England beaten in rain-affected ODI as NZ draw series

Third ODI, Cardiff

England 181-7 (33 overs): Capsey 45 (45); Illing 2-29

New Zealand 141-4 (24.4 overs): Halliday 42* (54); Bell 3-29

New Zealand win by 17 runs (DLS); series drawn 1-1

Scorecard

England suffered a 17-run (DLS) defeat in a rain-affected third and final one-day international in Cardiff as New Zealand levelled the series at 1-1.

After morning rain delayed play by an hour, the hosts reached 77-3 after 17 overs before another lengthy break meant the game was reduced to 33 overs a side.

On a slow surface made even trickier by the weather, Alice Capsey's run-a-ball 45 and a cameo of 27 from Amy Jones pushed the hosts to 181-7.

Rain threatened throughout New Zealand's chase, but their middle order played proactively to stay ahead of the run-rate despite being reduced to 40-3 by Lauren Bell early on.

She removed legendary New Zealand all-rounder Suzie Bates lbw for 12 in her final ODI appearance, before trapping both Georgia Plimmer and skipper Melie Kerr in front for seven and one respectively.

Brooke Halliday and Maddy Green withstood Bell's spell in helpful bowling conditions to add 57 for the fourth wicket, as the former finished unbeaten on 42 with support from Izzy Gaze's 22 not out.

The umpires attempted to play through some evening rain but it became unplayable and New Zealand finished on 141-4, 17 runs ahead of the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) par score.

The ODI series is followed by three T20s, the format in which the White Ferns are world champions, starting at Derby on Wednesday.

Despite a modest target, the conditions had favoured seam bowling throughout the day and considering the lack of depth to New Zealand's batting, England were still considered favourites at the halfway mark.

Bell was immediately on target. Bates and Plimmer earned a few streaky boundaries before the former was undone by a full, swinging delivery that was just clipping leg stump to end an incredible ODI career of 5,970 runs in 184 matches - the fourth-highest in women's cricket history in both aspects.

The scalp of in-form captain Kerr swung the game firmly in England's favour as she also misjudged Bell's swing and Plimmer suffered the same fate, but Green and Halliday counter-attacked confidently.

The pair played star spinner Sophie Ecclestone brilliantly, sweeping both sides of the wicket and hitting firmly down the ground to take 27 from her first four overs and smartly ensuring they stayed within reach of DLS throughout the middle overs.

Green was bowled by a beauty from all-rounder Dani Gibson for 37, nipping the ball back in, but Halliday stepped up with Gaze as England's bowlers and fielders struggled with a wet ball and slippery outfield.

The left-handed Halliday caused problems for the hosts, who gave away 18 runs in wides, although Bell again proved her invaluable presence as attack leader as the ODI side begins its transition.

Though this ODI series has been low-key in the backdrop of England's T20 World Cup preparations, it has marked the beginning of a new era of batting in the longer format.

Veteran opener Tammy Beaumont has been dropped, while Jones has moved back into the middle order, so a new-look opening partnership of Emma Lamb and Jodi Grewcock has emerged.

It has been a difficult series for Grewcock, 21, who has been in form at number three for Essex this season. Again, she looked tentative against New Zealand's seamers, who exploited the conditions perfectly after captain Kerr did not hesitate in choosing to bowl first.

Both openers were caught behind as Rosemary Mair and Bree Illing found plenty of movement through the air, before former skipper Heather Knight dropped anchor with 28 until she also nicked to the keeper.

Capsey and Freya Kemp, who should be England's middle order mainstays for years to come, led a recovery but looked uncertain when to launch a counter-attack considering the rain clouds that constantly teased them above.

After the break and reduced overs were confirmed, a slow outfield made scoring difficult and Kemp fell to a fantastic diving catch by Mair at long-on with her first real shot of intent.

Only six boundaries were scored after the resumption, though Capsey innovatively picked the gaps in a large outfield, while Jones provided a late flurry in her 21-ball knock to avoid England's innings from falling away.

New Zealand captain Melie Kerr: "The cricket gods looked after us today with winning the toss and getting the win. For someone like Suzie [Bates], an absolute legend of the game, all she's achieved, all the runs she's scored, the stats speak for themselves.

"I always say we're the lucky ones to see the impact she has on the group and changing room."

England captain Charlie Dean: "Batting first would always be a bit tricky on a day like today. You're trying to manage situations then adjusting so tempo is always hard, and we were not on the right end of the result."