Green sees White Ferns home after England rally

Despite eve-of-game nerves surrounding a potential security threat, the third one-day international at Leicester between England and New Zealand took place without a single hiccup. Unless, that is, the home side’s batting counts: for the second time in as many matches, England’s top-order looked shot, as they stumbled to 78 for 7 after 23 overs.

The 30-year-old Lea Tahuhu wreaked the havoc, finishing with five for 38 – her best return in 10 years of international cricket. The debutant Molly Penfold, billed as a “beast” by her captain, Sophie Devine, then chimed in with two for 42.

England’s tail added another 100, including an unbeaten 49 from Katherine Brunt and a career-best 29 off 40 balls from Kate Cross, setting up a nervous chase for New Zealand. But while wickets fell at regular intervals, Maddy Green’s unbeaten 70 saw New Zealand chase down the required runs with three wickets and 25 balls to spare, to deny England a series victory with two games left to play.

“We all know as a group we’ve made some really good strides this winter, we’ve been working really hard and it’s nice to see some reward for that,” Green said.

The series had come under the spotlight on Monday, after reports emerged that a bomb threat had been made against the New Zealand team. An investigation was launched by the ECB and security tightened around the team. But a statement by New Zealand Cricket later suggested the threat had been deemed “not credible”, and Devine said at the toss that there had never been any doubt about the match going ahead. “We got some really clear information and we were able to sit tight and wait for the people to do their jobs,” she said.

“In terms of what was reported, it was over-egged,” agreed England’s captain, Heather Knight. “It was just a case of an email had been sent that had to be looked into properly.”

At the start of the game a six-over spell from Tahuhu reduced England to 32 for four in the powerplay. The openers, Tammy Beaumont and Lauren Winfield-Hill, were trapped leg-before in successive overs before an away-swinger took Knight’s outside edge on the way through to the keeper, and Sophia Dunkley was clean bowled by a straight one.

Amy Jones played a beautiful hand to reach 21 before Penfold darted one between bat and pad to bowl her and then did for Danni Wyatt thanks to a brilliant diving catch from Lauren Down at backward point. Tahuhu then returned to take her fifth: a nervous-looking Charlie Dean playing on. At that point New Zealand had England by the scruff of the neck but Brunt and Cross proved frustratingly hard to dislodge and gave England a target to defend.

In reply Brunt had New Zealand 13 for two. But after Green shared important partnerships with Amy Satterthwaite (33) and Brooke Halliday (25), Tahuhu (19 not out from 15) seized the initiative with the bat, smashing three fours before lofting the ball over Tash Farrant’s head for six to seal the win.