England produced a dramatic one-wicket triumph over New Zealand in the opening ODI at the Riverside Ground in Chester-le-Street on Sunday (May 10), leveling the three-match series at 1-0 after a tense chase that swung multiple times.
Key takeaways
- England won by 1 wicket to take a 1-0 lead in the three-game ODI series.
- New Zealand were restricted to 39 runs in the first Powerplay, before the chase later became a late fightback for the hosts.
- Tilly Corteen-Coleman claimed her maiden ODI wicket when Lauren Bell took the catch at mid-off after Plimmer’s miscued shot.
- England’s pursuit was steadied by a 68-run partnership between Maia Bouchier and Freya Kemp after an early wobble.
- Maia Bouchier top-scored with 59, while Charlotte Dean made 31 not out to guide England home.
New Zealand set the chase target after a strong start from England’s bowlers
Opting to field first, England struck quickly as Lauren Filer forced Suzie Bates to edge behind in the second over. Captain Amelia Kerr then joined Georgia Plimmer, and although New Zealand managed the occasional boundary, their progress slowed noticeably during the initial phase—finishing the first 10 overs at only 39 runs.
Teenage left-arm spinner Tilly Corteen-Coleman broke the rhythm soon after, removing Plimmer with her maiden ODI wicket when Plimmer stepped out and miscued the ball to Lauren Bell at mid-off. Kerr and Maddy Green then built a lengthy stand, and despite England’s efforts to keep things in check during the middle overs, the pair continued to accumulate runs, adding 51 between overs 20 and 33.
Both batters reached fifties, but the momentum changed when Corteen-Coleman dismissed Green for 88 off 107 balls. From there, England tightened the screws: Bell struck with back-to-back deliveries as Amy Jones executed a sharp stumping to send Izzy Sharp back, while Nensi Patel was also removed LBW.
Charlotte Dean then struck again by bowling Jess Kerr. The innings finally unraveled in the closing stretch as New Zealand lost their last five wickets for just seven runs, and were bowled out with eight balls still remaining. The final total read 210 in 48.4 overs.
England’s chase: early trouble, a turning point, then a finish under pressure
In reply, England lost Jodie Grewcock in the fourth over of their chase. Emma Lamb and Heather Knight took control through the opening phase and guided the innings past the first Powerplay, but the recovery was short-lived when Rosemary Mair and Nensi struck in quick succession, removing Lamb and Knight to leave England struggling at 42/3.
That is when Bouchier and Kemp combined for a key 68-run partnership, swinging the momentum back toward the hosts and moving England into a more comfortable position. The match’s next major turning point arrived on the final ball of the 26th over: Bouchier struck Mair’s delivery straight back, yet the bowler got a touch on the ball with a dive. As Kemp was out of the crease with her bat in the air, she was run out, and soon after Mair removed Jones for three.
Dani Gibson—also making her ODI debut—then supported Bouchier, who reached a fifty. However, Amelia Kerr added another twist by dismissing Gibson and Bouchier, bringing New Zealand right back into contention with England’s score reading 160/7.
Charlotte Dean and Lauren Bell steadied the chase. Bell largely defended at one end, but when the gap appeared, she attacked with two well-timed boundaries. A 35-run partnership put England back in front, before the final phase tightened further: Bell and Filer were both removed, leaving England needing 10 runs from 26 balls.
New Zealand threatened to finish the match but a chance went begging—Nensi Patel put down a catch, giving Dean a reprieve. Dean then completed the job with Corteen-Coleman’s help as England held their nerve to win, sealing the contest with a narrow 1-wicket margin.
Brief scores
New Zealand 210 in 48.4 overs (Maddy Green 88, Amelia Kerr 55; Charlotte Dean 2-21, Lauren Bell 2-38, Tilly Corteen-Coleman 2-49) lost to England 211/9 in 48.2 overs (Maia Bouchier 59, Charlotte Dean 31*; Rosemary Mair 3-42, Amelia Kerr 2-54) by 1 wicket.
