and then Halliday hoists one straight down the ground, one bounce and over the rope.
28th over: New Zealand 94-4 (Halliday 20, Gaze 10) Halliday comes down the track and misses Dean’s second delivery, but gets a foot back before Jones takes off the bails. Two off the over, and the required run rate is at 7.22.
27th over: New Zealand 92-4 (Halliday 19, Gaze 9) Alice Capsey has a bowl for the first time. She gets one to turn nicely away from Halliday, who pulls out of her shot and gives her a nod of acknowledgement, but that’s her only dot ball.
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26th over: New Zealand 86-4 (Halliday 15, Gaze 7) England miss another chance: Gaze comes down the track to Dean and misses, but behind the stumps Amy Jones fumbles when she needed only to collect and whip off the bails.
25th over: New Zealand 83-4 (Halliday 14, Gaze 5) Halfway through the innings. Gaze sends Ecclestone’s first ball looping up off a leading edge, but it lands safe.
24th over: New Zealand 80-4 (Halliday 12, Gaze 4) Charlie Dean bowls. One run is scored.
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23rd over: New Zealand 79-4 (Halliday 12, Gaze 3) Ecclestone’s seventh over. Still no wickets, but she’s going at precisely three an over and concedes precisely three off this one.
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22nd over: New Zealand 76-4 (Halliday 11, Gaze 1) Three runs off Charlie Dean’s second over. New Zealand need 6.3 an over from here if they’re to keep the series alive.
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21st over: New Zealand 73-4 (Halliday 9, Gaze 0) Halliday hoists the ball over Bell at mid-on for a couple, and then goes a bit straighter and a bit harder, and that one runs away for four.
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20th over: New Zealand 67-4 (Halliday 2, Gaze 0) Charlie Dean comes on, and it turns out the ball would have clipped leg stump, and a review wouldn’t have saved Maddy Green (though it was umpire’s call, so they wouldn’t have lost it). It also turns out the fifth ball of the 19th over, bowled by Ecclestone to Green, actually clipped the top of the bail, which didn’t even wobble.
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WICKET! Green lbw b Dean 9 (New Zealand 66-4)
The batters discuss sending this upstairs, and I reckon it was worth a go – I’m not completely convinced it would have hit leg stump. Anyway, they don’t reckon it was worth a go, and off Green trudges!
19th over: New Zealand 62-3 (Green 7, Halliday 2) Dropped! Green drives just to the right of Cross at mid-off, not a difficult catch but she completely fluffs it!
18th over: New Zealand 62-3 (Green 7, Halliday 1) Just one off the over, and Sciver-Brunt has conceded eight in five. New Zealand’s task is (probably) about to tick up beyond a run a ball.
17th over: New Zealand 61-3 (Green 7, Halliday 0) England bring a short leg in as they look to keep the pressure on. Four dots follow, and then Green cuts into space for four. The last come off the pad and gives Beaumont some catching practice at short leg.
16th over: New Zealand 57-3 (Green 3) Kerr runs at Sciver-Brunt and lifts one high over mid-on. Cross turns, sprints and pulls it back from the rope to keep it down to two. Two balls later, the last before drinks, Kerr’s gone.
WICKET! Amelia Kerr c Capsey b Sciver-Brunt 14 (New Zealand 57-3)
New Zealand’s captain clips off her ankles, but too close to Capsey at square leg who takes a straightforward catch!
15th over: New Zealand 53-2 (A Kerr 11, Green 3) Five dots, and then Kerr nearly drags on the last! The first maiden over of the innings, from Ecclestone.
14th over: New Zealand 53-2 (A Kerr 11, Green 3) Sciver-Brunt keeps it tight, and her first three overs have brought a wicket and just four runs.
13th over: New Zealand 51-2 (A Kerr 10, Green 2) Kerr pulls for four, picking her spot well, and then cuts nicely but too close to the fielder at point. Ecclestone’s last ball turns sharply and beats the bat, well bowled.
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12th over: New Zealand 46-2 (A Kerr 5, Green 2) One boundary in nine overs now for New Zealand, and England crowd the circle as they look to keep the pressure on. Sciver-Brunt’s second over duly goes for just one. The required run rate is up to 5.44 now, and climbing sharply.
11th over: New Zealand 45-2 (A Kerr 4, Green 2) Ecclestone only took one wicket in the first ODI, when Lauren Bell and Charlie Dean did the damage with three each. She’s accurate from the start, and the batters take a single each.
