England is touring New Zealand for a series consisting of 5 T20Is and 3 ODIs, which commenced on the 19th of March. England emerged victorious in the T20I series, clinching it with a scoreline of 4-1. The ODI series, crucially part of the ICC Championship 2022-25, began on the 1st of April, with England currently leading by winning the first ODI in the three-match ODI series. The final scheduled ODI match is set to be played on the 7th of April in Hamilton.
England began their innings after winning the toss, opting to bat first. Tammy Beaumont provided a solid start, anchoring the innings with a composed 81 runs off 96 balls. Maia Bouchier and skipper Heather Knight also contributed with scores of 20 and 37 respectively. However, regular breakthroughs from New Zealand’s bowlers restricted England’s progress. Later contributions came from Amy Jones scoring 48 runs off 40 balls and Kate Cross’s unbeaten 20 off 25 balls, guiding England to a total of 252 runs all out in 49 overs. Jess Kerr, Lea Tahuhu, Fran Jonas, and Suzie Bates all contributed with two wickets each.
Chasing a target of 253 runs, New Zealand faced early setbacks during the powerplay. Suzie Bates and Amelia Kerr tried to stabilize the innings but fell for 28 and 14 runs respectively. Brooke Halliday’s resilient knock of 57 runs off 90 balls provided some major contribution, supported by Isabella Gaze’s 47 runs off 48 balls. The consistent pressure by the England bowlers restricted New Zealand’s scoring rate and lacked support from the lower order, resulting in a 56-run defeat. New Zealand fell short, managing to score 196 runs, getting all out in 45 overs. Nat Sciver-Brunt claimed three crucial wickets for England against 21 runs in her spell of 7 overs. Tammy Beaumont won the Player of the Match accolade for her innings of 81 runs from 96 balls including nine boundaries.
Despite efforts from New Zealand, England emerged victorious, showcasing a balanced performance with both bat and ball, securing a commanding victory in the second ODI, winning the three-match series with the score of 2-0.
