Amy Jones and Heather Knight both scored 63 as England posted 290 for five, then bowled New Zealand out for 148 in a dominant victory at Headingley
Here’s Raf Nicholson’s match report from Headingley:
Related: England’s Katherine Brunt a local hero in ruthless defeat of New Zealand
And that’s it from me. Have a great evening celebrating two England wins, both nerveless.
And this is something to shout about too - the ECB marching at Pride! Time does indeed move on, and sometimes in a good way.
So, so proud that we’re at #Pride2018 today, breaking new ground.
It would have meant the world to me as a kid to see vocal support for the LGBT community from the sporting world.
I hope it helps all kids understand that sport is open to them and that they can be themselves https://t.co/blWqDW5MDa
The circus moves next to Derbyshire on Tuesday, with England cock-a-hoop and New Zealand with much to ponder. This time the match doesn’t clash with an England world-cup game.
Yorkshire Vikings v Derbyshire Falcons on the other hand...
Can’t wait for Wednesday, Derbyshire at home. #VitalityBlast#yccc#ItsCominHome
It was the first time England women had ever played a match at Headingley, the first time Katherine Brunt’s dad had seen his daughter on his home ground. And England utterly dominated.
Post-match, the admirably honest Suzie Bates criticised herself and Sophie Devine for not turning thirties into something larger, and said she was considering fiddling with batting order, though “I don’t think our batting is order is going to fix 150 runs short.”
That was a superb victory by England. Disciplined with ball and bat - if a little sloppy occasionally in the field. But hey, let’s brush over that on this day of all days. A whopping victory for England, against a New Zealand side that were on the slide after losing their muscular top two of Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates.
35.3 overs: New Zealand 148 all out (Ebrahim 16) And that’s it, all over, England win by a huge 142 runs.
A first ODI wicket on debut for Katie George!
33rd over: New Zealand 148-9.( Ebrahim 16, Huddleston 1) Happy days for Marsh and England. She has 3 for 24 off her super 7 overs. Well bowled!
The ball pitches outside off and turns sharply, through the gate, and the death rattle sounds.
33rd over: New Zealand 145-8.( Ebrahim 15, Tahuhu 5) Tahuhu takes out her frustration on Katie George, with a boundary. A big shout from George against Ebrahim off the last ball of her over, but it doesn’t look out, and the umpire agrees.
32nd over: New Zealand 137-8.( Ebrahim 12, Tahuhu 0) The crowd plumps up at Headingley as those watching the TV file out back to their plastic seats. They won’t have long to wait.
A super line from Marsh: the ball bounces and turns, with style! It hits Kasperek firmly on her legs, in line and the umpire raises his finger.
32nd over: New Zealand 132-7.(Kasperek 10, Ebrahim 12) A meaty slog from Kasperek sends Ecclestone over the boundary. Then a second, classier, a squarer drive this time.
And England are through to the World Cup semi-final! Goals for Harry Maguire and Dele Alli.
31st over: New Zealand 124-7.(Kasperek 2, Ebrahim 12) New Zealand perhaps sensibly saving a lame batting performance for a time when even the crowd is distracted by another game. Ebrahim swings at the last delivery of Marsh’s over, drives with style and flounce through extra-cover for four.
30th over: New Zealand 117-7.(Kasperek 1, Ebrahim 7) More tight bowling from Ecclestone, on a spin-friendly pitch. New Zealand looking short of ideas.
29th over: New Zealand 116-7.(Kasperek 0, Ebrahim 7) This game is dying rather a slow death.
Huge turn off the surface from Marsh and Watkin trapped quite high on the pad.
28th over: New Zealand 112-5.(Watkin 0, Ebrahim 5) A super wicket-maiden for Ecclestone, who is finding some spin from this dry, dry surface. Currently 6 overs 1-24.
A whip to midwicket where the catch is well-taken by Sciver, making amends for her earlier drop.
27th over: New Zealand 112-5.(Green 21, Ebrahim 5) Superb evasive action from Ebrahim as Green smacks the ball towards long on and she slips slow-motion limbo-stylee out of the way.
Interesting this:
Wasn't aware of this; but the rules on World Cup qualification have apparently changed - the hosts (New Zealand in 2021) now automatically qualify directly, so the 4th placed side in ICC Championship may have to qualify via the qualifiers if NZ don't finish Top 4.