10th over: New Zealand 43-2 (A Kerr 3, Green 1) Given Bernadine Bezuidenhout’s injury the White Ferns are effectively three down. There’s no need to panic, in the face of a far from ungettable total, but their margin for error has been whittled away. And now Sophie Ecclestone is coming on.
WICKET! Bates c Capsey b Sciver-Brunt 28 (New Zealand 42-2)
Nat Sciver-Brunt takes a wicket with her first ball! Bates top-edges straight up, and it’s the simplest possible catch for Alice Capsey at square leg.
9th over: New Zealand 42-1 (Bates 28, A Kerr 3) The wind has gone right out of the Kiwi sails here, and after motoring through the first few overs they’ve been reined in – England were 39-1 at the same stage of their innings, so it’s more or less level pegging.
8th over: New Zealand 40-1 (Bates 28, A Kerr 1) Just one off the first five deliveries, but Bates goes down the wicket to the last and hits nicely through midwicket for four, her best shot so far.
7th over: New Zealand 35-1 (Bates 24, A Kerr 0) Oof! Cross continues, and Bates bottom-edges one just wide of her stumps. That can’t have been more than two inches away from her leg stump. It runs away for a couple, the only runs off Cross’s over.
6th over: New Zealand 33-1 (Bates 22, A Kerr 0) And that’s the final ball of Lauren Bell’s third over, which had previously included two singles and a wide.
WICKET! Plimmer c Jones b Bell 7 (New Zealand 33-1)
Edged, and a regulation take behind the stumps! Good line there from Bell, tempting Plimmer into wafting her bat outside off stump.
5th over: New Zealand 30-0 (Bates 21, Plimmer 6) “There’s an intensity to Suzie Bates’s eyes that I haven’t seen for a wee period of time,” we’re told. She drives Cross’s final ball straight into the stumps at the other end, which were the only things likely to stop it going for four.
4th over: New Zealand 24-0 (Bates 16, Plimmer 5) England had just nine runs at this point. New Zealand, for all that a couple of boundaries have come off the edge, haven’t offered a chance and are scoring healthily.
3rd over: New Zealand 20-0 (Bates 15, Plimmer 2) Another thick edge, another boundary for Bates, who has faced 17 of the first 18 deliveries.
2nd over: New Zealand 16-0 (Bates 11, Plimmer 2) Lauren Bell’s first ball is wild, hoops down leg and is well stopped by Amy Jones behind the stumps. There’s another wide later, a really harsh call with the ball to my eye passing just inside the line, and beyond that a misfield-assisted single and a couple off the last.
1st over: New Zealand 10-0 (Bates 10, Plimmer 0) Kate Cross opens the bowling, and Suzie Bates opens the scoring with a thick edge that flies over the two slips and away for four. Then Bates does well to reach one that swings slightly away from wide to really wide, getting it away for a couple, and well also to get an edge to the next, an inswinger arrowing towards her pads. The last ball of the over is hammered through cover for four.
Right, they’re back out. New Zealand down to 10 batters because of Bezuidenhout’s injury. Let’s go!
Hello overyone! I won’t lie, I’ve been unconscious for the entire England innings. The White Ferns are going to have to be quite entertaining to stop me lapsing into that state. Come on then, let’s see what they’ve got.
Ach, Bernadine Bezuidenhout won’t be opening; NZ will have to find someone else….
Anyroad up, Simon Burnton is here, so that’s goodnight from me and good morning from him. Peace out.
The problem, perhaps, for NZ, is that they might struggle to make 253 in the way England made 252; if their top few don’t go big, they don’t have experienced hitters down the order able to salvage things.
Credit to Melie Kerr, who used her bowlers and fielders well; credit to England’s lower-order, who upped the tempo when a much lower total looked possible.
Both sides will be satisfied enough with that. New Zealand are absolutely in the match but will feel their target should be lower; England have fewer than they’ll have wanted but more than they feared, and will be confident of defending a par-ish total.
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England set New Zealand 253 to win!
WICKET! Bell c Rowe b Bates 6 (England 252 all out)
Bell slashes and, running in from mid on, Rowe again throws herself forward, this time more for fun than necessity, to end England’s innings an over early.
