| Third one-day international, Hamilton |
| England 194 (46.3 overs): Jones 50 (52), Dean 38 (64); J Kerr 3-39, Rowe 3-42 |
| New Zealand 195-3 (39 overs): Devine 100* (93), Green 38* (54) |
| New Zealand won by seven wickets |
Captain Sophie Devine hit an unbeaten century to help New Zealand to a seven-wicket win over England in the final one-day international in Hamilton.
England failed to adapt to a slow pitch and were bowled out for 194 in 46.3 overs, despite Amy Jones making 50.
The White Ferns were 14-2 in reply but Devine (100 not out) added 76 with Amelia Kerr and 105 with Maddy Green as they won with a full 11 overs to spare.
England win the ODI series 2-1, having won the preceding T20 series 4-1.
They are next in action on 11 May, when they start a three-match T20 series against Pakistan at Edgbaston. That first game will be live on BBC Two, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app.
Devine leads by example on return
Devine had missed the opening two games of the ODI series to manage a quad injury, and the Kiwis had been poor with the bat in both matches.
The 34-year-old started slowly, intent on keeping her wicket, after Kate Cross had Georgia Plimmer caught behind and Nat Sciver-Brunt had dismissed Suzie Bates.
England’s opening attack started well and Devine and Kerr had to battle through that period, but they relieved the pressure against the tourists’ change bowlers Lauren Filer and Charlie Dean.
Seamer Filer, who replaced the rested Lauren Bell, struggled for control and offered width at regular intervals.
Off-spinner Dean was unusually wayward, bowling far too short, meaning Devine could pepper the leg-side boundary and then hit down the ground with any over-corrections.
It was a faultless innings from Devine, who brought up her century to finish the game with two sixes off Dean, and helped New Zealand earn crucial points towards qualification for the 2025 World Cup in India.
There was a slight concern for England with left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone requiring treatment and then time off the field with a calf injury, but she returned to complete her 10-over allocation.
Jones impresses again but England leave questions
With a T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in September and October, England have focussed on T20 cricket in the period since last summer’s Ashes.
However, with a global tournament in the longer white-ball format in 2025, and likely limited games between now and then, this series will leave questions for head coach Jon Lewis and captain Heather Knight.
Jones has impressed throughout, scoring 106 more runs than any other England batter in the series, and the work she done has away from the field on the mental side of the game is paying dividends.
The wicketkeeper showed confidence from ball one and accessed all areas of the ground, which is not always the case when she is going through a tough period.
It has been a disappointing series for the rest of the batters, though. Here, they struggled with the movement offered by a damp surface and the slowness of the pitch.
Tammy Beaumont, Danni Wyatt and Sophia Dunkley – who has now gone 16 innings in all formats without a half-century – were all trapped on the crease.
Maia Bouchier and Sciver-Brunt both offered leading edges into the off-side, while Knight was run out as she and Jones looked to turn the momentum of the game.
England have suffered middle-order collapses in the final two games of the series when batting first – losing four wickets for 13 here, after six for 59 in the second match – and that, alongside being bowled out with overs to spare in both matches, will be something England need to rectify.
‘There is some reflection to do’ – what they said
England captain Heather Knight: “Today is a bit frustrating. We’ve probably not been at our best in this ODI series if we’re being honest. We’ve struggled a little bit with tempo, particularly as a batting group, having not played a huge amount of ODIs.
“It is a really good thing for us to work on as a group, particularly in the middle overs and when you’re on a tricky pitch.
“There is some reflection to do but overall, I am really pleased with how the tour has gone. We’ve made some really good learnings and got some really clear learnings that we need to work on as a group.”
New Zealand captain Sophie Devine: “Nat Sciver-Brunt was egging me on saying I had one ball so have a crack, so it was nice to look her in the eye afterwards.
“It was a really clinical job by the group. It was set up by the bowlers – it was a fantastic effort to restrict them to under 200, and then to win with that many overs to spare and wickets in hand just shows that what we’re doing is on the right path.”