26th over: New Zealand 109-5.(Green 19, Ebrahim 3) Just a couple of runs off the over, another tight one from Ecclestone.
25th over: New Zealand 107-5.(Green 18, Ebrahim 3) A nudge from Ebrahim, a drive from Green. A full toss doesn’t bring any runs. New Zealand rebuilding begins, but slowly.
24th over: New Zealand 104-5.(Green 17, Ebrahim 1) Ecclestone, long, smooth pony tail swinging with her action, sunglasses on, keeps Ebrahim and Green on their toes with her loop and accuracy . A misfield by Beaumont means two runs off the over.
23rd over: New Zealand 102-5.(Green 16, Ebrahim 0) Just one off Laura Marsh’s first over of the day.
22nd over: New Zealand 101-5.(Green 15, Ebrahim 0 ) So it wasn’t to be for Kerr today, she sticks her head in the air in intense frustration with herself. Another wicket for Sciver, who now has 3 for 18 off her four overs. Something of the magic about her bowling today.
Kerr takes a step or two down the pitch and chips Sciver to Winfield at mid-wicket
21st over: New Zealand 100-4.(Green 15, Kerr 8) And a huge roar through my window and echoing round the Headingley seats. That’s another goal for England 2-0 up against Sweden! Kerr, undaunted, strides down the pitch and drives Elwiss’s last ball down the ground for four. That’s the hundred up.
20th over: New Zealand 94-4.(Green 13, Kerr 3) Green heaves Sciver over the top and down the ground for four as the New Zealand required run rate moves close to 7 an over. Then a lovely late cut next ball, turning the ball off the face of the bat and down to the boundary. Just lovely.
19th over: New Zealand 81-4.(Green 4, Kerr 2) Elwiss polishes the ball on her shirt, with just three singles off another tight over. Two youngsters left to do the impossible.
18th over: New Zealand 78-4.(Green 2, Kerr 1) Hmm, rubbing my hands to see what Amelia Kerr can do against Sciver and co. They’ve just shown the inside of pavilion at Headingley, quite a buzz around the TV...
17th over: New Zealand 75-4.(Green 1, Kerr 0) Another cracking over from Elwiss brings the wicket of Satterthwaite as New Zealand look in huge trouble, that’s four wickets in 17 balls now. England’s buzz is back.
Huge shout from Elwiss who is rewarded for her superb bowling. It looked as if the ball would have hit Satterthwaite’s middle stump.
16th over: New Zealand 71-3 England definitely on top now with Bates Devine and Martin gone. Sciver’s took two wickets in that over and New Zealand have lost 3 for 3 in 12 balls.
Oh dear, New Zealand. Martin attacks the ball well but perhaps misjudges the size of the boundary and is well caught by Jones.
A great catch by young George, diving to her right and clutching on with both hands, clinging on even when she thumped down on the ground.
15th over: New Zealand 71-1 (Suzie Bates 28,Satterthwaite 0) A wicket maiden for Elwiss with the dangerous Devine back in the pavilion!
A superb catch by Ecclestone at mid-off as Devine fails to clear the inner ring.
14th over: New Zealand 70-0 (Suzie Bates 26, Sophie Devine 33) Susie Bates gets down on one knee and sweeps Ecclestone down past midwicket for four.
13th over: New Zealand 62-0 (Suzie Bates 26, Sophie Devine 26) A very disciplined over from Elwiss, who delivers on target, not giving Devine the width she so loves to tuck in to. Only one from the over.
12th over: New Zealand 61-0 (Suzie Bates 25, Sophie Devine 26) Sophie Ecclestone getting some pretty loop on the ball but New Zealand work her for 8 runs in the over. A thumping four from Bates who sends a shorter ball through mid-wicket and whizzing over the boundary.
11th over: New Zealand 53-0 (Suzie Bates 19, Sophie Devine 25) A double bowling change, Elwiss replaces the excellent Brunt who bowled 5 overs for 15. Just three singles from the over.
10th over: New Zealand 50-0 (Suzie Bates 17, Sophie Devine 24) Ecclestone replaces George. And with a cut for four by Devine, that’s the fifty up for New Zealand.
9th over: New Zealand 46-0 (Suzie Bates 17, Sophie Devine 20) Oooh Bates nearly plays on, chopping downwards and missing the stumps by an demi-inch. Her reply is a drive for four between point and cover. Brunt not impressed.