49th over: England 252-9 (Cross 20, Bell 6) Having robbed the strike, Bell slashes and edges the returning Bates for four fine on the on side; she loves it, chortling away with her mate. A single follows, giving Cross three balls, and she turns the first off her toes for one then Bell just about removes one from in front of her stumps.
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48th over: England 246-9 (Cross 19, Bell 1) Bell’s not batted much in her time playing for Englad, but she does really to dig out a toe-crusher, and they run one.
WICKET! Jones c Halliday b Tahuhu 48 (England 245-9)
Jones looks to scoop and does, but directly to the fielder at fine leg.
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48th over: England 245-8 (Jones 48, Cross 19) Tahuhu returns and Jones unloads the suitcase at a swing, picking out the fielder at wide long on for one, then Cross hits to Kerr M at mid on and they scamper one more. And have a look! Jones, seeing it like a planet, steps down to hammer over the top for four more, raising the fifty partnership off 41 balls, then adds two thanks to a decent slide on the tope from Plimmer, who’s fielded really well.
47th over: England 237-8 (Jones 41, Cross 18) It’s back to Bates and after a single, Jones, playing another fine knock, reverse-drives around the corner, Jonas misfields and that’s four; four more, the next ball swatted to fence at midwicket! That’s the second time Jones has hit two boundaries in consecutive balls and whatever happens from here, England will go into the dressing room on a buzz, NZ thinking they’ve let it get away. Three singles complete the over, 12 from it.
46th over: England 225-8 (Jones 31, Cross 16) Rowe’s return, in … and it’s a wide. Cross then swings from outside off to long on and they run; she’s batting nicely. A single follows, then Jones swipes a wide full toss around the corner for four; that’s a dreadful delivery, and NZ have, as Arsene Wenger might say, lost a bit control. Shonuff, when Jones adds one more, Cross swings, slices, ad as the ball runs away towards the point fence, they run three which means she keeps the strike.
45th over: England 213-8 (Jones 26, Cross 10) Cross takes a single then Jones prods at Kerr’s final ball, preventing it from grubbing through, just. She finishes with 1-35 off her 10 overs.
NOT OUT!
There’s no edge nor was the ball hitting, so neither caught nor lb are in play.
45th over: England 212-8 (Jones 26, Cross 9) Melie Kerr returns for her final over, looking to stem the flow, and when she gets a bit of extra turn and bounce, cutting Cross in half, she appeals for a catch behind, going upstairs when it’s rejected.
44th over: England 212-8 (Jones 26, Cross 9) Jones obviously rates Cross’ batting because she takes a single off Kerr’s first ball … rightly so, because a lovely drive over the head of long on has just enough pop to get to the fence for four. That’s England’s 200 up, and a cut to point gives Jones a couple of balls to work with; she immediately pulls through midwicket for four … then does the same again! That’s 14 off the over, and the sprint for home in on.
43rd over: England 198-8 (Jones 17, Cross 4) Golden Arm Bates continues and Cross could hit her out the park when she loops one more than intended, but doesn’t move her feet so can’t properly get at it. A backfoot force then gives Jones strike and she adds a further single.
42nd over: England 195-8 (Jones 15, Cross 3) Kerr J returns and a single to Jones gives cross the strike; her powerful drive picks out a fielder. She then misses outside off before snaffling a single to mid on, and I wonder if England misread the pitch; the ball isn’t really coming on, and it looks a chase track to me.
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41st over: England 192-8 (Jones 13, Cross 2) I wonder if we’ll see Cross’ famous scoop; not yet, a more traditional nurdle and they sprint through for two.
WICKET! Ecclestone c Green b Bates 14 (England 190-8)
England just can’t get a partnership going and when Ecclesteon goes high but not far, Green making the take look easy at a vey fine long on.
41st over: England 190-7 (Jones 13, Ecclestone 14) Ah, actually it’s more spin, with Bates introduced to the attack – I guess Kerr fancies the batters want pace on the ball, while Ecclestone will be looking forward to bowling.
40th over: England 189-7 (Jones 12, Ecclestone 14) I’ve now eaten two hot chocolate sachets, you’ll be delighted to learn as Jonas begins the final over of a very useful spell; Melie Kerr also has one left, after which it’s pace to the end. And maybe that’s for the best because Ecclestone, starting to enjoy herself, cuffs the first six of the series over wide long on; “Get in!” she advises Jones. Jonas finishes with 2-47 .
