England Women beat New Zealand by eight wickets in first ODI after 437 days away

England Women returned to ODI action after 437 days away with an emphatic, clinical win over New Zealand in Christchurch on Tuesday.

England bowled the White Ferns out for just 178 in 45.1 overs, with the wickets shared around.

Seven bowlers took a wicket - a first in an international innings for the team - with Tash Farrant, playing for the first time since 2018, taking 2-36 and Sophie Ecclestone 2-36. A strong performance in the field was capped by the run out of Brooke Halliday, who was last out with 50 on debut.

England made light work of the chase, with Tammy Beaumont making 71 and captain Heather Knight 67 not out from 69 balls.

They got home with 98 balls remaining, shortly after New Zealand seamer Lea Tahuhu appeared to suffer an unpleasant hamstring injury while fielding.

“England were clinical,” England’s World Cup-winning spinner Alex Hartley told BT Sport. “Every single bowler has gone out there and done their job.”