Sciver and Beaumont inspire England to semi-final spot with win over New Zealand

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England booked its place in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2017 semi-finals with a game to spare as a brilliant 170-run partnership between Natalie Sciver and Tammy Beaumont laid the foundation for a 75-run win over New Zealand in Derby.

Sciver (129) made her second century of the competition and Beaumont accumulated 93 as the duo compiled 222 runs between them – more than 78 per cent of a total of 284 for nine – despite 16-year-old spinner Amelia Kerr taking four for 51.

Suzie Bates (44) and Amy Satterthwaite (35) offered some brief resistance in response but Alex Hartley took 3-44 as New Zealand wickets fell at regular intervals, eventually being dismissed for 209.

That means its clash with India on Saturday is now a winner-takes-all for the semi-finals even as England will be battling for positions against the West Indies, with its passage safely secured. Australia and South Africa are the other teams to have ensured last-four places with wins over India and Sri Lanka, respectively, on Wednesday.

“We’re really pleased with the win and the partnership between Tammy and Nat was brilliant,” said England skipper Heather Knight.

“There was pressure at 52 for three. It was hard work on the pitch and tough to bat when the bowlers took the pace off but I was pleased with the way the girls went about it.

“We’re delighted to secure a semi-final spot and I said before that we want to make winning a habit, so it’s great to do that.

“It’s lovely that the batters are standing up and putting in big performances. You want your top five getting big runs and its credit to the hard work they’ve put in over the last year.”

New Zealand had started promisingly as Satterthwaite – playing in her 100th ODI – produced a superb catch diving at backward point off Lea Tahuhu to dismiss Lauren Winfield before off-spinner Leigh Kaspersek sharply caught and bowled Sarah Taylor.

When Bates trapped Heather Knight leg-before wicket, England was struggling at 52 for three but the counter-attacking of Sciver and Beaumont changed the game.

Beaumont brought up the 50 partnership with a lofted straight drive to the boundary and hammered Tahuhu over mid-on for six, while Sciver made the most of being dropped by Kasperek at short backward square leg on 58 with a couple of glorious clips off her legs for four.

Having moved England to 222 with their 170-run partnership, Beaumont eventually skewed a Kerr ball straight up in the air to Tahuhu but Sciver reached her 92-ball century – a second of the ICC WWC, following her 137 against Pakistan – with a brisk two on the leg side.

The 24-year-old’s stay was eventually ended when she was caught on the boundary off Kerr and none of her remaining teammates could make more than 10 as England ended on 284 for nine.

Anya Shrubsole struck early in response as the dangerous-looking Rachel Priest was clean bowled for 12 in the second over before Bates and Satterthwaite put on a patient 75 together.

But when the pair was dismissed in the space of three overs – Bates getting stumped by Taylor off Hartley and Satterthwaite chipping the ball straight back to bowler Laura Marsh – the White Ferns looked in trouble.

Katie Perkins’s gritty unbeaten 43 saw New Zealand past 200 but wickets continued to fall at the other end to leave it well short of the target.

New Zealand skipper Suzie Bates said: “It was a good target by England but if one of top order scores big, then we thought it was gettable.

“Tammy and Sciver took it away from us a bit and although we brought it back a bit at the end, we couldn’t break the partnership.

“Then, when you don’t get one of your top five getting a big score, it’s tough to beat a quality side like England.”

“We’ve played some really good cricket in this tournament so it’s not doom and gloom. It’s a big game against India now and we know if we play well then we can beat them.”

Scores in brief:

England beat New Zealand by 75 runs at The County Ground, Derby

England 284-9 in 50 overs (Natalie Sciver 129, Tammy Beaumont 93, Amelia Kerr 4-51, Leigh Kasperek 2-49)

New Zealand 209 all out in 46.4 overs (Suzie Bates 44, Katie Perkins 43 not out, Amy Satterthwaite 35; Alex Hartley 3-44, Anya Shrubsole 2-19, Jenny Gunn 2-32)

Player of the match – Natalie Sciver (England)

Next matches – England v West Indies, The County Ground, Bristol, 15 July; New Zealand v India, The County Ground, Derby, 15 July