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39th over: England 182-7 (Jones 11, Ecclestone 8) Jones plays into the off side and they run one; I guess she rates Ecclestone’s batting, because otherwise she’d surely farm the strike. And there you go, a lofted drive over mid off gives her four; that was a really clean swing. but next ball they pinch a single and Ecclestone looks miles gone if the throw hits … but it doesnae.
38th over: England 175-7 (Jones 9, Ecclestone 3) Single to Jones, then Ecclestone swings at a wide one, sending two to point, but can’t score off the over’s final two deliveries.
37th over: England 172-7 (Jones 8, Ecclestone 1) At this point England need to see out their overs, but after Ecclestone takes one, Jones waits to hoik over cover for four; shot. Then she goes again, not getting all of it at all but the ball not quite picking out mid off; somehow they only run one, though it was in the air for about 10 minutes.
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WICKET! Dean b Kerr A 1 (England 166-7)
Make that six wickets lost for 59! Dean waits to cut … and plays on, misjudging a wrongun that stays low!
36th over: England 166-6 (Jones 3, Dean 1) That was another good review from NZ and England have lost five wickets for 56 runs; might today be the day NZ put it all together? Dean quickly gets off the mark, then Jones flips over her shoulder for two, but has Bezuidenhout diddled a hammy throwing in? Ach, not as she threw but as she ran; off she goes.
WICKET! Wyatt c Gaze b Jonas 2 (England 163-6)
Yup, Wyatt tried another run-down but got her timing wrong and picked out the gloves.
36th over: England 163-5 (Wyatt 2, Jones 1) Jonas returns, Wyatt swipes at one, there’s an appeal for a caught behind and when the umpire says no, NZ immediately go upstairs. I thought i saw a deflection…
35th over: England 163-5 (Wyatt 2, Jones 1) Melie Kerr brings herself back and Jones laps into herself, then swipes fresh air only for Gaze to miss the take and cede four byes. They’re the only runs from the over.
34th over: England 159-5 (Wyatt 2, Jones 1) We know that Jones is in form, but England are again relying on a number seven to get them out of trouble.
WICKET! Beaumont c Plimmer b Rowe 81 (England 152-5)
Beaumont throws it away! She rushes down, gets into a dreadful position, and rather than leave it along to try and get outside it to hit off side, she plays a tennis overhead that picks out mid on. There was no need for that, and NZ no have two new batters to work on.
34th over: England 152-4 (Beaumont 81, Wyatt 2) Kerr restores Rowe to her attack, and short, leg-side loosener is helped around the corner for a four that takes Beaumont to 80. A single brings Wyatt on to strike, and she again opens the face to get down the other end.
33rd over: England 152-4 (Beaumont 76, Wyatt 1) A bouncer, then Wyatt opens the face and sets off for a single. Tahuhu, running in hard, has Beaumont swiftly withdrawing the bat when one holds its line, then she comes down and forces two over the top followed by one square on the on side.
32nd over: England 148-4 (Beaumont 73, Wyatt 0) A bye, then Beaumont hauls Jonas around the corner and a misfield on the fence lets it through for four.
WICKET! Capsey st Gaze b Jonas 6 (England 143-4)
Jonas sees Capsey coming, tosses a bit wider, and Gaze takes it really well, swiping off the bails. Huge wicket!
32nd over: England 143-3 (Beaumont 69, Capsey 6) We’re all friends here, so I’ll level with you: I ate crisps and hummus at this late hour. Now that you ask. A single and a wide from the first three balls get us moving again…
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31st over: England 141-3 (Beaumont 68, Capsey 6) Beaumont swipes Tahuhu’s first delivery across the line for four and in comms, they wonder what England will be happy with. My sense is that they’ll feel confident of defending almost anything they get from here but will want 280, and they keep going at it, adding two ones and a two before Beaumont waits for one, wafting it high over backward point for four. Thirteen off the over and drinks.
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30th over: England 128-3 (Beaumont 56, Capsey 5) Jonas returns and Beaumont hauls her to wide long on for one, then Capsey scoops, falls, and runs one, laughing. Her partner, though, is starting to feel herself, carting a loose one to deep square for four, and what could be a crucial partnership is settling.
29th over: England 121-3 (Beaumont 50, Capsey4) Tahuhu returns and immediately, Beaumont turns her into the on side for her 19th ODI 50 for England; she has nine centuries and will, of course, fancy another. Insight like that is why they pay me the big bucks. Capsey then hits hard to midwicket for two, and she’s looking a little more settled now.
