New Zealand v England: Tourists miss chance to wrap up series victory

England lost 6 for 25 in 22 balls to lose by three runs, despite dominating the vast majority of a run-chase that appeared to be well in their grasp

Nelson: New Zealand 155-3, England 152-8 - New Zealand win by three runs

England threw away a chance to wrap up a series victory against New Zealand, losing by three runs despite at one stage needing just 33 runs from the final six overs with eight wickets in hand.

Maia Bouchier top-scored for the tourists with 71 off 47 balls, but once she was caught at long-on, a youthful batting lineup collapsed to hand the White Ferns an unlikely route back into a series that appeared to be over as a contest.

England were 123 for 2 after 14 overs but lost 6 for 25 in 22 balls, conspiring to lose by three runs. Heather Knight was run out attempting a second run, Amy Jones missed with a wild swipe, Bess Heath holed out to long-on, Hollie Armitage was bowled via her pad and Charlie Dean was stumped off the final delivery of the match, with four runs needed to go 3-0 up in the five-match T20I series, chasing 156.

The damage appeared to have been done by Bouchier and Tammy Beaumont (37), who shared a 92-run stand in just 10 overs to break the back of a target constructed predominantly by Sophie Devine and Amelia Kerr, who themselves put on 99 runs together for the third wicket in New Zealand's innings.

Devine whacked a 37-ball 60, while Kerr anchored the innings with an unbeaten 44 after Bernadine Bezuidenhout's 34 had given the White Ferns a decent start.

In depth: Even amid late collapse, Maia Bouchier and Dani Gibson emerge as main beneficiaries of WPL absences

^{Sophie Devine's half century set up New Zealand's win (Evan Barnes/Getty Images)}

She was dropped on 26 by Sarah Glenn, who banged her head on the ground in the process and later left the field. She subsequently failed a head injury assessment and was replaced by Armitage, who made her international debut as a concussion substitute.

England were sloppy in the field; Jones dropped Suzie Bates in the third over, while more than once boundary-riders dived over balls to turn twos into fours.

But that didn't appear to matter while Bouchier in particular was caressing boundaries around the Saxton Oval.

Her wicket sparked a dramatic turnaround, though, with England's inexperience showing – as Knight reflected afterwards – a lack of "nous" in the  chase.

"A little bit of a frustrating one to not finish off," she added, after Bates – with her only over of the match – successfully defended eight in the final over, taking two wickets and conceding just four runs.

England are set to have Danni Wyatt, Alice Capsey, Nat Sciver-Brunt and Sophie Ecclestone available again for the fourth match of the series in Wellington on Wednesday.

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