http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754 Women Equal ODI Series
New Zealand's women's cricket team, the White Ferns levelled the ODI series against hosts England by beating them by four wickets in the second ODI played at Taunton. Earlier, England won the first game against the Kiwi women by one wicket at the same ground.
In the second ODI, the English women won the toss and decided to bat first. This was probably influenced by the fact that the side had to struggle to chase down the target in the first game and would have preferred batting first and putting the opposition under pressure.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Knight-c71599 started off slowly but steadily, and the addition of 42 runs for the first wicket in less than 12 overs meant the English side looked to have overcome the early moisture and swing in the wicket.
It was the introduction of Erin Birmingham’s leg-spinners that pegged the English side back. Birmingham first deceived Knight in the flight and had her caught and bowled, and then sent back Taylor for 25, LBW off a quicker one. At the other end, Sophie Devine then scalped a third English wicket, when she had the English skipper Charlotte Edwards LBW for a mere five to reduce the hosts to 59/3.
With the start being frittered away, it was the fourth wicket stand between Claire Taylor and Lydia Greenway that pushed the side in front. The pair had a stand of 79 runs for the 4th wicket and at 138/3 in the 36th over, the hosts had every chance of getting to 240 in their fifty overs. Instead, when on 40, Greenway was involved in some confusion with her partner and was run out, and the collapse began with the second run-out of Taylor herself.
Taylor’s dismissal was clearly the turning point of the game as she was batting well on 66 and her presence would have clearly ensured that the side scored much more than the 42 they accomplished in the last nine overs.
Laura Marsh became the third player to be run out in the innings, as the side collapsed from 166/4 to 208/9 in 50 overs, falling at least 25 runs short of where they would have liked to be. Suzie Bates ended with figures of 3/27 from her seven overs.
In reply, it was Bates who followed up her three-wicket haul with a well-compiled and a matured innings of 75 that saw the Kiwi side through to a comfortable win.
There were other obvious contributions from the likes of Lucy Doolan and Sara McGlashan, who made 24 and 28 respectively, and with no real penetration in the English bowling, New Zealand cruised to a win with four wickets and 13 balls to spare.
Bates’ all-round performance in getting those three wickets and smashing the half century won her the player of the match award.
Earlier, in the first game of the series, New Zealand had batted first and compiled 231/8 in their 50 overs. Bates had failed, but there were two half-centurions in the side, in the form of Maria Fahey and Sophie Devine. Katherine Brunt scalped three wickets.
In reply, England had lost Sarah Taylor early, but were rescued by a half century second wicket stand. Captain Edwards played a match-winning innings of 70 that came off 81 deliveries, while Jenny Gunn and Marsh made 31 each to guide the side to within 24 runs of a win with five wickets and 33 balls remaining.
A late-order collapse triggered by Nicola Browne meant the English side went into the last over needing five runs but with only one wicket standing. Thankfully for the hosts, they won it off the penultimate delivery.
The third ODI of the five-match series will be played on July 15.
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