28th over: England 118-3 (Beaumont 49, Capsey 2) NZ have the strangle on, Capsey unable to get the ball away, so after three dots they snaffle one to mid off because the guess Tahuhu can’t field quickly enough. Bates and Kerr A then collide in the field running in from cover and cover point, but it’s all smiles as the batters run one.
27th over: England 116-3 (Beaumont 48, Capsey 1) Lovely turn and bounce from Kerr A, missing everything, and they run one, which is given as off the bat; in comes a slip. Capsey is in the team to hit the ball hard and far, but might feel, with so long still to go, that she needs to play herself in. Meantime, Kerr bowls nicely, Capsey turning one around the corner for one.
WICKET! Sciver-Brunt b Kerr J 2 (England 114-3)
Another slower-ball wicket! This time, Sciver-Brunt – who never looked comfy – is through the shot early, loses her off-bail, and NZ are doing nicely now.
26th over: England 114-2 (Beaumont 47, Sciver-Brunt 2) A pull in front of square on the off side earns Beaumont one, but you can sense she wants to be hitting bigger balls than that. A misfield then allows Sciver-Brunt a further single, a wide follows, then a tip-and-run adds another…
25th over: England 110-2 (Beaumont 45, Sciver-Brunt 1) Beaumont takes a single but again Sciver-Brunt can’t get away, picking out a fielder with her cut then coming down looking for a quick one that isn’t there. She does, though, then force the issue, Beaumont responds in kind, and that makes it three off another decent over.
24th over: England 107-2 (Beaumont 43, Sciver-Brunt 0) Sciver-Brunt feels due, but before we talk about her, that’s another decent knock from Knight. Otherwise, three dots end the over and if NZ can get another wicket quickly, that runs tally will look a little shy.
WICKET! Knight lbw b Kerr J 37 (England 107-2)
Great review and a clever delivery, taking pace off. Knight was there early, couldn’t get bat on ball, and was hit on the back pad, the ball headed for the top of middle-and-off. New Zealand needed that, badly.
24th over: England 107-1 (Beaumont 43, Knight 37) A single to Beaumont, then Knight flicks hard over midwicket for four. Next ball, though, she’s squared, rushed and cramped … takes it on the pad … not out says the umpire. Upstairs says Melie Kerr, and if there’s no bat involved I think this could be gone.
23rd over: England 102-1 (Beaumont 42, Knight 33) Melie Kerr continues, a pair of singles from her first two deliveries raising England’s hundred. Knight then pulls to wide long on for one more and another to Beaumont completes the over. It’s not been thirlling so far, but it has been effective.
22nd over: England 98-1 (Beaumont 40, Knight 31) Kerr J returns, and though I can see why she’s been brought back, I thought Jonas was bowling well. She cedes a single to Knight then a wide, before Beaumont pushes down the ground for one and the captain pulls to long on for one more.
21st over: England 94-1 (Beaumont 39, Knight 29) Another single to Beaumont, then Knight laps for two before a swipe outside off is fielded at backward point – and there’s also a point in. England are struggling to get the ball away or keep it away from fielders, though as I type and after one more for Knight, Beaumont cuts away and a misfield ensures she gets four. Eight off the over, the most costly in quite some time.
20th over: England 86-1 (Beaumont 34, Knight 26) Two dots then a wide, Jonas bowling outside off to an off-side field; Beaumont’s getting a little aggy with herself, coming down and edging into the pad as we learn a shower is not impossible. Finally, she forces away into the off side and they run a single; the NZ spinners are bowling nicely.
19th over: England 84-1 (Beaumont 33, Knight 26) Push and run from Knight, who sets off so early she makes it home in decent time. Beaumont’s thrash into the off side adds one more, and the scoring has slowed somewhat – but England will be much the happier of the sides given what they’ve got in the hutch.
18th over: England 82-1 (Beaumont 32, Knight 25) Beaumont comes down and Jonas does her in the flight, her eventual leading edge dropping just short of the fielder running in from cover. Naturally, the next ball goes for four … or does Plimmer haul it back on the slide? Oh, she does, a review shows it’s only three, and she’s having a really good day in the field. Three singles and a dot complete the over, Beaumont again misjudging the flight when facing its final delivery.
