New Zealand v England: Amy Jones leads tourists to unlikely victory after top-order collapse

Jones finished unbeaten on 92, with Charlie Dean providing the perfect support act as England took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series

Nick Friend | 01/04/2024 at 06:03

Wellington: New Zealand 207, England 209-6 - England win by four wickets

Amy Jones and Charlie Dean shared a world-record partnership for the eighth wicket in a women's ODI as England salvaged victory from the jaws of defeat in Wellington.

The tourists had collapsed to 58 for 5 in a chase of 208 in the first of three ODIs and were threatening to be steamrolled, but Jones (92*) and Dean (42*) came together for an unbroken 130-run stand inside 25 overs to set up a memorable England win.

Jones has never batted better for England and also made the highest score in a women's ODI run-chase by someone batting below No.5, running out of runs to complete a deserved century. She struck 10 boundaries in a superb, clinical effort, the second-highest of her England career and her highest score in five years.

Dean kept her company expertly, hitting just a single four – the winning runs – and otherwise simply taking it as her role to hand over the strike to Jones to do the business. They brought up their century stand in just 113 balls as England, from 79 for 6 when the pair came together, put the pressure back on New Zealand.

It looked as though the hosts had this game sewn up. Jess Kerr had bowled Tammy Beaumont with a full toss that swung and dipped through an awkward, cramped stroke, before Heather Knight looped a leading edge to mid-on and Maia Bouchier (31) pulled a short ball straight at deep square.

When Alice Capsey fell for a 10-ball duck, missing a reverse-sweep of Amelia Kerr, England were in strife, exacerbated when Nat Sciver-Brunt was run out after hesitating on the turn for a second run, before Danni Wyatt missed a Kerr googly. They were indebted, though, to a rearguard for the ages.

In depth: Amy Jones sets new bar with exceptional, clutch run-chase

Player ratings: Amy Jones and Charlie Dean lead England to victory

cross010401

^{Kate Cross starred with the ball for England (Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)}

Earlier, Dean had picked up three wickets, albeit not at her best. She had Suzie Bates and Brooke Halliday caught behind, before Lea Tahuhu holed out to long-on.

England's charge with the ball had been led by Kate Cross, though. The experienced seamer was exceptional, trapping Kerr and Georgia Plimmer in front with balls that straightened off the surface. She finished with figures of 2 for 24 in 10 overs, with 47 dot-balls. Suzie Bates' half century held together New Zealand's innings, but she had England's sloppiness to thank.

Bates was dropped in the first over of the match by Sophie Ecclestone at mid-on and in the second over by Sciver-Brunt, before England failed to appeal for an lbw that would have been out on review. The square-leg umpire also inexplicably opted not to send a stumping appeal upstairs, when Bates would have been dismissed with her bat hovering in the air.

There were three wickets as well for Lauren Bell, who cleaned up the tail expertly, while Ecclestone trapped Bernardine Bezuidenhout in front on the slog-sweep as New Zealand were bowled out for 207. For a while, it looked like it might be a winning score.

Join The Cricketer's brand new Whatsapp channel for the latest breaking news, comment and features - click here to become a member