By Martin Davies
A captain’s century from Suzie Bates broke New Zealand’s duck in the ICC Women’s Championship as England were beaten by 67 runs in the first of three games between these teams that count towards the championship.
Bates’ 106 from 113 balls featuring 14 fours, a sixth hundred in her 67 one-day internationals, dominated an opening stand of 157 with Rachel Priest.
Off-spinner Heather Knight eventually broke through and went on to return a career-best 4-47 to limit the White Ferns to 240 for eight, much less than they had seemed on course for at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui.
Congratulations to @grundy_becky on winning her 1st ODI cap #EngWomenhttps://t.co/pGrDk9kWEZ
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) February 10, 2015
However, 241 proved a stiff target and although four tourists passed 20, none reached 30 as Anya Shrubsole top-scored with a sprightly 19-ball 29 from number 10 before England were dismissed in the 46th over.
Knight said: “It was a disappointing loss. We thought the wicket was going to do a bit first up, but we did well in the end to keep them to 240.
“But we never got going with the bat and lost wickets at key times. We need to dust ourselves down and get ready for the next game.”
The next match is at the same venue in two days time when the hosts will have the chance to move to four championship points, one behind fifth-placed England.
Today’s first-wicket partnership between Bates and Priest, who won her 50th ODI cap, dominated the first 30 overs.
Priest eventually fell for a solid 52, caught on the deep-midwicket boundary by Jenny Gunn off Knight.
Four overs later Bates reached three figures but in the interim England had smuggled another wicket, Amy Satterthwaite bowled by Knight off an inside edge.
Here we go then! #EngWomen chasing 241 to win https://t.co/WeldDMlxGs
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) February 11, 2015
Although New Zealand needed to consolidate, in the next over player of the match Bates was well caught by a diving Lydia Greenway at midwicket off Danielle Hazell. It was a combination that had almost worked when Bates was on 48, but the ball just eluded Greenway’s grasp.
Bates’ wicket was the catalyst that sparked some life into a slightly subdued England. Sophie Devine, Katie Broadmore and Sara McGlashan all came and went in quick succession to leave New Zealand on 182 for six and in danger of imploding badly.
Knight claimed two of the wickets and Rebecca Grundy, making her ODI debut, claimed a maiden format wicket in a good 10-over spell of 1-35.
Katie Perkins, with 27, and Anna Petersen steadied the ship before Petersen slogged Katherine Brunt to Gunn at mid-on and Shrubsole returned to remove Erin Bermingham caught behind.
England made a bright start before Knight was run out after a parried stop at cover fell nicely for Broadmore to hurl the ball to the keeper with Knight well short of her ground scampering back.
Batting at three, Lauren Winfield dabbed Lea Tahuhu to gully, and then Sarah Taylor called Charlotte Edwards through for what proved to be too tight a single, as the skipper was run out for 26 to leave England teetering on 51 for three in the 15th over.
Time for a drink at the Bay Oval. Ever wondered what #Engwomen have in their water bottles? pic.twitter.com/fA8pc1TCDK
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) February 10, 2015
Taylor and Greenway did their best to rebuild the innings but the overs were ticking by and the required run-rate climbing.
Eventually the pressure told as Taylor failed to connect properly with an attempted lofted drive and was caught at mid-on, and then Greenway was bowled round her legs for 27 sweeping at her Kent team-mate from last season, leg-spinner Bermingham.
At 93 for five the position looked perilous and so it proved as Gunn was bowled by Bermingham. Natalie Sciver, having just hit consecutive fours, was then spectacularly caught at square-leg by Bates for 23.
Shrubsole hit a few lusty blows, including the only six of the match, but was last out as England fell comfortable short.