Visakhapatnam: England’s spinners turned on the screws to dismiss New Zealand for 168, their lowest total of the tournament, in a dead rubber of the Women’s World Cup here Sunday.
Opting to bat, New Zealand once again made a poor start as veteran opener Suzie Bates continued her wretched run, gifting her wicket off a waist-high full toss.
After her early dismissal, Georgia Plimmer brought some spark to the White Ferns’ innings, taking on the English attack with a flurry of boundaries.
The 20-year-old struck seven fours in an entertaining 57-ball 43, adding 68 runs off 82 balls with Amelia Kerr for the second wicket.
But England hit back strongly, with Alice Capsey removing a well-set Kerr for 35 (43 balls, 5×4).
Charlie Dean then trapped Plimmer plumb in front in the next over, and from there the innings fell flat.
Sophie Devine, who had begun her last ODI with composure and purpose after an impressive World Cup that featured a century against Australia and successive fifties against South Africa and Bangladesh, then tried to steady the innings.
But she kept losing partners and was eventually dismissed for 23 off 35 balls, inside-edging a delivery that wicketkeeper Amy Jones collected while moving forward for a stumping.
It was a tame end to a distinguished ODI career spanning more than 15 years, with Devine departing to warm applause from both teams.
England’s spinners dominated the middle overs even without their talisman Sophie Ecclestone, who injured her shoulder while fielding.
Ecclestone returned briefly to bowl and struck with her fourth delivery to dismiss Brooke Halliday, before leaving the field again and taking no further part in the innings.
Linsey Smith was the pick of the bowlers with 3 for 30 from 9.2 overs, while Nat Sciver-Brunt (2/31) and Capsey (2/34) claimed two wickets apiece.
Dean and Ecclestone chipped in with one each as New Zealand collapsed, losing their last five wickets for 13 runs.
PTI
