Source: Radio New Zealand
Brooke Halliday, player of the match in the final ODI against England, May 17th 2026. AFP
The New Zealand women’s cricket team continue to show promising signs ahead of the defence of their T20 World Cup crown next month, after beating England in Cardiff, in the final of a three match ODI series.
The White Ferns won by 17 runs by the DLS method, after rain interrupted the match.
England batted first scoring 181 for seven in a shortened innings of 33 overs, with Bree Illing and Rosemary Mair both taking two wickets for New Zealand.
The White Ferns initial target for the win was 184, and when England’s opening bowler Lauren Bell took three quick wickets, removing Suzie Bates, Melie Kerr and Georgia Plummer, all lbw, New Zealand’s task looked grim.
But Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday and Izzy Gaze steadied ship in the rainy conditions, as New Zealand got to 141 for four midway through the 25th over, before play was abandoned.
Halliday was named player of the match for scoring an unbeaten 42 off 54 balls.
The series finished tied 1-1 after England won the first match by one wicket, while the second game was abandoned without a ball bowled due to rain.
Green was named player of the series, largely in the back of scoring 88 in the opening game.
The teams now switch to a best of three T20 series, which begins on May 20 in Derby, ahead of the T20 World Cup, which starts on June 12.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand