Key events<\/p>\n
Match reportShare<\/a><\/p>\n As the stragglers stroll through the still-warm streets towards Vauxhall, time for me to sign off. England have waltzed through the group stages of their home World Cup – five wins from five games, peaking with a pummelling of NZ today in front of a record crowd. And Wyatt-Hodge is in the form of her life<\/p>\n Defending champs New Zealand go home, while England have a semi-final to play at The Oval next week against probably India or South Africa \u2013 tbc tomorrow. We\u2019ll be here to cover it, do join us! Have a lovely evening.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a017.25 EDT<\/p>\n Melie Kerr and Charlie Dean<\/p>\n Kerr: \u201cThose three legends of the game, the service they\u2019ve given to the shirt, we\u2019ll make sure we\u2019ll celebrate them tonight. I\u2019ve learnt so much coming into the White Ferns from them, I feel very grateful to have been so long with them in the dressing room.<\/p>\n \u201cHas been a disappointing tournament for us, there is a lot to work on, if we can get five percent better in all disciplines, there is so much exciting talent in this group.\u201d<\/p>\n Charlie Dean:\u201cWas really special tonight. [Why doing so well?] everyone stepping up, we know our roles as a bowling group, been great to have a lot of momentum that\u2019s what tournament cricket is all about. At The Oval there is always some extra bounce and hopefully similar conditions for the semis.<\/p>\n And they\u2019re off to watch England now. \u201cHopefully we can go to the pub and watch the football \u2013 with a diet coke of course.\u201d Of course, Charlie.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n So West Indies make it through to the semi finals despite tripping up against Ireland and it wasn\u2019t to be for the defending champions New Zealand.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was the biggest crowd I\u2019ve played in front of for England,\u201d says DWH. \u201cIt was fantastic and everyone loves playing at The Oval. Susie was my idol growing up those three are legends of the game, sad night to see them go.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Player of the match – Danni Wyatt-Hodge for her 89 not out<\/p>\n Apparently she fell out of a tree when she was ten and hurt her wrist which enables her to play those crazy shots.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a017.11 EDT<\/p>\n There are hugs, there are more hugs. Bates licks her lips, Devine fiddles with her cap. I can\u2019t believe we\u2019re not going to see these brilliant women on a cricket field again. And already, the player of the match award is here. Who could it be?<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a017.11 EDT<\/p>\n Oh that\u2019s lovely. The three legends, Devine, Tahuhu, Bates, walk through a long guard of honour made up of both teams and backroom staff, into their retirement. Devine turns and looks and waves to the record crowd, and all three remove their caps and doff them all around.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>England win by nine wickets and New Zealand are eliminated!<\/p>\n 18th over: England 164-1 (Wyatt-Hodge 89, Dunkley 49) Tahuhu\u2019s final over is not treated with dignity. Dunkley threads four through the covers, and the end comes with a wide.<\/p>\n Danni Wyatt-Hodge and Sophia Dunkley celebrate their 9 wicket victory. Photograph: COLORSPORT\/Ashley Western\/ShutterstockShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.48 EDT<\/p>\n 17th over: England 159-1 (Wyatt-Hodge 89, Dunkley 45) DWH is in the zone \u2013 just the most delicate twist and lock for four down to third off Kerr. Two more sumptuous strokes deserve four but bring two each. And, this is just showing off now, \u2013 a wristy pick up for six to bring the target to single figures! Five runs needed.<\/p>\n Today\u2019s attendance is also the biggest attendance ever for a women\u2019s T20 group game.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.41 EDT<\/p>\n 16th over: England 145-1 (Wyatt-Hodge 76, Dunkley 44) Beautiful skies, navy blue all around apart from the apricot shades of the west. DWH cuts Devine like a French nobleman curling his butter: four.A handful of singles follow.19 needed.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 15th over: England 138-1 (Wyatt-Hodge 70, Dunkley 43) Kerr, who has gone at more than ten an over so far, is back. DWH fancies more and duly slams front foot forward and swipes four down the ground. Dunkley has a go now, throwing her weight onto her back foot and sweep a wide ball for another boundary. 26 needed.<\/p>\n Sophia Dunkley thumps a shot. Photograph: Ben Whitley\/PAShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.39 EDT<\/p>\n 14th over: England 127-1 (Wyatt-Hodge 64, Dunkley 38) Ones made into twos with determination and gumption. Charlotte Edwards wasn\u2019t messing about when she said England needed to work on their fitness \u2013 they\u2019re pretty transformed in the field and between the wickets. 37 needed. <\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.33 EDT<\/p>\n 13th over: England 122-1 (Wyatt-Hodge 63, Dunkley 34) Oh that\u2019s the softest of hands, DWH directs Kerr between point and third and they watch it rumble over the rope. There are so many little girls and teenagers in the crowd tonight watching their heroes \u2013 and tonight is the biggest crowd of the tournament \u2013 over 21,000. High five to the organisers.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.33 EDT<\/p>\n 12th over: England 116-1 (Wyatt-Hodge 58, Dunkley 33) Kerr plays her Illing card with a breakthrough needed desperately. Dunkley manoeuvres like nimble forklift \u2013 forward, back \u2013 thwack past point for four. A couple of wides from a disillusioned bowler, then DWH powers her back over her head for four more.