And going by the noise, that’s a goal!!!! England 1, Sweden 0
8th over: New Zealand 41-0 (Suzie Bates 13, Sophie Devine 19) . Two lovely drives from Devine, one through extra cover, another straighter and even better. Two wides too, as George struggles a little with the swing as the clouds gather over Headingley. A huge appeal from the last ball of the over against Devine, a noise but it looks like it came from the pad. Not out.
7th over: New Zealand 29-0 (Suzie Bates 12, Sophie Devine 10) Five from Brunt’s over.
6th over: New Zealand 24-0 (Suzie Bates 7, Sophie Devine 10) George not lacking in confidence, at all, and now not impressed at all by a drop! Nat Sciver drops Devine at mid-wicket, and in her fury tries to run Bates out. The third-umpires says no.
5th over: New Zealand 23-0 (Suzie Bates 5, Sophie Devine 9) Brunt is not impressed as the ball swings past an oddly pedestrian Sarah Taylor and down to the boundary for four leg byes. Devine calls for a tight single, home safe thanks to a slight fumble in the field. England lacking a bit of fizz so far. Six from the over.
4th over: New Zealand 17-0 (Suzie Bates 5, Sophie Devine 9) Much better from George, a good line, tight into the stumps. She’s a strong looking lass, left-arm, super action. Just three from the over, nudges and nurdles all.
3rd over: New Zealand 14-0 (Suzie Bates 4, Sophie Devine 2) Order resumed, thanks to Katherine Brunt. A maiden of triffic deliveries.
2nd over: New Zealand 14-0 (Suzie Bates 4, Sophie Devine 7) And the new ball gets thrown to Katie George, 19 years old and on her ODI debut in place of the injured Anya Shrubsole. It’s a bit of mixed bag - the second delivery moves in very late, the third swings very wide, past Sarah Taylor, and then a huge overthrow from Tammy Beaumont goes for four. Eleven runs from the over.
1st over: New Zealand 3-0 (Suzie Bates 2, Sophie Devine 1) Katherine Brunt bowls the first over, gets some early swing with deliveries on the button. As you’d expect.
Such a privilege for the crowd at Headingley to watch young Amelia Kerr at the dawn of her international career. Her sense of self and calm is astonishing. Especially as she’s juggling the tour with her schoolwork
“The 232* feels like a while ago now! It’s a new day, a new team and a new format.” - Amelia Kerr #ENGvNZ#NorthernTourpic.twitter.com/pXuOyrLypp
Incidentally, was very excited to read this. The return of the trading card! My brothers and I collected Texaco Trophy cards way back in ancient history (1984...)
NEWS: England Women Trade Up To Trading Cards https://t.co/rH2wymDoRn
Quite a challenge for New Zealand coming up - if they catch England’s 290 it will be the highest successful run-chase in women’s cricket. Fast outfield though, dry pitch, and big-hitting Kiwis in that batting line-up.
Thanks Nick! And thanks to anyone reading this on a day when even England and New Zealand fans might have other priorities. I reckon I’ll be able to tell what’s happening in THE OTHER MATCH as the roars and groans filter out of my neighbours’ front rooms and through my open window. So I hope to keep you posted on that too.
And with that, I will hand over to Tanya Aldred, who will guide you carefully through the New Zealand run chase. Your thoughts, jokes and words of encouragement to be sent here, please.
Quite a task for New Zealand this: primarily, they will need someone other than Suzie Bates and Sophie Devine to score a few runs, ideally. England must be heavy favourites to take this first ODI of the series.
So England didn’t exactly pepper the boundary in those closing overs, but they still managed to post an imposing score. Much of the batting was good, but they were helped by some very ropey fielding, three or four dropped catches and a good few more runs given away by misfields. Amelia Kerr was terrific with her leg spin, but she was surrounded by inconsistency.
50th over: England 290-5 (Brunt 30, Winfield 9) Good stuff from Winfield, stepping right across the stumps to sweep Kasperek round the corner for three. Brunt nails one down to long-off which she gets only a single for, Winfield another single to mid-wicket, then Brunt tries to go big but toe-ends it, and in the end Tahuhu does well to stop it as the ball bounces in front of her. Then another drop, as Winfield fires a shot straight back at the bowler, who puts it down. The last ball brings another single, Brunt skewing a shot just past point.
