New Zealand secured a 17-run victory using the DLS method in a rain-disrupted third ODI at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff on Saturday, leveling the three-match series at 1-1. The match started late, and another bout of rain during England’s innings cut the game down to 33 overs per side. Further rain interrupted New Zealand’s chase, bringing an early end to the contest, with the result determined by the DLS calculations.
Jodi Grewcock returned to the England XI as the hosts were sent in first. England’s batting began at a measured pace, losing Emma Lamb in the second over while still managing 45 runs during the Powerplay. New Zealand then maintained pressure through regular breakthroughs, dismissing Grewcock shortly after the Powerplay and removing a well-set Heather Knight a few overs later.
Rain soon made its presence felt again, forcing the players off the field for more than two hours after the 17th over. When play resumed, the innings was again curtailed to 33 overs per side. A 57-run partnership between Alice Capsey and Freya Kemp helped England delay the inevitable, but the team still slipped from 123/3 to 127/6 within a span of three overs.
Charlie Dean and Amy Jones steadied the innings with a 45-run stand, enabling England to reach 181/7 in their 33 overs. New Zealand then faced a revised target of 184 to win the match.
Playing her final ODI, Suzie Bates received a brief escape when Knight missed with a chance early on, but that reprieve did not last long. Bates was dismissed soon after. New Zealand’s chase also suffered an early jolt when Lauren Bell struck with three wickets in just three overs, trapping Bates, Georgia Plimmer, and Amelia Kerr LBW to leave the visitors reeling at 40/3.
With the weather still unpredictable, Maddy Green and Brooke Halliday responded with a vital 57-run partnership to slow the slide. England finally broke that stand in the 18th over when Danielle Gibson dismissed Green, though they struggled to fully re-enter the contest. Halliday then added a further 44 runs alongside Isabella Gaze as New Zealand moved ahead of the DLS par score, until rain once again forced an end to play, ultimately sealing a 17-run DLS win for New Zealand.
Brief Scores: England 181/7 in 33 overs (Alice Capsey 45, Heather Knight 28; Bree Illing 2-29, Rosemary Mair 2-41) lost to New Zealand 141/4 in 24.4 overs (Brooke Halliday 42*, Maddy Green 37; Lauren Bell 3-29) by 17 runs (DLS).
