At Bristol, England defeated New Zealand by five wickets in the third one-day international thanks to a career-best performance of 5-37 by Lauren Bell. The White Ferns were limited to 211-8 after the game was postponed until 42 overs per side due to afternoon rain.
In response, England fell to 33-3 but were saved by a 90-run partnership between Amy Jones and Nat Sciver-Brunt for the fifth wicket. England crossed the finish line with 20 balls left with two runs-per-ball contributions from Jones and Sciver-Brunt, who combined for 76 not out.
With the victory, England has won the series handily. A five-match Twenty20 series will now begin on Saturday in Southampton. Bell, 23, was the catalyst for England’s victory. She dismissed Sophie Devine for 43 for her maiden wicket, ending a critical 68-run partnership between the New Zealand captain and Amelia Kerr at the third wicket.
After that, Kerr was pinned leg before wicket for 57, the lone half-century for New Zealand in the series. Then, Brooke Halliday was caught behind for 31 and Lauren Down and Izzy Gaze were caught at mid-on.
After being dismissed for 156 and 141, the visitors amassed their highest score of the series, but they nevertheless lost a quick succession of wickets, as four wickets for 27 fell before the end of the game.
After that, England’s middle order was exposed for the first time in this series because to an outstanding ball powerplay, which saw Tammy Beaumont trapped leg before wicket for a duck, Heather Knight caught and bowled for nine, and Maia Bouchier fall for 19.
After Jones was removed in the 31st over, Sciver-Brunt was dropped on 63, which caused some nervousness. However, she skillfully timed her innings with Alice Capsey, who was undefeated on 35, to lead them to victory with poise.
It appeared that New Zealand would get lucky three times to bat first in the series, with Kerr and Devine’s partnership picking up steam following the early exits of openers Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer.
The seasoned player had taken control from the front with a vicious, run-a-ball 43 after two subpar performances that had clearly irritated Devine, but Bell’s revival in the middle overs altered the game’s trajectory.
In her early career, Bell’s sharp inswing garnered most of the attention, but she has since evolved admirably, as evidenced by her variations, which were on display during this match-winning spell when she filled in for the rested world’s best spinner, Sophie Ecclestone.
After Devine played onto a short ball, Kerr was compelled to adopt an aggressive stance. She swung across the line after another crucial stand of 65 with Halliday, and she was stuck in front.
Although Halliday was unlucky to palm a short ball over to Jones, England brought pressure to the White Ferns’ struggling middle to the lower order, tricking both Gaze and Down with clever slower balls.
Although it was an improvement, the decline from 181-4 to 211-8 was similar to New Zealand’s series thus far, which has seen some strong beginnings, brief periods of resistance from Kerr, Devine, and Halliday, and then wilting when one of those three is not at the crease.
However, Bell’s form has arrived just in time for England, who will be happy with the time she has to continue building momentum and confidence ahead of October’s World Cup in that format, even though she might not participate in all five T20 matches due to workload.
After having a respectable score to defend, New Zealand’s bowlers at last showed an initial burst of desire and aggression that initially affected England’s top order. The seamer Hannah Rowe earned her wicket, having dropped the opening ball of the innings and bowling with threatening pace and swing. Beaumont was unlucky to be adjudged leg before stump.
After earlier scores of 67 and 100 in the series, seamer Molly Penfold effectively exploited her pace and bounce to get Bouchier caught behind for 19. Rowe also pulled a leading edge from England captain Knight for a scratchy nine from 21 balls.
However, their attack was blocked by the class and experience of Sciver-Brunt and Jones, who, after the opening bowlers were withdrawn, quietly calmed the jitters by rotating the strike sensibly and waiting for the poor ball.
The middle order was largely underutilized in the previous two games, which could have led to more trouble given Bouchier’s incredible form. However, because the equation remained at four an over for the majority of the chase, England was able to bat with minimal risk and New Zealand’s spinners posed little threat in the middle.
England was winning handily, but the final result was somewhat more muted thanks to Plimmer’s vital Sciver-Brunt drop at cover following Jones’ removal. However, Capsey’s crucial strike from 30 balls at number seven—her first of the series—combined with a superb all-around performance to make England the overwhelming favourite going into the T20 series.
Brief Scores: England vs New Zealand 3rd ODI
New Zealand 211/8 in 42 overs (Amelia Kerr 57, Sophie Devine 43; Lauren Bell 5-37, Kate Cross 2-46) lost to England 212/5 in 38.4 overs (Nat Sciver-Brunt 76*, Amy Jones 50; Hannah Rowe 2-38, Molly Penfold 1-45) by 5 wickets.
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