49th over: England 282-5 (Brunt 27, Winfield 4) Brunt goes big over wide mid-on, and it drops just short of the fielder out that way. They take two runs, then another two from a scoop that might have brought more runs had she not fallen over in executing the shot. A pair more with a swat over the covers, that Brunt doesn’t look happy with: boundaries are what she wants. Winfield plays a slightly odd shot that skews between point and cover, skipping over the turf and some smart running gets them three. No boundaries, but still 11 from the over.
48th over: England 271-5 (Brunt 20, Winfield 1) Tricky for Winfield, used to opening, to get into the game in the last three overs. Two more singles from the over.
Lovely shot from Knight, going over mid-off with a drive that again reaches the boundary. And then she’s gone, trying a reverse sweep that bobbles up off something, seemingly the glove, and is taken by Martin.
47th over: England 264-4 (Knight 59, Brunt 18) Great fielding by Ebrahim after some bad fielding by Watkin: Brunt hits one straight, Watkin gets only one hand on it when she should have stopped it, but Ebrahim dashes to the boundary and flicks the ball back just in time. Brunt flays one wide of mid-off for another four, then massively gets away with one, skying a shot that Martin seems to get under but misjudges the flight and eventually doesn’t get a glove on. And then the over is capped off nicely as Knight muscles a drive through the covers and to the boundary. 15 from an excellent over for England.
46th over: England 249-4 (Knight 54, Brunt 8) A drop? Knight hits Kasperek to Kerr in the covers, who seems to put a low catch down. England struggle to get the rest of the over away, even the big shots down the ground going straight to the fielders for singles. Four from the over.
45th over: England 245-4 (Knight 52, Brunt 6) Tahuhu is back, and her first four balls sum up her day: first nearly cleans Knight up, second is a wild legside wide, the third is carted wide of mid-wicket for four, the fourth wide down leg again and flicked to the boundary by Knight. Half century for the England captain, who looks to be stepping on it a bit now.
44th over: England 235-4 (Knight 43, Brunt 6) Knight gets four with a brilliant reverse sweep, one with a big shot out to deep mid-wicket then Brunt takes a single straight down the ground. Seven from the over - getting there, but could still do with more.
43rd over: England 228-4 (Knight 37, Brunt 5) Another quietish over: a single, a leg bye, a wide and then a hard-run two after Brunt swiped one over wide mid-on.
42nd over: England 223-4 (Knight 36, Brunt 3) Kasperek gets away with a full toss that Brunt only sweeps to the fielder in the deep. Brunt survives a legside stumping shout (and by ‘survive’ I mean she ‘didn’t leave her ground’), and there’s four runs from the over, which at this stage isn’t really enough.
41st over: England 219-4 (Knight 34, Brunt 1) England try a semi-suicidal second, and Knight would have been out with a direct hit at the keeper’s end - out with a decent take from Martin, actually, but it looks like she flicked off the bails with her glove instead.
Ach, the risk of innovation. Full one - yorker, even - from Tahuhu which Sciver tries the Natmeg to, but misses by quite a long way and is caught dead in front.
40th over: England 214-3 (Knight 30, Sciver 37) Terrific flick over a wide mid-on from Knight, bouncing a couple of times as it skips into the boundary. And more excellence a couple of balls later, as the skip moves across her stumps and sweeps it hard out to square-leg for another boundary. England kicking on here, and they’ll be looking at 280-odd, maybe 300 from this point.
39th over: England 203-3 (Knight 20, Sciver 36) Great stuff from Sciver, making to move across off but then rapidly reversing to give herself room, resulting in her smashing an inside-out drive off Bates to the boundary. Four more a couple of balls later, as Bates drops a bit short and is given the necessary, down to fine leg. Sciver smacks another one but gets more height than length, and it plugs in the outfield. Still gets two, and that’s 14 from a terrific over for England.
38th over: England 189-3 (Knight 18, Sciver 25) Kerr continues to be terrific in her last over, a close lbw shout turned down. England run hard to take two from a sweep, then two more singles, and Kerr’s spell of 2-36 from ten overs is done, and excellently so.
