Wicketkeeper-batter Amy Jones struck a fluent unbeaten 86 as England cruised to an eight-wicket win over New Zealand of their closing group stage sport within the 2025 Girls’s ODI World Cup on the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Sunday.
Earlier, England’s bowlers delivered a collective efficiency to bowl New Zealand out for 168. Linsey Smith led the cost with figures of 3-30, whereas skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt and Alice Capsey. chipped in with two wickets apiece, as from 89/1, New Zealand collapsed dramatically, dropping their final 9 wickets for simply 79 runs.
Chasing 169, Amy hit 11 fours and a six, to be not out on 86 off 92 balls, her highest ODI World Cup rating. She additionally shared a 75-run opening stand with Tammy Beaumont, as England accomplished the chase with 124 balls to spare and sealed second place within the factors desk, forward of their semi-final conflict in opposition to South Africa at Guwahati on October 29.
With rain having already impacted a number of matches this match, England’s greater group end may show decisive – they may advance to the ultimate on November 2 in case of a washout on each the match day and reserve day.
As England celebrated their win, New Zealand skipper Sophie Devine could not script a fairytale end to her ODI profession. However she walked off to a heat guard of honor from each groups, after having earlier declined one whereas popping out to bat. A smile on Sophie’s face and hugs from teammates in addition to England staff members marked the tip of a storied ODI profession.
Within the chase, Amy bought going by driving Rosemary Mair for 4, earlier than Beaumont freed her arms to choose two boundaries off the pacer. She took a liking to Jess Kerr’s tempo and width by driving, whipping, clattering and smacking her for 4 boundaries in a 17-run sixth over.
With New Zealand losing a evaluation, Amy lofted for choosing two extra boundaries earlier than citing the fourth fifty of her opening partnership with Tammy on this World Cup. After that, the duo stored the scoreboard ticking with ones and twos, at the same time as Tammy pulled and drove off Amelia Kerr for consecutive boundaries, earlier than being trapped plumb lbw by Lea Tahuhu.
Heather Knight bought off the mark by guiding her first ball broad of backward level for 4, earlier than sweeping Eden Carson via superb leg for one more boundary. With the spinner struggling to nail her lengths, Amy made full use of it by pulling her for a boundary, at the same time as Heather managed to overturn an lbw resolution off Amelia through evaluation.
Amy went on to convey up her fifty in 71 balls by clobbering Suzie Bates over long-on for six, earlier than pulling, lofting and driving off Rosemary for a hat-trick of boundaries. Though Sophie got here again to entice Heather lbw with an in-dipper, Amy and Danni Wyatt-Hodge ensured England bought over the road to log out from the league stage on a excessive.
Beforehand, at 89/1, New Zealand seemed in management with Amelia Kerr and Georgia Plimmer settling in. Nevertheless, the duo being dismissed on consecutive deliveries meant England triggered a collapse, taking management of the match and ultimately the consequence. Regardless of early struggles, England discovered their rhythm via their spinners after the powerplay.
England had an early scare as Sophie Ecclestone needed to go away the sphere after touchdown awkwardly while diving to avoid wasting a boundary within the opening over. However they managed to dismiss Suzie cheaply within the sixth over after chipping a full toss to mid-off on Linsey’s bowling.
England’s strains had been inconsistent early on, which means that Georgia and Amelia settled into a pleasant rhythm. The duo batted with better conviction and located scoring alternatives with extra intent to sew a 68-run stand for the second wicket. However on successive balls, England took out the set batters to claw again after an erratic begin.
Whereas Amelia holed out to long-on off Alice, Georgia performed throughout a flick off Charlie Dean and was trapped plumb lbw. Sophie got here again to have Brooke Halliday slog-sweeping straight to deep mid-wicket earlier than she went off the sphere for extra therapy on her shoulder, with Sophia Dunkley ending the over.
From there, New Zealand’s slide started – Maddy Inexperienced toe-ended a full toss from Alice straight again to the all-rounder, whereas Sophie’s final ODI innings ended when her inside edge was caught by Amy. Jones off a fuller ball from Nat.
Isabella Gaze, who was dropped on zero, fully missed a sweep off Linsey to be castled for 14, whereas Rosemary was trapped plumb lbw by Nat. A gradual run from Jess resulted in her run out, whereas Lea mistimed a loft from Linsey and Charlie accomplished a pointy catch over her shoulder to wrap up New Zealand’s innings rapidly.
Temporary Scores: New Zealand 168 in 38.2 overs (Georgia Plimmer 43, Amelia Kerr 35; Linsey Smith 3-30, Nat Sciver-Brunt 2-31) misplaced to England 172/2 in 29.2 overs (Amy Jones 86 not out, Tammy Beaumont 40; Lea Tahuhu 1-9, Sophie Devine 1-20) by eight wickets.