5th over: England 21-1 (Grewcock 2, Knight 8) Five dots from Kerr. the sixth is a juicy half volley that Knight strokes away for four. You can’t bowl there to Heather.
4th over: England 17-1 (Grewcock 2, Knight 4) Shot! Knight pounces on some width from Illing and square drives for four in the Cardiff gloom.
3rd over: England 11-1 (Grewcock 2, Knight 0) Jodi Grewcock struggles to lay a bat on Jess Kerr’s outswingers, playing. missing at a couple before nicking one that just lands short of Gaze behind the stumps. Grewcock then drives compactly for a couple down the ground. Hang about. the TV replay shows that Grewcock actually got a feather on the very first ball of the over that was caught by Gaze behind the stumps. Neither bowler nor keeper appealed but there is a clear spike. Curious and Curiouser.
2nd over: England 9-1 (Grewcock 0, Knight 0) Heather Knight arrives early into the piece. Illing is searching for the pronounced movement and slings down a couple of wides. Knight is solid in defence to a couple of balls on the stumps. thats the over, New Zealand on top in tricky conditions for batting.
Bree Illing starts from the other end. her first ball is over pitched and driven away nicely by Lamb for four. Gone! Lamb nibbles at a ball that holds its line. a thin edge is taken behind the stumps by Izzy Gaze. Decent ball from Illing and England lose an early one.
1st over: England 3-0 (Lamb 3, Grewcock 0) Big swing early up, Kerr gets one to hoop into Lamb’s pad. she’s outside the line. More of the same follows, the ball drifting in from waaaay outside the off stump initially. After four dots Lamb opens England’s account with a drive through cover for three.
Here come the players! Leaden skies in Cardiff but crucially no rain falling at the moment. Emma Lamb and Jodi Grewcock will open the batting, their powder blue kit looking luminous in the lunchtime murk. We haven’t lost any overs as yet but will start to from now on if there ary further delays.
Right, Jess Kerr has the ball in hand. Let’s play!
Charlie Dean admits that England weren’t at their best in Durham. that it is tricky to balance the side with a T20 World Cup looming. “It was important to show that grit (In Durham). To get over the line was really important.”
Lauren Filer and Jodi Grewcock come in for Maia Bouchier and Tilly Corteen-Coleman.
There are some ominous looking grey clouds in the background but for now it is fine. we should get some play in. Charlie Dean admits she would have bowled first in these conditions too.
New Zealand are unchanged, today will be Suzie Bates’ 184th and last ODI. What a player she has been for the White Ferns. “Probably New Zealand’s best ever, and the best team-mate you could ask for.” says Amelia Kerr. “My greatest mentor since coming into the White Ferns.”
England: Emma Lamb. Jodi Grewcock, Heather Knight, Alice Capsey, Freya Kemp, Amy Jones (wk), Dani Gibson, Charlie Dean (c), Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Lauren Bell
New Zealand: Suzie Bates. Georgia Plimmer, Melie Kerr (c), Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Izzy Gaze (wk), Izzy Sharp, Jess Kerr, Nensi Patel, Rosemary Mair, Bree Illing
Ali has been casting his eye over the men’s Test set up with a few weeks to go until the first Test of the summer against New Zealand at Lord’s:
Good news! If the rain stays away we’ll be underway in a little over half an hour with no overs lost. Big IF but we’ll take it.
The inspection has taken place out in the middle and it currently isn’t raining. We haven’t had any official confirmation of a toss and potential start time yet though…
It is brightening up in Cardiff, the covers are off and the stumps are being put in place. Promising signs ahead of the inspection in five minutes.
Time to get acquainted with one Douwe Egberts. While we wait for news, why not have a read of this week’s Spin:
Tanya is on the County Blog tools, not everywhere is as wet as Cardiff thankfully.
There’s an inspection due at 11:15am. We have an hour before we start to lose overs, Ian Ward. Tash Farrant have got their cagoule and winter coat on respectively. They seem to be hopeful we’ll get some play at some point.
Hello and welcome to the third ODI between England and New Zealand from Cardiff. After squeaking over the line by one wicket in Durham last weekend, despite a ropey display in the field (once again), England would have been hoping for the same result but with a more polished. clinical performance in Northampton in the week.
Sadly, the inclement English spring weather put the kibosh on any play in the second ODI. today’s match in Cardiff looks to be a hostage to the Welsh weather gods too.
Sunshine. showers this morning lead to a more murky outlook on the weather radar but I’ll be here to bring you any and all updates as they happen. We were due to have a toss any moment now but the covers are firmly in place in. the coin flipping has officially been delayed.
Hmmm, it could be one of those days folks. Fingers crossed we get some play in and can get a game on ‘mongst the showers.
As ever, you can get in touch at the link on the left flank of this page. Thoughts and theories most welcome, especially if the rain continues to fall…
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