England’s 2017 ICC Women’s World Cup qualification campaign is still on track following a 2-1 loss against New Zealand in the final pairing of round two in the ICC Women’s Championship (ICC WC).
With two points awarded for a win and nothing for a loss, England secured just two points from the three One Day International (ODI) matches against the White Ferns in Mount Maunganui this week – after winning the second encounter by 90 runs, but losing the first and third matches by 67 runs and nine wickets respectively.
The two points secured from the second ODI victory have, however, still helped to move England into joint second place with South Africa in the ICC WC table (both on seven points), behind leaders Australia (12 points).
This summer will see England take on Australia on home soil in the multi-format Women’s Ashes. Alongside six Women’s Ashes points being up for grabs, the three Royal London ODIs that will be contested within that Series will carry additional significance, as the fixtures will form England and Australia’s third round in the ICC WC.
Speaking immediately after the third and final ICC WC fixture against New Zealand at the Bay Oval today, England women’s captain, Charlotte Edwards, said: “It is disappointing to have only secured two ICC Women’s Championship points from this round against New Zealand.
“International cricket is a testing environment and New Zealand have shown over these three matches that they are a very strong side, and will be tough to beat at home.
“We are however still in a good position in the ICC WC table, and everything will be to play for when we take on Australia in round three as part of the multi-format Women’s Ashes this summer.
“We still have three Twenty20 Internationals and two more ODIs to play during this tour over the next couple of weeks, so our focus in now on bouncing back, and winning those next five fixtures.”
England and New Zealand will now travel to Whangarei to play back-to-back T20 Internationals (T20I) at the Cobham Oval on February 19 and 20, before finishing the tour with a third T20I and two further ODIs on February 24, 26 and 28 at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Lincoln.