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.33 EDT<\/p>\n 11th over: England 101-1 (Wyatt-Hodge 50, Dunkley 28) Tahuhu, does she have magic in her fingers? Well, the first ball is invitingly wide and Dunkley needs no invitation \u2013 four. A wide adds to their woes, as does a last ball flourish over the covers by DWH for four more. Bell and Ecclestone watch with the relaxed posture of women who are pretty sure they\u2019re not going to have to bat.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.16 EDT<\/p>\n Fifty for Wyatt Hodge!<\/p>\n 10th over: England 95-1 (Wyatt-Hodge 50, Dunkley 23) We have pictures! Patel to stem the flow, navy blue towel bouncing like a tail as she skips in. DWH \u2013 a lofted drive with panache for four to bring up the fifty partnership. And then brings up her own fifty with a screaming outside edge \u2013 33 balls. At the halfway stage, England need 69.<\/p>\n Danni Wyatt-Hodge on here way to her half-century. Photograph: Graham Hunt\/ProSports\/ShutterstockShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.20 EDT<\/p>\n 9th over: England 83-1 (Wyatt-Hodge 39, Dunkley 22) Still no pictures. Kerr. A full toss smashed for four. Another four. Super excited crowd noises and bursts of pop music. And a third four. Sounds like Kerr is having a shocker.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.07 EDT<\/p>\n 8th over: England 70-1 (Wyatt-Hodge 26, Dunkley 22) I\u2019m not sure whats going on as we\u2019ve lost pictures from The Oval temporarily. Illing is bowling. Four dot balls, a single, a four from Dunkley.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.07 EDT<\/p>\n The covers are coming off<\/p>\n And the spectators perched on the top stand seems pretty perky. I can\u2019t see New Zealand coming back from this perilous position but we\u2019ve been here before. A rainbow arches over the pavilion where Mickey Stewart is chatting away. We\u2019re about to restart.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.07 EDT<\/p>\n Rain stops play<\/p>\n 7th over: England 65-1 (Wyatt-Hodge 25, Dunkley 18) I think the teams just took drinks, but I didn\u2019t see it. The captain brings herself on with New Zealand in real trouble. Her first ball won\u2019t win any prizes either and is also dispatched, by Dunkley, through the covers for four. It\u2019s starting to rain now and with five overs gone, DLS will come into play. Another powerful four thuds through the covers as Dunkley frees the bat and then the players trot off. We\u2019ll get a short break.<\/p>\n The covers come out! Photograph: Cat Goryn\/Action Images\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.01 EDT<\/p>\n 6th over: England 57-1 (Wyatt-Hodge 25, Dunkley 10) Sophie Devine offer a gravy-filled pie to DWH who dispatches it with glee. A similar pastry is gobbled up by Dunkley with the same result. And a third four as Dunkley steps outside off stump and sweeps away. In the crowd, a man in a red England shirt, with plans for later, jiggles with excitement.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.02 EDT<\/p>\n 5th over: England 43-1 (Wyatt-Hodge 20, Dunkley 1) Tahuhu, for one last stint. Iconic headband, narrowed eye. DWH slides a wide one between backward point and deep third for four.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.35 EDT<\/p>\n WICKET! Jones c Kerr b Patel 17 (England 36-1)<\/p>\n Delight for New Zealand as Jones chips limply straight to mid off.<\/p>\n 4th over: England 36-1 (Wyatt-Hodge 14) Kerr turns to Patel. She immediately slows things down and then draws DWH forward who dances into the danger zone, but keeper Gaze misses her cue behind the stumps. Jones goes next ball.<\/p>\n Nensi Patel is congratulated after taking the first wicket for New Zealand. Photograph: Graham Hunt\/ProSports\/ShutterstockShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.38 EDT<\/p>\n 3rd over: England 31-0 (Jones 16, Wyatt-Hodge 10) Jones gets in on the act, clonking Illing\u2019s first two balls for four, through midwicket, then backward point, then square-driving the fifth for another.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.27 EDT<\/p>\n 2nd over: England 19-0 (Jones 4, Wyatt-Hodge 10) Kerr bustles in. DWH continues her excellent work in the tournament with the innings\u2019 first boundaries off the bat, two of them, as she cuts, boots in the air, then pings over off side like a ping-pong player.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.24 EDT<\/p>\n 1st over: England 8-0 (Jones 2, Wyatt-Hodge 1) The lights are on, the south London skies start, slowly, to dim. Illing with the first over \u2013 fast and accurate. Just a single off the first three balls but the fourth ball wobbles legside for five wides. Illing hits 119.4kph.<\/p>\n Danni Wyatt-Hodge gets things moving for England. Photograph: Alan Stanford\/PPAUK\/ShutterstockShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.23 EDT<\/p>\n Right! Here we go. New Zealand need the win to avoid elimination.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n At the break, England are on top but New Zealand have a squirrel of a chance. Time to grab a quick drink of water.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>WICKET! Bates run out 19 (New Zealand 163-6) England need 164 to win!<\/p>\n 20th over: New Zealand 163-6 ( Green 17) A gold final over from Bell. Two singles \u2013 Green can\u2019t cash in on a full toss \u2013 then a bouncer passes a swivelling Bates. New Zealand squeeze another three and then Bates is run out flat out on her belly sprinting a bye off the last ball which is a cracking bouncer.<\/p>\n Suzie Bates didn\u2019t make it. Photograph: Cat Goryn\/Action Images\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.08 EDT<\/p>\n 19th over: New Zealand 158-5 ( Green 14, Bates 17) Three singles and leg bye \u2013 England unusuccesfully review an lbw against Bates \u2013 then Green steers behind square, screaming past a diving Bell for four.<\/p>\n