... Then along came Jones
On a day when no batter looked like seizing the moment at the Basin Reserve, all it needed was one decisive innings.
Unfortunately for the White Ferns, it came from England’s outstanding wicketkeeper-batter Amy Jones who whipped the rug out from under the team in black’s dancing feet.
Thanks to Jones’ superb counter-attacking 92 not out off 83 balls, England beat the White Ferns by four wickets in the first one-day international yesterday, chasing down their target of 208 with 8.4 overs to spare.
A unbroken partnership of 130 with Charlie Dean turned a tense contest into a one-sided procession, leaving the hosts needing to win both in Hamilton on Thursday and Sunday to pinch the series.
Missing their injured star allrounder Sophie Devine, the Ferns wandered off with bemused expressions on a gloomy Wellington afternoon, having put themselves in the box seat for a rare upset victory over their powerhouse visitors.
When stand-in skipper Melie Kerr skittled Danni Wyatt it was 79-6 in the 17th over and the Ferns were on the victory charge – having won just two of their last nine ODIs against England.
Some prodigious inswing from the skipper’s sister Jess Kerr did the early damage, as did some fire from Lea Tahuhu and the inevitable run out amid a collapse, of England’s key batter Nat Sciver-Brunt. It was scarcely believable stuff as this topclass batting lineup looked second-rate.
Last time the sides met in an ODI – at the 2022 World Cup at Eden Park – the Ferns couldn’t close it out in a thriller as England snuck home by one wicket.
Two years on, Jones didn’t panic with plenty of overs up her sleeve. The Ferns didn’t seem like they quite believed, even as Tahuhu bowled some fearsome short ones at Dean who hopped about, took some body blows but remained – just.
When Jones – who was outstanding behind the stumps, too – hit the accelerator it was all over as the boundaries flowed and the punch quickly went out of the Ferns’ attack.
Jones rattled the pickets with 10 fours and rarely looked troubled. The skipper and Tahuhu had one final hurrah but the momentum was suddenly all England’s and there were nowhere near enough runs to defend.
Melie Kerr told TVNZ: “There’s always moments [to look back on], and it was probably when Dean and Jones walked out to bat and it was one more wicket and we were right in the game and we get into their tail.
“Unfortunately we couldn’t get that one wicket and they both batted incredibly, especially Amy. On another day if you have a little bit more luck, some inside edges or top edges go straight up to your ‘keeper … their partnership was outstanding and we didn’t have any answers to break that.’’
After Kerr won the toss, a total of 207 looked below par, especially after the start they got. Openers Suzie Bates and Bernadine
Bezuidenhout put on 90 off 21 overs to set a solid platform, before 10 wickets fell for 107 and the Ferns were skittled with 10 balls to spare.
Bates looked in great nick as England attacked her stumps, driving powerfully down the ground and raising 50 off 73 balls. But she charged at Dean’s spin and walked past one that she held back to give England something of a bonus first wicket.
It was hard work from there on as the Ferns batters showed minimal intent on a springy pitch, and seamer Kate Cross bowled outstandingly with swing and seam.