Summary:
- Lauren Bell and Nat Sciver-Brunt carried England to an ODI series clean sweep over New Zealand.
- Bell (5-37) finished with career-best figures after claiming a five-for.
- Next, England will face New Zealand in a five-match T20I series on July 6 at The Ageas Bowl in Southampton.
England defeated New Zealand by five wickets during the third and final One Day International (ODI) in Bristol, at the Seat Unique Stadium, completing a 3-0 whitewash in the series
Lauren Bell (5-37) reached career-best figures after she claimed a five-for while Nat Sciver-Brunt and Alice Capsey both managed to hit half-centuries.
Next, England will meet New Zealand in a five-match T20I series scheduled for July 6 at The Ageas Bowl in Southampton.
🧹 Series clean sweep ✅
Watch how we sealed the 3-0 Metro Bank ODI Series victory in Bristol 👇 pic.twitter.com/2CvnShgdCz
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 4, 2024
Rain Delayed the Start
An afternoon rain caused delays in the start, cutting the game to 42 overs a side. The White Ferns were restricted to 211-8.
While England slipped to 33-3, Sciver-Brunt and Amy Jones came to the rescue with the fifth-wicket stand of 90.
The former finished with 76 not out while Jones made a run-a-ball 50. The team went over the line with 20 balls remaining.
The team’s victory was triggered by Lauren Bell, 23, who successfully managed to bowl Sophie Devine for 43 for her first wicket.
This way, she broke an important third-wicket stand of 68 between Amelia Kerr and New Zealand’s captain.
Kerr was pinned leg before wicket for 57, which was New Zealand’s only half-century of the series, prior to Brooke Halliday being caught behind for 31.
Izzy Gaze and Lauren Down were both caught at mid-on.
Despite being New Zealand’s highest total of the series, it didn’t bring them the victory as they lost a flurry of wickets with four for 27 falling at the end of the innings.
Bell, Player of the Match
Bell, who was named player of the match, expressed her happiness at the end of the game, explaining she has made a series of “changes to the mental side of it” since Durham.
One brings two 👏
Lauren Bell getting the job done! 👏
Follow the match LIVE 👉 https://t.co/pThP4e81iP#EnglandCricket pic.twitter.com/B3P2osU6oh
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 3, 2024
England captain Heather Knight commented on the team “getting smarter” and evolving “in terms of having that smartness and trying to dominate when we can”.
In parallel, New Zealand’s captain, Sophie Devine, thought her team showed “a bit of resilience” adding “a couple of results” won’t define them as a team.