37th over: England 183-3 (Knight 16, Sciver 22) Watkin bowling round the wicket, and sends one down leg. England struggle slightly to get her away, until Sciver plays a perfect reverse sweep thing - although she didn’t really take a knee in the traditional manner, more did it on the front foot. Almost more of a leg glance with reversed hands...that went through point for four. Not sure that makes sense...but there you go.
36th over: England 176-3 (Knight 15, Sciver 17) Ha! Brilliant from Sciver, moving well outside off stump, dropping to one knee and playing a half-sweep, half-scoop thing that goes for four, and to round things off she falls over.
35th over: England 170-3 (Knight 14, Sciver 12) Huddleston bowling now, and she helps England along by giving Knight a legside full-toss which she very efficiently flicks to the fine-leg boundary. Then two more legside flicks bring her three more runs.
34th over: England 162-3 (Knight 7, Sciver 12) All very well England laying down solid foundations, but it’s not much use if they don’t smack it around a bit from roughly here. Five singles from that over, one of which was a leg-bye.
33rd over: England 158-3 (Knight 5, Sciver 10) Kerr has been excellent for New Zealand today, and she underlines the point by bowling a maiden.
32nd over: England 158-3 (Knight 5, Sciver 10) Bowling change, Devine back with the ball, but Sciver square drives through the covers for four. Three more runs from the over, and Sciver looks like she’s been in all day.
31st over: England 151-3 (Knight 5, Sciver 3) Kerr gets one to rip which Sciver does well to get on top of, dabbing to point for a couple to get off the mark.
Ah. After all that, Taylor goes limply, jabbing outside off at one from Kerr. If you were being generous you’d say she was trying to run it down to third man, but she only succeeded in edging to the keeper.
30th over: England 148-2 (Taylor 26, Knight 4) Glorious shots from Taylor, who looks like she has bored of mere singles: first ball she skips down and leathers over wide mid-on, dropping just over the fielder and to the boundary, the next a textbook sweep she absolutely nails to the mid-wicket fence. Three further singles make it England’s best over in a good while.
Sarah Taylor doing Sarah Taylor things.
29th over: England 137-2 (Taylor 16, Knight 3) Taylor tries a heart-in-mouth sweep that looked a little full, and then a little top-edgy, but it falls short of the fielder at fine leg. Three singles from the over.
28th over: England 134-2 (Taylor 14, Knight 3) England could do with getting a bit of a wriggle on from here, but with two relatively fresh batters in they might want to just keep things ticking for a bit. Which they do from that over from Watkin, four singles from it.
27th over: England 130-2 (Taylor 12, Knight 1) The skip is in, and she gets off the mark with a sweep down to fine leg.
Jones has been a bit quiet recently, which might have been the motivation for her charging down the track and running past one from Kerr, which Martin takes with ease and removes the bails. Good bowling that - might have been the googly.
26th over: England 128-1 (Jones 63, Taylor 11) Yowch, Taylor somehow survives a ball from Jess Watkin (fresh into the attack), which beats her inside edge as she comes down the pitch. Technically a missed stumping chance, but it would have probably taken Sarah Taylor to stump Sarah Taylor there. Four runs from the over, one a terrific sweep from Taylor that deserved more.
25th over: England 124-1 (Jones 62, Taylor 9) Oooh, big lbw shout as Tahuhu tails one in at Taylor - umpire says no, but that looked close, possibly just missing leg. Three runs from the over.
24th over: England 121-1 (Jones 60, Taylor 8) Drop! Bates bowls a full-toss slower ball to Taylor, who bunts it straight back at the bowler who puts it down at about chest height. Weird: she just didn’t get her hands in position for what wasn’t a massively quick return catch. Then of course Taylor rubs the coarsest of artisan sea salt into a fresh wound, walking across her stumps and whipping a brilliant sweep to the square-leg fence. Taylor then gets a taste of her own genius medicine when Martin quick-smart removes the bails from a legside wide, but Taylor had managed to keep her feet grounded and behind the line.
23rd over: England 115-1 (Jones 59, Taylor 4) And Tahuhu displays that early erratic performance again, giving Taylor an easy start with a full-toss on her pads. Four runs, and she’s lucky to get away with the next ball too, short and wide that Taylor can only pick out the cover fielder with.
Tahuhu back into the attack, after an iffy spell to open the innings...but she picks up a wicket straight away. It’s still short, but with a bit more pace and a decent line. Beaumont tries to guide it down to third man but it’s a bit close to her body, and she can only edge it through to the keeper.
