England fall short in rain-disrupted series-levelling loss against New Zealand

Ahead of their three-match series against New Zealand, England’s intentions were to “set the standard” for how they want to play in the summer, but with the home T20 World Cup less than 30 days away, they have fallen below their own marker.

This is a squad that doesn’t yet look cohesive, albeit they have been hindered by the absences of captain Nat Sciver-Brunt, who sat out with a calf injury, and Mahika Gaur with a foot fracture.

England came into the third and final ODI match at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff with the slight upper hand, leading 1-0 after a tense win in Chester-le-Street, while the second fixture in Northampton was washed out. The rain was once again a factor as they fell to a series-levelling 17-run defeat here at Sophia Gardens.

The nerves from Durham seemed to have carried over as they wobbled early with opener Emma Lamb edging a brilliant delivery off Bree Illing in the second over for seven. Then, just as she had settled in the crease, Jodi Grewcock was sent packing by pace bowler Rosemary Mair. Illing once again found the edge, this time to dismiss Heather Knight for 28 before rain stopped play, initially reducing the game to 33 overs per side.

The weather forecast showed consistent downpour throughout the day and delivered on that promise. And, in a match that was almost certainly going to be shortened, it provided England with the opportunity to put pressure on themselves and take risks early on to see how they would perform. Instead, they chose to play it safe, reaching only 45-1 in the powerplay.

Scoring well in the powerplay is a skill that will be vital to England’s success in the World Cup, where the expectation would be to reach the semi-finals at the very least. It’s also been an issue England have struggled with in recent years and one that head coach Charlotte Edwards will want to get rid of.

Despite those fractures, the hosts did show glimmers of hope with certain players stepping up. England lost three quick wickets for four runs during the middle phase of the game in Cardiff, but remained steady with Charlie Dean (16*) and Amy Jones (27) sharing a 45-run partnership.

Alice Capsey stepped up to the plate as she top-scored with 45. The all-rounder has come a long way since bursting on to the scene as a 16-year-old in The Hundred and has been in and around the England squad for a while, but hasn’t been able to completely stamp her authority. A home World Cup will provide her with just that opportunity. Players of a similar calibre to Capsey, like Annabel Sutherland, Laura Wolvaardt and Phoebe Litchfield, have all significantly moved their games forward in the past few years and the 21-year-old will be looking to do the same.

Prior to this series, England had not played competitively since October and instead had internal training camps in preparation for the World Cup. The 15 players selected for the tournament also spent a weekend with the British Army, focusing on building their resilience and performing under pressure.

Durham unearthed familiar flaws as England were poor in the field. These mistakes are less costly in a 50-over game where time is on their side, but in a T20 match, they can often be make or break.

England will still demand a tighter performance and statement win before the World Cup starts to boost their confidence ahead of their opener against Sri Lanka on 12 June. They do not yet look like a team that is comfortable or cohesive, but they do have individual wins that they can take from this ODI series.

Debutant Tilly Corteen-Coleman was tested in Durham. She arrived at the crease when England needed 10 runs and were nine wickets down and displayed a great level of skill, determination and grit to help stand-in captain Dean see England cross the line. In the post-match press conference, the 18-year-old admitted to feeling nervous when she came out to bat. But her demeanour on the pitch suggested the opposite. Her calmness is going to be invaluable for the England squad during the World Cup and a trait that will also hold her in good stead throughout her cricketing career.

Similarly, Dean also stepped up to her captaincy name and delivered for England when it mattered the most, leading them to a one-wicket victory in Durham.

Lauren Bell has also shown consistency throughout the New Zealand series, picking up two wickets in Durham and three here in Cardiff. Her consistency is going to be vital as she steps into the role of England’s senior seamer, following in the footsteps of iconic pacers Anya Shrubsole, Katherine Sciver-Brunt and Kate Cross.

The 15 players selected for the World Cup squad all have the traits that can lead England to the final, and, perhaps, one step further. But on the pitch, there is a sense that a flow is still missing.

If the ODI series has been a chance for England to spot their mistakes, then the imminent T20 series against New Zealand must be where they get rid of them completely. If England hope to use this to “set the standard” for what is to come, then the bar has to be raised, individually and collectively.

The question for England has never been about the talent – they have plenty of it. They must turn their attention to utilising it in a way that wins them matches and potentially a home World Cup. Do they dare to dream?

Photograph by Graham Hunt/Imago