England’s win was tenth consecutive loss for NZ. [New Zealand Tour – First ODI, Christchurch Hagley Oval on 23 February 2021]
As seen on BT TV Sport and heard on BBC Radio, England Women made a dream start in their first ODI match following the pandemic hiatus. Their opponents, according to ‘Espn online,’ faced their tenth consecutive defeat: – uncomfortably their worst losing streak in NZ women’s history. Previously, White Ferns Coach (Bob Carter) had warned that New Zealand women were without Suzie Bates (suffering from a shoulder injury) and Rosemary Mair (side strain.) Brooke Halliday and Fran Jonas were substituting for the three-match series.
Remarkably, all England’s bowlers took wickets and similarly, all England’s batters made double figures. BT Sport commentator, ex-England’s Alex Hartley said that: ‘Every (England) bowler had… done their job,’ as did the batters. Top-scoring Tammy Beaumont (72) told BBC News that England had a ‘comfortable win’ – see video link below. BBC statisticians added that Beaumont is second only to Australia’s Alyssa Healy, scoring the most ODI runs to date, since January 2019.
*Batting first, only five NZ players made double figures, contained by England’s pace attack of Nat Sciver (1/22), Katherine Brunt (1/26). Right-arm fast medium pacer Freya Davies (1/30) and left-arm seamer Tash Farrant (2/31) were both playing in their second ODI. By the Hundred benchmark (16.4 overs) NZ were struggling on 73-3. NZ Opener Hayley Jensen (53) and left-handed newbie Brooke Halliday (50) both went on to score half-centuries.
*England’s Sophie Ecclestone was involved in four dismissals, firstly taking two catches to dismiss Amanda Kerr (13) off Freya Davies; and Katey Martin (14) off Heather Knight. Secondly, Ecclestone then dismissed two tail-enders ‘leg before,’ Frankie Mackay (5) and Hannah Rowe (0) for a second ball duck.
* Having harvested the White Ferns for 178, Tammy Beaumont (72) hit eleven ‘fours’ and Heather Knight (67*) added 94 runs for England’s second wicket – Captain Knight scoring fastest at a rate of one-run-per ball, including seven ‘fours’ and one ‘six’. With 98 balls to spare, all batters had made double figures and England won by a comfortable margin of 8 wickets.
Result
1st ODI Result: England women (181-2, 33.4 overs) beat New Zealand women (178 all out, 45.1 overs) women by 8 wickets. NZ: Hayley Jensen 53, Halliday 50; Sophie Ecclestone 2-36, Tash Farrant 2-31; England (181-2) Tammy Beaumont 72, Heather Knight 67*; Hayley Jensen 1-18;
Next match
Women’s ODIs both take place in Dunedin (NZ South Island) on 26 & 28 February.
