Earlier, England spinners would leave the White Ferns in a tizzy. Linsey Smith (3/30) ended as the top performer with the ball.
She was well supported by Alice Capsey (2/31), Charlie Dean (1/21) and Sophie Ecclestone (1/4), who together choked the scoring rate and ran through the middle order. In total, England’s spinners took seven of the nine wickets while captain Nat Sciver-Brunt (2/34) also contributed with a brace.
For much of the first half, it looked like New Zealand were in control with the bat. After recovering from the early loss of Suzie Bates, Georgia Plimmer and Amelia Kerr steadied the innings with a solid 68-run stand for the second wicket, taking their side to 89/1 and laying the platform for a competitive total.
However, the game completely changed once that partnership was broken. New Zealand’s innings collapsed dramatically as they lost nine wickets for just 79 runs – their lowest total at this tournament.
The game saw New Zealand captain Sophie Devine call time to a glorious ODI career for the White Ferns.