New Zealand 156 (Halliday 51, Dean 4-38, Ecclestone 2-28) vs England
Filer took a couple of balls to find her length but she struck with her eighth delivery, a gem which jagged back in and rocketed into the top of Suzie Bates’ middle and off stumps in the fourth over of the day to halt a promising start by Bates, who struck three fours on her way to 16 off 12 balls.
Georgia Plimmer’s freak run out, deflecting Amelie Kerr’s jab down the pitch towards midwicket where Maia Bouchier swooped and fired the ball to wicketkeeper Amy Jones as Plimmer lunged in vain to make her ground, brought Sophie Devine to the crease. And Devine’s presence became more crucial when, moments later, Kerr top-edged her attempted slog-sweep off Ecclestone high into the air and ultimately into the hands of a waiting Jones. Plimmer’s 29 ended up being New Zealand’s next-best score behind Halliday on a sorry looking scorecard.
Ecclestone and Jones teamed up again, the former with a beautiful delivery that drifted in then turned away and the latter with the sharpest of catches off Devine’s thick outside edge to leave New Zealand reeling at 75 for 4.
When Maddy Green fell lbw to Sciver-Brunt and Izzy Gaze and Hannah Rowe both departed in similar fashion to Dean, the White Ferns slumped to 111 for 7.
Dean claimed her third wicket and Jones her third catch when Jess Kerr prodded at one outside off stump and sent a faint edge behind, then Molly Penfold fell cheaply, beaten by a Dean delivery which spun back in to rattle the top of leg stump.
Halliday struck the only six of the innings, launching a fuller delivery outside off-stump from Dean down the ground, and seven fours, including one behind backward square leg to bring up her half-century before edging Glenn’s next ball high into the air for Heather Knight to pocket a diving catch.