Women’s Cricket World Cup: England Crush New Zealand In Final Group Match

England vanished nan group stages of nan World Cup pinch a ascendant eight-wicket triumph against a limp New Zealand, aft bowling them retired for 168 successful 38.2 overs.

Sophie Devine’s last ODI ended successful disappointment aft she departed caught down to Nat Sciver-Brunt connected 23, sparking a illness which saw New Zealand suffer their past 5 wickets for 13 runs.

Devine did chime successful pinch a last wicket, trapping Heather Knight leg-before for 33, but contempt surrounding Amy Jones pinch adjacent fielders successful nan adjacent complete Jones was capable to sneak nan winning bound done nan off-side, finishing unbeaten connected 86 arsenic England won pinch 124 balls to spare. The only downside was that Danni Wyatt-Hodge, yet brought into nan XI successful spot of Emma Lamb, faced conscionable 7 balls up of presumably playing successful nan semi-final successful 3 days’ time.

The consequence has nary base connected nan semi-final line-ups: England will play South Africa successful nan first semi-final successful Guwahati connected Wednesday, earlier table-toppers Australia look India successful Navi Mumbai successful Thursday’s semi.

But it could nevertheless beryllium crucial, because it puts England 2nd successful nan group. Should nan semi-final beryllium washed out, England would advancement astatine nan disbursal of third-placed South Africa. A reserve time is successful place, but nan forecast for some Wednesday and Thursday successful Guwahati looks decidedly iffy and it whitethorn beryllium that nan rain, which has blighted this tournament, has nan past laugh.

England’s power came contempt nan truth that Sophie Ecclestone was only capable to vessel 4 balls, aft landing awkwardly connected her near enarthrosis while diving successful nan heavy successful nan first over. She near nan section for treatment, came backmost concisely to return nan wicket of Brooke Halliday successful nan 23rd over, but was incapable to complete nan complete and did not return to nan field. It is not yet known if she will beryllium fresh to characteristic successful Wednesday’s semi-final.

Sophie Ecclestone walks disconnected nan transportation pinch aesculapian unit during nan lucifer and is now a uncertainty for nan semi-final conflict pinch South Africa. Photograph: Matthew Lewis-ICC/ICC/Getty Images

It was fortunate for England that New Zealand’s mediocre batting ensured nan absence of Ecclestone was not felt. As it was, Sophia Dunkley – who has not bowled successful an ODI successful much than 3 years and bowled conscionable 2 overs for Surrey this summertime – was asked to complete Ecclestone’s over, but only had to nonstop down 2 much of her own.

New Zealand’s disappointment will beryllium much acute fixed that their batters squandered a promising commencement of 85 for 1 successful 18 overs, aft Linsey Smith struggled to find nan correct magnitude to vessel successful nan powerplay.

But Melie Kerr was caught connected nan statement trying to loft Alice Capsey down nan ground, while Georgia Plimmer departed successful nan adjacent over, trapped leg-before by Charlie Dean. With their apical bid backmost successful nan dugout, New Zealand past struggled to find immoderate further momentum and mislaid their heads – Maddy Green plonked a return drawback into nan hands of Capsey, Jess Kerr was tally out, and Smith came backmost powerfully astatine nan backend of nan innings to vessel Izzy Gaze and decorativeness pinch figures of 3 for 30.

As expected, emotions had been precocious during nan anthems, pinch Devine struggling to clasp backmost tears. She came to nan crease wearing nan pounamu necklace which her teammates had presented her pinch earlier successful nan tournament, surviving for conscionable 35 balls earlier England invoked DRS to spot her off. Ever nan squad player, it will beryllium her team’s sixth-place position successful this World Cup which will sting overmuch much than immoderate consciousness of individual failure.