Canterbury, Sep 27 (IANS): England opener Tammy Beaumont's eighth ODI hundred led England to an emphatic 203-run victory over New Zealand at Canterbury on Sunday. The win also meant that England won the five-match series 4-1. It is also New Zealand's heaviest loss in ODIs ever.
Batting first, Tammy made 102 off 114 balls, including 11 fours at her home ground to help England score a gigantic 347/5 in 50 overs, their sixth highest total in the format. She also shared an opening stand of 95 with Lauren-Winfield Hill making 43. Wicketkeeper Amy Jones made 60 off 46 balls while Danni Wyatt applied the finishing touches with 43 not out from 20 balls, inclusive of four sixes.
New Zealand's bowling attack was taken to the cleaners, conceding 17 wides, eight leg-byes and two no balls on a day where nothing seemed to go right for them.
In reply, New Zealand never seemed to be in the hunt for chasing the total. They slumped to 66/5 before being eventually bowled out for 144 in 35.2 overs. Lauren Down and Brooke Halliday top-scored with 27 each. For England, Kate Cross took 3/44 while skipper Heather Knight scalped 3/24, making up for a duck with the bat.
England signed off from their home summer in style, taking the ODI series after winning the T20I series against the same opposition 2-1. Their next international outing will be in the women's Ashes series in Australia next year after their first-ever trip to Pakistan in October was cancelled.
Brief scores: England 347/5 in 50 overs (Tammy Beaumont 102, Amy Jones 60, Danni Wyatt 43 not out, Hannah Rowe 2/65) beat New Zealand 144 all out in 35.2 overs (Lauren Down 27, Brooke Halliday 27, Heather Knight 3/24, Kate Cross 3/44) by 203 runs.