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Sophie Ecclestone suffered an injury scare ahead of the Women’s Cricket World Cup semi-finals as England ended their league campaign with an eight-wicket win over New Zealand following an erratic bowling display and clinical batting performance.
Left-arm spinner Ecclestone jarred her bowling shoulder trying to prevent a boundary in the opening over of Sunday’s fixture in Vizag and soon left the field for assessment.
The 26-year-old returned to the park and even came on to bowl the 23rd over, only to head off again as soon as she had Brooke Halliday (4) caught at deep midwicket from her fourth legal delivery in New Zealand’s total of 168 all out in 38.2 overs.
Ecclestone was not seen again in the innings, leaving England sweating on her fitness ahead of Wednesday’s semi-final against South Africa in Guwahati, live on Sky Sports Cricket (9.30am UK).
Amy Jones (86no off 92 balls) and Tammy Beaumont (40) shared their highest opening stand of the tournament – 75 from 89 balls – before Jones and Heather Knight (33 off 40) added 83 in partnership as England eased to their target with 125 deliveries to spare, bouncing back from defeat to Australia last time out.
The win also saw England snatch second spot from South Africa, meaning Nat Sciver-Brunt’s side will advance to the final against either Australia or India if their semi-final is washed out.
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Amy Jones struck New Zealand seamer Rosemary Mair for three fours in a row during the 26th over of the run chase
Danni Wyatt-Hodge (2no) replaced the out-of-nick Emma Lamb for England and came out to bat at No 4 with 11 runs required after Kiwi captain Sophie Devine (1-20) pinned Knight lbw to take a 111th ODI wicket in her 159th and final match before retiring from the format.
Jones, who now has two half-centuries across her last three innings, sealed victory with back-to-back fours off Devine, whose New Zealand team won just one of their seven games around four losses and two rain-offs.
England beat New Zealand after early struggles with the ball
New Zealand squandered a good start after Devine had elected to bat, with the White Ferns reaching 89-1 in the 19th over before Melie Kerr (35) and Georgia Plimmer (43) fell to successive deliveries.
New Zealand had earlier taken 17 runs across four balls from Linsey Smith (3-30) as the England spinner conceded four consecutive boundaries while bowling to Kerr, including one off a dreadful full-toss no-ball that reached the batter above waist height.
England’s bowling was loose early on – even the first wicket of Suzie Bates (10), caught at mid-off by substitute fielder Lamb, came off a Smith full toss – but they did tighten up as the innings progressed.
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New Zealand captain Sophie Devine was dismissed for 23 in her final one-day international innings
New Zealand faded once Kerr chipped Alice Capsey down the ground – Charlie Dean with the catch in her 100th England appearance – and Plimmer was then pinned lbw by Dean one ball later.
There were a raft of soft dismissals, including Maddy Green pouched off a Capsey full toss, although it took a great piece of cricket to remove Devine for 23; England wicketkeeper Jones with a smart catch after Devine snicked a Nat Sciver-Brunt off-cutter.
England will want a sharper all-round display – and a fully-fit Ecclestone – when they face a South Africa side they bundled out for 69 in Guwahati en route to a 10-wicket win in their first game of the tournament on October 3.
Jones: England ‘hugely excited’ for semi-finals
England’s Amy Jones hit 11 fours and one six in her knock of 86 not out
Player of the Match, England opener Amy Jones (86no off 92 balls):
“I found it challenging out there. It was a little bit slow, a little bit frustrating.
“I was happy to get through that and Tammy [Beaumont] took the pressure off me at the start when I was finding it a bit harder.
“It is hugely exciting to be in the semi-final and to finish second. We are all very happy with that.
“Twice in the tournament now we have bounced back quickly from a poor performance which has been really positive.”
England players hail ‘proper cricketer’ Devine
England’s Amy Jones on Sophie Devine:
“It is great for Soph [Devine] to get the recognition. She is a legend of the game and it is clear to see how much she means to New Zealand and everyone else in the women’s game.
“On the pitch but also off it as a great person. I am really happy she has had such a successful career.
Devine, 36, made her ODI debut for New Zealand in 2006
England’s Heather Knight on Sophie Devine:
“Sophie has been a stalwart of New Zealand cricket. I have played with her and against her and what stands out for me is her character.
“She is still the same sort of cheeky girl she was when she got in the team and a proper cricketer – someone who pushed the game forward in how you take bowlers on.
“She can hit the ball better than anyone in the women’s game and she was doing that before anyone else was. You also look at her longevity – and I think we might see her in the 2026 T20 World Cup…”
England’s World Cup results and fixtures
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