England stand-in captain Charlie Dean and 18-year-old debutant Tilly Corteen-Coleman inspired a nail-biting one-wicket win over New Zealand in the first one-day international of the three-match series in Durham.
Chasing 211 to win, England were in trouble at 160-7 with the loss of their top-scorer Maia Bouchier (59) in the 35th over, but Dean – stepping up in place of the injured Nat Sciver-Brunt (calf) – saw the side home with an unbeaten 31, receiving good support from No 1 Corteen-Coleman (3no).
The pair came together with 10 runs needed for victory, and New Zealand will be cursing a Nensi Patel drop of Dean on 27, with seven runs still required.
Corteen-Coleman – fresh from earning a £105,000 Hundred contract with Southern Brave and a call-up to England’s T20 World Cup squad – had earlier claimed 2-49 as New Zealand were bowled out for 210 after being inserted by the hosts – the White Ferns suffering a late collapse of 8-63.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Tilly Corteen-Coleman claims her debut wicket for England!
The home side handed out three debut ODI caps ahead of the contest – to Corteen-Coleman, Dani Gibson and Jodi Grewcock – and all of them had an impact with the ball, albeit a sloppy performance in the field will be of concern to England.
After Lauren Filer (1-43) claimed Suzie Bates (6) early on, Corteen-Coleman needed just eight deliveries to bag her first wicket in international cricket as Georgia Plimmer (20) – dropped on 17 by Bouchier – chipped one up in the air to mid-off.
Maddy Green (88) and her captain Melie Kerr (55) put on 105 for the third wicket that seemed to have New Zealand poised to post a big score, only for the wheels to come off the innings in some style when leg-spinner Grewcock (1-26) rather fortuitously claimed the latter off a rank full toss.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Jodi Grewcock dismisses Amelia Kerr with her maiden England wicket!
Dean (2-21) trapped Brooke Halliday (6) lbw after wisely calling for DRS, while Gibson (1-28) had Izzy Gaze (11) caught behind to complete the hat-trick of debutant wicket-takers.
Lauren Bell (2-38) then found herself on an actual hat-trick after claiming two in two balls as New Zealand lost their last five for just seven runs in little more than three overs.
Grewcock (3), in the unfamiliar role of opening the batting, fell in just the fourth over of England’s chase, albeit her lbw dismissal to Bree Illing (1-31) would have been overturned – drifting past leg stump – if she had reviewed it.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Jodi Grewcock walks, but Hawk-Eye shows England should have gone to review!
Heather Knight (19) came in and cracked a couple of eye-catching cover drives to the boundary, but she and Emma Lamb (15) departed in the space of four balls to rock the England reply.
Bouchier and Freya Kemp (30) calmly rebuilt the innings with a 68-run partnership for the fourth wicket, until the latter’s misfortune in being run out at the non-striker’s end off Rosemary Mair’s fingertips prompted another flurry of wickets.
Mair (3-42) added Amy Jones (3) cheaply off a sliced drive to cover, while Melie Kerr (2-54) accounted for Gibson (19) and the key wicket of Bouchier to have the tourists on top.
Forty-one further runs required with only three wickets in hand appeared to be a task beyond England’s long tail, only for Dean and Bell to impressively chip away at the target.
Bell would finally fall 16 short of victory, bowled by Mair, while Filer was cleaned up by Jess Kerr (1-41) with 10 still required, but Dean and Corteen-Coleman held their nerve to inch England over the line – aided by Patel’s costly drop of the captain.
Watch England’s ODIs and T20s against New Zealand live on Sky Sports, with the second ODI on Wednesday (12.30pm on air, 1pm first ball). Stream without a contract.
