England registered a 15-run win over New Zealand at the Brabourne Stadium in the last match of the Super Six stage in the 2013 ICC Women’s World Cup.
Chasing a 267-run target, New Zealand lost opener Lucy Doolan early in the innings, but Suzie Bates and Amy Satterthwaite set up the chase for NZ with a 134-run partnership. But failing to build on that platform, the rest of the line-up collapsed after the departure of Satterthwaite.
Coming in to bat at No.3, Satterthwaite got off the mark with a boundary through extra cover and followed it up with four to square leg. The captain then smashed three boundaries in the next to set the tone of the innings. The duo steadily built on the partnership and kept the scoreboard moving. Bates was the first to reach the half-century mark with a single off Danielle Wyatt. As the partnership began to take shape and the match leaned in favour of NZ, Satterthwaite brought up the three-figure mark for her team with a boundary over mid-wicket and later reached her fifty with another hit to the fence. Although England were quick on their feet, the batters found gaps with ease. The Kiwi captain was on song as she collected 79 off 94 balls, including a six over square-leg before being castled by Jenny Gunn. Sophie Devine who then joined Satterthwaite in taking the innings forward, departed after contributing 17 runs to the total.
Satterthwaite, who had not been amongst runs in the tournament so far and had scored two back-to-back ducks coming in to the game, continued to anchor the innings and brought up her century with a boundary to fine-leg. But after adding three more runs to her tally, she departed for 103.
NZ then lost wickets in a cluster. Sniffing victory, the English women held their nerves as runs dried up for the opposition. Nicola Browne who replaced Satterthwaite was bowled by Holly Colvin in the following over, while Katie Perkins and Rachel Priest got out in successive overs. Sara McGlashan who had held up one end until then, also departed for 15. Morna Nielsen was the next to be castled by Gunn as England inched towards a well-fought victory.
Earlier, after electing to bat first, skipper Charlotte Edwards and Wyatt bided their time at the crease and put together 59 runs for the first wicket. But a brilliant catch by Nicola Browne off Morna Nielsen saw Wyatt depart for 26 in the 17th over. Sarah Taylor who then came to the crease injected momentum into the innings with boundaries at regular intervals. Runs started to come at quicker pace for the English women as the duo added 68 runs for the second wicket at a run-rate of over five runs per over. Browne, however, ended the flourishing partnership by sending back the England captain for 54. Taylor then continued to milk the bowlers with Lydia Greenway. The duo added 59 runs, before Taylor hit Suzie Bates to mid-off to walk back for 88.
With England on 186 for three in the 49th over, the rest of the line-up chipped in with useful runs. While Nielsen clipped Laura Marsh’s bails, Doolan followed up with the wickets of Brindle and Greenway. But Heather Knight (28*) and Jenny Gunn (23*) helped post a competitive target for New Zealand with a late onslaught.
England and New Zealand will again play against each other at the same venue in a day-game on February 15 for the third place play-off.
Brief scores: England 266/6 in 50 overs (S Taylor 88, C Edwards 54, Lucy Doolan 2/25, M Nielsen 2/57) beat New Zealand 251/9 in 50 overs (A Satterthwaite 103, S Bates 79, H Colvin 3/48, J Gunn 2/26) by 15 runs
Player of the Match: Sarah Taylor for her match-winning 88-run knock