22nd over: England 110-0 (Jones 59, Beaumont 40) “Oh yah,” Mark Nicholas might say, had he watched Beaumont fling a ball off her pads over and behind square leg for a brilliant boundary, the first since the end of the 14th over.
21st over: England 104-0 (Jones 59, Beaumont 35) “AWW THAT’S THE BALL! THAT’S THE BALL” barks Katey Martin from behind the stumps, as Beaumont gets a leading edge on a neat leg-spinner from Kerr. Beaumont sticks to the off side for the rest of a good over, getting just a single from it.
20th over: England 103-0 (Jones 59, Beaumont 34) Suzie Bates is into the attack: can she break the four-run over tyranny? Yes she can! Just two from a tight over of medium-pace dobbers.
19th over: England 101-0 (Jones 58, Beaumont 33) And another one. Might just set this up so it automatically updates with the same thing every over. Hundred up for England, though.
18th over: England 97-0 (Jones 56, Beaumont 31) Not saying the game has settled into a pattern, but that’s the third over in a row that England have scored four singles. They’ll be perfectly happy with it at this stage, no wickets down...but it isn’t the most thrilling to watch.
17th over: England 93-0 (Jones 54, Beaumont 29) Like a student taking a wedge of notes to a Vegas strip club, England are dealing in ones - another four from that over, split between Jones and Beaumont.
16th over: England 89-0 (Jones 52, Beaumont 27) Kasparek continues after the liquid interlude. Quietish over, featuring more singles than a convention of men’s rights activists...well, four, two for each batter.
They’re having a drink, so have a look at this, if you like.
So, so proud that we’re at #Pride2018 today, breaking new ground.
It would have meant the world to me as a kid to see vocal support for the LGBT community from the sporting world.
I hope it helps all kids understand that sport is open to them and that they can be themselves https://t.co/blWqDW5MDa
15th over: England 85-0 (Jones 50, Beaumont 25) Big lbw shout from Kerr as Beaumont comes down the pitch and is struck by a leg-tweaker, but there was a bucket of doubt and the umpire shakes his head. Still, ball tracker shows that thunking middle and off, so technically England got away with one there. A few singles from the over, one of which takes Jones to her half-century. Good knock from 56 balls so far.
14th over: England 81-0 (Jones 48, Beaumont 22) The England batters go for a couple of reverse sweeps: the first Beaumont doesn’t get much on, the second comes right out of the middle of Jones’s middle, and zips to the third man boundary.
13th over: England 75-0 (Jones 43, Beaumont 22) More spin, as Amelia Kerr with her leggies is on. Jones belts one past mid-wicket for a couple, Beaumont plays a delicate lapped sweep that trickles down for three, then Jones plays a slightly less controlled shot that is sliced just in front of point for another two. Lots of runs, but Kerr gets her last two deliveries to absolutely rip: one a wide, the next past the edge, both offer England things to think about.
12th over: England 65-0 (Jones 38, Beaumont 19) Bowling change in personnel and style: Leigh Kasperek and her off-spinners into the attack, and Jones drives her to mid-off where more poor fielding gives England a single. Nothing the New Zealanders could do about a Jones shot a couple of balls later, going back and crouching just a little so she could absolutely crunch one wide of mid-on.
11th over: England 58-0 (Jones 32, Beaumont 18) Jones whacks one off her shins that falls just short of Bates at short mid-wicket. Bates has long chat with the umpire, possibly about a wide give after Beaumont moves a long way across her stumps. Only two runs from the over though.
10th over: England 56-0 (Jones 31, Beaumont 18) Beaumont gets cut in half by one from Huddleston, who then catches a little bit of the inconsistency malady by bowling a wide, then a low full-toss that Beaumont whips those remarkable wrists through and sends it over a straight mid-wicket. Fifty up with a tickle round the corner for two, then they pick up another pair from a daft bit of misfielding, a pointless overthrow donating the runs. And a really good over, 13 from it, for England and Beaumont is capped with a nice cut which skips across the square and gathers pace on its way to the fence.
9th over: England 43-0 (Jones 31, Beaumont 6) After an over of pitched-up excellence, Devine gets in on the ‘bowling wide long-hops to Jones’ action, and gets swatted in front of cover, to the boundary. Then a floaty one towards the batter’s toes, which Jones carefully clips down to very fine leg boundary. Jones looks good so far.