17th over: England 76-1 (Beaumont 28, Knight 23) Melie Kerr brings herself on cedes one from her first four balls without finding much in the way of turn. A further single follows, and that’s a decent start to a spell NZ are probably relying on to force something.
16th over: England 74-1 (Beaumont 27, Knight 22) Until now, England have kind of let Jonas bowl, so first ball after the break Knight gets down quick, hoisting four over the top. A single follows, then Beaumont does all she can to reach a wide one and can’t; wide, followed by another fractionally down the leg side. The batters then add a single apiece, and they’re in decent control here and know they’ve heavy artillery backing them up. NZ need a wicket.
15th over: England 65-1 (Beaumont 26, Knight 16) Another single then a high wide, before Knight cuts to cover and they push for two; well run and drinks.
NOT OUT!
Knight’s stretch was enough, just, but the painted line is thick.
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15th over: England 61-1 (Beaumont 24, Knight 15) Beaumont pushes and they look to steal a single, but a brilliant direct hit from Plimmer on the 45 and we go upstairs!
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14th over: England 60-1 (Beaumont 23, Knight 15) Beaumont forces around the corner for one, but Jonas is doing a decent job crowding the batters and cedes no further runs.
13th over: England 59-1 (Beaumont 22, Knight 15) Three dots from Tahuhu, then Knight adjusts feet really well to get inside the ball, driving through mid off for four; she’s in and in nick, and next delivery gets up high to open the face cross-batted, sending two away on the off side.
12th over: England 53-1 (Beaumont 22, Knight 9) Time for spin with Fran Jonas into the attack and Knight laps s her second ball over her shoulder for one, then Beaumont misses her attempt … but did she get an edge that Gaze misses? I think she did you know. Another lap for two follows, and England are approaching this in the old skool manner: solid base, wickets in hand for the big hitters.
11th over: England 50-1 (Beaumont 20, Knight 8) A single to Beaumont, then Knight waits for one and guides it through cover for four. A further single follows, and NZ could use another wicket.
10th over: England 44-1 (Beaumont 19, Knight 3) On a buzz, Rowe gets what’s probably an extra over and Beaumont turns her first ball away into the on side for two. A single follows, then Knight follows a ball that would’ve been a wide, only able to add one. Then Beaumont comes down the track only to pick out the sweeper, and that’s the powerplay played.
9th over: England 39-1 (Beaumont 15, Knight 2) The England captain is immediately off the mark with a brace. But seriously, what a catch.
WICKET! Bouchier c Rowe b Tahuhu 20 (England 37-1)
AND SHE DOES BREAK THIS PARTNERSHIP! Sort of. Because again, Bouchier flicks uppishly, this time towards mid on, except Rowe takes two steps to her right, then flows into the tallest, most graceful of full-length dives, holding a two-handed ripper. Brilliant!
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9th over: England 37-0 (Beaumont 15, Bouchier 20) Tahuhu into the attack, presumably with the brief of breaking this partnership, and Bouchier has a look then flicks uppishly around the corner; they sprint through for two.
8th over: England 35-0 (Beaumont 15, Bouchier 18) A single to Beaumont then a bouncer to Bouchier – a decent one from Rowe – forces the pull, and a thick edge earns four. After two dots, she then clips to midwicket for a single, and a wide means an extra ball; Bouchier isn’t far off edging it, but she survives and England are moving.
7th over: England 28-0 (Beaumont 14, Bouchier 13) England have had enough of letting NZ bowl, Bouchier coming down to loft four down the ground. And she goes again next ball but gets toe-ended edge, so they have to make do with two. A pair of singles follow, and the innings is building momentum.
6th over: England 20-0 (Beaumont 13, Bouchier 6) A good ball to begin, but then Rowe strays leg side, ceding a wide and Bouchier opens the face to run one down for a single. But look at that! Last ball of the over, Beaumont skips down and flicks high, but over square leg from halfway down, four a fantastic four. To get it away at that angle requires serious wrists.
5th over: England 14-0 (Beaumont 9, Bouchier 5) Bouchier feels outside off and the swing beats her, then Halliday cuts off a drive; she wants to get things moving. She really wants to get things moving, looking to flick with swing and over midwicket but not getting enough of it; the ball drops just short of Melie Kerr and they run one. Oh, and of course Beaumont wants to get on with it too, scampering down to hoist four down the ground; immediately, Isabella Gaze comes up; “Should’ve done two overs ago,” muses Alex Hartley in comms.
