Achi news desk-
Key events
6th over: New Zealand 20-0 (Bates 17, Bezuidenhout 2) Bezuidenhout off the mark! He has taken 12 balls, got a short ball to grab here from Bell and helped it to deep square leg for a single. That will feel good. Bates’ turn but she can’t beat Wyatt in the groove with her cut. A yorker follows, a good one too, but she keeps it out. Two more singles to end the over, which could help build some momentum for the hosts.
5th over: New Zealand 17-0 (Bates 16, Bezuidenhout 0) Bates down the ground again – another boundary. With the lower hand in the end, she looked to cover a drive before adjusting at the last minute – it does the trick. Oooh, great response from Cross, he swung it from a dangerous line and length away from the right-handed opener; ever so close to the outer edge. Nice again with the one that comes back the other way off the seam – she’s really at the top of her powers as a bowler at the moment.
4th over: New Zealand 13-0 (Bates 12, Bezuidenhout 0) Bell i Bates from the RA Vance Stand End – one of my favorite places in the world to watch from. Our radio commentary box for the recently completed New Zealand/Australia men’s Test was up in the roof of that stand – completely dilapidated, but a lovely vantage point at the famous old ground. After three dots, Bates creates enough space to break a three through point. Bezuidenhout plays the rest of the set calmly. But she now faces ten dot balls, yet to get off the mark – she has to find a way through here.
3rd over: New Zealand 10-0 (Bates 9, Bezuidenhout 0) Bezuidenhout crossed out with beauty to start the new over, much like the ball that Bates played and missed to start the innings. Oh, and again. Great stuff. Whether it’s a swinging seam or a true outswing, she has a hoop early here. And now the one that comes back – a big shout for lbw, but he does too much; no review. A complete virgin – all over her.
2nd over: New Zealand 10-0 (Bates 9, Bezuidenhout 0) Bates actually decrease this time, with Sciver-Brunt unable to snuff it to mid-wicket from Bell’s first ball! The tall seamer squirts one leg down later in the over before giving Bates a chance to drive to finish and she doesn’t miss out, timing it straight for four. A shot.
1st over: New Zealand 5-0 (Bates 5, Bezuidenhout 0) Uppish from the second ball of Bates, drives for four but not without risk with center and mid on inside the circle to begin with and Ecclestone not far from dragging in a diving catch – maybe a half chance? Bezuidenhout defends right out of the middle to finish – her first ball. Good start from Cross, who has been taking the lead since Brunt/Shrubsole hung up the boots.
The players are on their way! The legend Suzie Bates opens up, 36 years young. She has 13 tons, the best part of 6000 ODI runs and has done everything in her power to keep this New Zealand team in check. She opens with Bernadine Bezuidenhout, who, by contrast, averages 18 in 18 ODIs. They need Bates. Kate Cross is going to take the new ball, England’s best in this format over the last few years.
National anthems for ODIs? Really? OK. Anthems. Here we go.
Let’s get in the mood for this with some New Zealand indie.
The England team as named: Tammy Beaumont, Maia Bouchier, Heather Knight (c), Nat Sciver-Brunt, Alice Capsey, Danni Wyatt, Amy Jones (wk), Sophie Ecclestone, Charlie Dean, Kate Cross, Lauren Bell.
New Zealand: Suzie Bates, Bernadine Bezuidenhout, Melie Kerr (c), Georgia Plimmer, Maddy Green, Brook Halliday, Izzy Gaze (wk), Hannah Rowe, Jess Kerr, Lea Tahuhu, Fran Jonas.
We have sound! There is victory. Unfortunately, there is no way of finding out what the skippers said at the toss but the graphic on the screen confirmed that Melie Kerr leads New Zealand in an ODI for the first time today in the absence of the injured Sophie Devine.
Wellington looks exactly as I left it when there for a Test a few weeks ago. Currently 13 degrees, scheduled to reach a high of 17. No rain forecast. Cloudy, back.
Heather Knight has won the toss and England are bowling. I wish I could tell you more but there has been no sound on the broadcast since it started five minutes ago. Have fun!
Welcome to the 1st ODI between New Zealand Women and England
Adam Collins
One series ends; another starts – modern cricket is not a sport for boundary lines. After Heather Knight’s side won the T20s easily 4-1 – they should have been a clean sweep, they botched the chase in defeat – it’s back to the 50-over fare at an interesting time in the circle, about half way. the four year cycle.
I mention off the top as this is how national teams set up in ODI cricket these days – ultimately it’s all about having the right players prepared to the right levels by the time the festive four years ended, 18 months from now in India. .
Dealing first with England, they have won seven of their 11 ODIs since the last World Cup in early 2022, the highlight of which was a 2-1 home win against the Australians last summer. Reduced somewhat during the first leg of the tour due to commitments in India in the Women’s Premier League, they are back (more or less) to full strength here. On paper, they are the much stronger team. They will, however, be without leg-spinner Sarah Glenn who suffered a concussion while fielding in the final T20 win.
As for the hosts, who have been dreadful in global tournaments in the last decade, but in ODIs quite well in their home ODIs during this ICC Championship Cycle – ie since the last World Cup, where they have failed to make the semi-final at home. It’s unclear whether their superstar captain Sophie Devine has recovered from her quad strain – we’ll find out soon. Typically, to really push England, it needs to be fired.
I’ll leave it there for now – more thoughts after the toss with the first ball to take place at 11pm BST. Drop me a line anytime.
