Derby, Sep 24: Captain Heather Knight notched the second ODI century of her career as England Women sealed the series against New Zealand, winning the closely-contested fourth match by three wickets at the Country Ground here. England have taken a 3-1 lead in the five-match series.
Sent in to bat, New Zealand managed 244/8 from their 50 overs, with Amy Satterthwaite and Katey Martin, both notching half-centuries alongside an impressive 41 from White Ferns skipper Sophie Devine.
With the target of 245 being more than England’s women’s team had ever managed to successfully chase in an ODI, it was going to take something special to pull it off and Knight’s 101 off just 107 was just that on Thursday evening.
The captain came out to the middle in the 12th over of the chase with England having enjoyed a positive start thanks to a 52-run stand between Lauren Winfield-Hill and Tammy Beaumont.
The bulk of those runs had come from Winfield-Hill, who was the first out, bowled for 33 by a delivery that jagged back in from Hannah Rowe.
In the company of Amy Jones, Knight put England back on course, with the duo adding 100 runs for the fourth wicket.
Knight all but ensured an England victory as she marched to her ton, eventually perishing in a double-wicket over from Devine with the hosts just eight runs away from victory. Anya Shrubsole (6 not out) and Sophie Ecclestone (0*) saw England home from there with three balls to spare.
Earlier, New Zealand found themselves in big trouble with the early loss of the top three batters.
Martin’s unbeaten 65 in 83 balls with cameos from Brooke Halliday (28), and Hannah Rowe (15) pushed the New Zealand total to 244/8 in 50 overs. (IANS)
Brief scores
New Zealand 288/8 in 50 overs
(K Martin 65, A Satterthwaite 54; C Dean 3/52)
England 245/7 in in 49.3 overs
(H Knight 101, A Jones 40; H Rowe 4/47).