8th over: England 35-0 (Jones 23, Beaumont 6) Jones nails a straight drive, which goes straight to mid-off but the batters ignore the age-old village rule of not running on a misfield, rewarded for their maverick, two-fingers to authority attitude with a single. Two more singles, one from a lovely flowing flick over square leg by Jones, ends another decent over from Huddleston.
7th over: England 32-0 (Jones 21, Beaumont 5) New bowler, Sophie Devine, rumbles in with some Merv Hughes-esque sunblock on her face. A wide, but then a jaffa, moving away from Jones as she drives thin air. And then another, which Jones sort of tries to pull out of without fooling anyone. Cracking over.
6th over: England 31-0 (Jones 21, Beaumont 5) Lovely flick off her toes from Jones, getting through the fielders but she didn’t all of it, getting two for a shot which, aesthetically at least, deserved more. Then she really does get all of a pull, from a ball that wasn’t that short, but nonetheless disappeared to the mid-wicket fence.
5th over: England 25-0 (Jones 15, Beaumont 5) More short stuff from Tahuhu - there’s so much of it that there must be a plan of some description here, but I’m stuffed if I can work it out. Beaumont hits at two of them, middles neither but gets two from the second.
4th over: England 21-0 (Jones 14, Beaumont 3) Huddleston is as consistent as Tahuhu has been erratic. Jones walks across the crease to try and get something away, but the line is too tight. She then oversteps and Jones puts the free hit vertical, which is caught but not out - a statement which is less existentially deep than it might appear.
3rd over: England 18-0 (Jones 13, Beaumont 2) More good mixed with dreck, like Tahuhu is making a whiskey and cold sick cocktail. Some tight deliveries are followed by a short one outside off then a similar length straighter ball, both of which are swatted to the ropes by Jones. Then she gets a bicep-high full-toss, flapping it for a single but obviously a no-ball punished by a free hit...which is a wide. But she finally sends down a decent ball and Beaumont can only flick to a sort of leg gully. And an ‘all over the shop’ over is completed by a curtailed lbw shout. Eventful.
2nd over: England 7-0 (Jones 4, Beaumont 2) Holly Huddleston has the ball from the other end, and sends down an over full of excellent areas. Beaumont drives and misses at a yorker length ball outside off, then picks up two from the last ball with a flick out to deep mid-wicket.
1st over: England 5-0 (Jones 4, Beaumont 0) Lea Tahuhu has the ball, but starts with a legside wide, following up with the classic overcompensation and Amy Jones cuts a long-hop just in front of point for four. The rest of the over is better, with her slightly slingy action, featuring a perfect line and length ball that moved the requisite half-bat width to beat the outside edge.
The England openers and the New Zealand fielders are out on the Headingley turf and sport - Sport! Sport! Sport! - is imminent.
Incidentally, Anya Shrubsole is out with a side strain, while Dani Wyatt is absent for personal reasons. The former might mean that Katie George, on dayboo, might open the bowling when it comes to England’s turn later.
Not sure. Revoltingly young?
@NickMiller79 If Sophie Ecclestone is appallingly young, what does that make the 17yo Amelia Kerr?
Beaumont, Jones, Taylor (wk), Knight (c), Sciver, Winfield, Brunt, Elwis, Ecclestone, Marsh, George.
...and they will bat.
What to make of England’s performance in the ICC Women’s Championship, this sprawling tournament played over 18-odd months to keep the worlds ODI teams ticking over, but also determine qualification for the 2021 World Cup? Three wins, three defeats, currently fourth place in the table with a neutral record. Two of those defeats were in the Ashes, the other in the 2-1 series win over South Africa this summer. If you were being critical you’d call it a mild hangover from last year’s triumph, but the more optimistic (and we’re being optimistic about English sport for the moment, right?) might class it more as England finding their form at a good time.
Certainly the recent T20 tri-series would suggest so, the appallingly young Sophie Ecclestone coming to the fore and the big guns, Katherine Brunt and Anya Shrubsole, looking closer to their best. And then there’s Tammy Beaumont, a veritable run machine in the last two years, and of course the implausible Sarah Taylor, who will today become the most-capped wicketkeeper in ODI history, assuming she plays.
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