4th over: England 9-0 (Beaumont 5, Bouchier 4) Rowe’s really running in hard, but after two dots Beaumont is irritated to miss out on half-volley. Another one – another dot that is – follows, then a full-toss at the body – I like that! – and a push to the fielder at mid on compltes the maiden. NZ will like the start they’ve made, but England will be satisfied to still have their openers in the middle.
3rd over: England 9-0 (Beaumont 5, Bouchier 4) Two dots, then a clever slower-ball yorker on a fifth-stump line – very nice from Kerr J. So Beaumont comes down and turns to leg for one – she’s so hard to bowl to because she’s so proactive – which is the only run from a decent over.
2nd over: England 8-0 (Beaumont 4, Bouchier 4) It’s Hannah Rowe to open from the other end but before that, there’s an enquiry about the ball and out comes the box of spares; Rowe picks one and off we go again. In comms, they discuss how the players choose, and I always think of Jimmy Anderson when this comes up: he likes the dark ones that feel small in your hand, though I’m not sure how the former translates to a white meteor. Anyroad, Rowe finds decent shape, but when she offers width, Bouchier cuts … but picks out Plimmer at point, then again next ball. No matter, more width, a stretch to make sure, and four hurtling through cover point.
1st over: England 4-0 (Beaumont 4, Bouchier 0) Good start, an in-ducker on Beaumont, but then some width; Bates stops a firm shove at cover. Then again, Beaumont goes hard to no avail, Kerr taking the sting out of a drive down the pitch, and eventually she finds the gap, rocking back to cut four through backward point.
Jess Kerr has the new globule.
Here come our batters…
Lea Tahuhu says that they’ve had a little chat, looked at things individually and as a team, and are taking the positives from a decent performance in the last match – it’s just about tweaking that last 10%.
Amy Jones is loving NZ. She says on as well as off the pitch it’s been enjoyable, they had a good little hit yesterday and are ready for today. They’ve had some good discussions as a batting group about communication and how they can work together in saying the right things at the right time under pressure.
There’s a bit of sun but not much grass, and the pitch report is that it’s a batter’s day – but with something for the bowlers early doors.
I’m looking forward to watching more Maia Bouchier – on a track that should help her. If she gets going, she could make something serious.
New Zealand, of course, are without captain Sophie Devine. As noted by Kerr A at the toss, though, Suzie Bates has plenty of experience in the role, though even if they don’t miss her as a skipper, as a player no her is a problem.
Any other contact-lens wearers feel half asleep when they’re in glasses? I’ve just cleaned mine, and discovered it helps a bit; I’ve been wearing them 38 years.
Teams!
England: Beaumont, Bouchier, Knight, Sciver-Brunt, Capsey, Wyatt, Jones, Dean, Ecclestone, Cross, Bell.
New Zealand: Bates, Bezuidenhout, Kerr A, Plimmer, Green, Halliday, Gaze, Rowe, Kerr J, Tahuhu, Jonas.
Amelia Kerr says NZ got a great start last time and put England under pressure; this time it’s about breaking partnerships. She’s not captained much 50-over cricket before, so this is great experience for her, and she reckons it’s about finding ways to maintain pressure. The problem, she thinks is mental not technical – they need to be brave and take positive options under pressure. Her team too are unchanged.
England win the toss and will bat!
It looks a decent track, reckons Heather Knight, and it’s a high-scoring ground so she wants to set a target. Her team are unchanged.
Toss time. Hamilton looks lovely as ever…
Preamble
A key characteristic of a good team is that when they need saving, someone, sometimes someone you don’t expect, stands up to save them – Gus Logie and Jeff Dujon made careers out of doing it, Andy Bichel did it when his side had never needed it more, and Amy Jones did it for England last time out.
But another key characteristic of a good team is elite players who excel consistently – just look at Meg Lanning, Alyssa Healy and chums. And that, perhaps, is the area in which this already excellent England team can look to improve: they have lots of talent, but to win the big pots they need to retain all of Column A while adding a little to Column B.
New Zealand, meanwhile – though doing well for periods – are struggling to play well enough for long enough to seriously trouble England. So given that, in the longer limited-overs format, it’s harder for a single player to dominate the game, the tourists start as warm favourites. But things can change very quickly.
Play: 11am local, 11pm BST
