New Zealand v England: Tourists wrap up ODI series victory

Tammy Beaumont top-scored for the tourists with 81, with Amy Jones' 48 crucial at the back-end after a second middle-order collapse of the series threatened to leave England short of a par score

Hamilton: England 252, New Zealand 196 - England win by 56 runs

England wrapped up an ODI series victory against New Zealand with a game to spare, coming out on top at Hamilton by 56 runs.

Tammy Beaumont top-scored for the tourists with 81, with Amy Jones' 48 crucial at the back-end after a second middle-order collapse of the series threatened to leave England short of a par score. Nat Sciver-Brunt finished with figures of 3 for 21.

They fell from 107 for 1 to 190 for 8, before recovering thanks to the in-form Jones to a final total of 252.

Those extra runs looked mightily important as a fifth-wicket stand for New Zealand worth exactly 100 runs dragged the home side from strife to 166 for 4.

But with the required rate rising, 19-year-old Izzy Gaze (47) was run out after confusion over a tight single with Brooke Halliday, with Halliday stumped just eight balls later, throwing her bat in the process as a decent run-chase subsided.

England looked to be all over New Zealand until the pair came together; a hamstring injury to Bernardine Bezuidenhout suffered in the field meant the batting order shifted up a spot, with Georgia Plimmer opening alongside Suzie Bates.

In depth: How do England get the best out of Alice Capsey in 50-over cricket?

Player ratings: Tammy Beaumont and Nat Sciver-Brunt star in England victory

^{Tammy Beaumont played a crucial hand with the bat (Michael Bradley/Getty Images)}

Plimmer edged a Lauren Bell outswinger behind, before Bates and Amelia Kerr both holed out to Alice Capsey at square leg. When Maddy Green's torturous nine – off 33 balls – came to an end, missing a pull off Charlie Dean, a comprehensive defeat looked likely.

But the impressive Gaze provided some much-needed momentum, and Halliday gave a solid base at the other end. But ultimately those efforts were in vain.

Earlier, Beaumont had starred with precisely the kind of knock that has made her such a fine 50-over player for so long. Support for her was fleeting, with Maia Bouchier (20) picking out mid-on and Heather Knight (37) missing a straight one from Jess Kerr.

There was a rare failure for Sciver-Brunt, beaten by a Kerr slower ball, while Capsey fell cheaply again and Danni Wyatt was caught behind on review. Jones' late hitting, well supported by Kate Cross (20*), took them out of New Zealand's reach.

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