Raf Nicholson’s match report

The winning moment

38.4 overs: England 212-5 (Sciver-Brunt 76, Capsey 35) After three dot balls from Sophie Devine, Nat Sciver-Brunt clips a yorker for a single to complete an ultimately comfortable victory with 20 balls to spare.

They were made to work harder than in the first two games, and were in a bit of bother at 72 for 4, but they were always favourites while Sciver-Brunt was at the crease. She is one of the greatest players England have ever had, and her 76 not out was another masterclass in risk-free runscoring. Even the greats need support, though, and Sciver-Brunt got plenty from Amy Jones (50) and Alice Capsey (35 not out)

38th over: England 211-5 (Sciver-Brunt 75, Capsey 35) Capsey takes England past 200 with a beautifully placed pull for four off Penfold. This has been a good, level-headed innings from Capsey, who gets her third boundary with another controlled thump through extra cover. A pair of twos bring the scores level.

37th over: England 197-5 (Sciver-Brunt 74, Capsey 23) Sophie Devine brings herself back on for the last rites. Four from the over, which leaves England needing 15 from 30 balls.

36th over: England 193-5 (Sciver-Brunt 71, Capsey 22) Molly Penfold returns, though it’s surely too late in the day/night. It’s a good over though, three from it, and a life-affirming blast of Jimmy Eat World from the DJ at the end.

35th over: England 190-5 (Sciver-Brunt 71, Capsey 19) A loopy full toss from Halliday is carted behind square for four by Capsey, who gets five more off the next ball after a needless throw to the boundary. Whatever chance New Zealand had disappeared with those two deliveries.

34th over: England 177-5 (Sciver-Brunt 69, Capsey 9) Kerr tosses a few up in the hope Capsey will feed the bad wolf. She resists the temptation for now, even though it means playing out four dot balls. Two from the over. England need 35 from 48 balls.

33rd over: England 175-5 (Sciver-Brunt 68, Capsey 8) Four singles from Halliday’s over; that’s all England need. Well actually, if they keep scoring at that rate it’ll be a tie, but you know what I mean.

32nd over: England 171-5 (Sciver-Brunt 66, Capsey 6) A full toss from Kerr is belted towards the cover boundary by Capsey. Halliday saves two runs with a fine diving stop.

31st over: England 166-5 (Sciver-Brunt 64, Capsey 4) What a chance! Sciver-Brunt has been dropped by Plummer at extra cover, a fairly comfortable opportunity off the bowling of Halliday. That would have brought New Zealand right back in the game.

A bit of hope for New Zealand. Jones snicked Halliday to Gaze, who took a good catch at the second attempt. It was given not out on the field but New Zealand reviewed successfully. Jones goes for a terrific run-a-ball 50.

30th over: England 162-4 (Sciver-Brunt 63, Jones 50) Kerr returns, a necessary gamble given the match situation. Jones slices a single to reach a confident, stylish fifty from 49 balls, then Sciver-Brunt drags a googly past short fine leg for four. The precision of her strokeplay, all round the ground, is exceptional.

29th over: England 156-4 (Sciver-Brunt 58, Jones 49) Nope, it’s Brooke Halliday who replaces Rowe. Like Devine, she could be awkward on this pitch if she gets her line right.

And her length: a dipping full toss is clouted to cow corner for four by Jones, and the usual singles make it another good over for England. They need 56 from 78 balls.

28th over: England 148-4 (Sciver-Brunt 56, Jones 43) That burst of boundaries around the 20th over has allowed England to deal mainly in low-risk singles, and there are six more from Carson’s fourth over. New Zealand need a wicket very, very quickly; it’s surely time to give Melie Kerr another spell.

27th over: England 142-4 (Sciver-Brunt 53, Jones 40) Rowe, in her final over, comes so close to getting the wicket New Zealand need. Jones flicks just short of Kerr at short midwicket – and then she’s dropped by Kerr, a sharp diving chance to her left.

Rowe, who has bowled excellently, finishes with figures of 9-0-38-2.

26th over: England 141-4 (Sciver-Brunt 51, Jones 40) Jones mistimes a drive off Carson that teases Devine, running back from mid-off, before landing safely. England are hurrying to victory; they need 71 from 96 balls.

25th over: England 135-4 (Sciver-Brunt 50, Jones 36) One of the most impressive things about this partnership is that they’re scoring at a run a ball yet it has felt almost risk-free.

Sciver-Brunt drives Rowe straight down the ground to reach a supreme 49-ball fifty. We’re in the presence of greatness and no mistake.

24th over: England 128-4 (Sciver-Brunt 45, Jones 34) Jones almost offers a return catch to Carson before under-edging between the keeper’s legs for four. It feels like this is slipping away from New Zealand. Time for drinks.

23rd over: England 122-4 (Sciver-Brunt 44, Jones 29) Rowe continues in pursuit of that wicket. England look in control now, though, and Sciver-Brunt works a single to bring up a superb fifty partnership at more than a run a ball.

22nd over: England 118-4 (Sciver-Brunt 42, Jones 28) The young offspinner Eden Carson comes into the attack for the first time and is targeted immediately, with Jones hammering her first ball for four. Carson does well to concede four singles from the remainder of the over, but New Zealand are in urgent need of a wicket.

21st over: England 110-4 (Sciver-Brunt 40, Jones 22) New Zealand were 109/2 at this stage, since you asked.

20th over: England 106-4 (Sciver-Brunt 38, Jones 20) Jones hits back-to-back boundaries off her own off Penfold, a thumping pull followed by an elegant cover drive – and she gets another off the last ball with a pull-drive over mid-on. Out of nothing, England have scored five boundaries in eight balls.

19th over: England 94-4 (Sciver-Brunt 38, Jones 7) A full inswinger from Devine is driven majestically past midwicket for four by Sciver-Brunt. It was in the air but immaculately placed. She’s putting on another masterclass – and she follows up with an even better shot, a back-foot on-drive that has Mark Butcher purring in the Sky commentary box. On an awkward, two-paced pitch, Sciver-Brunt is 38 not out from 34 balls.

18th over: England 85-4 (Sciver-Brunt 30, Jones 7) Kerr continues to toss the ball up, trying to buy another wicket. She’s milked for six runs, which takes England’s target down to 127 from 24 overs. Could be a tight finish.

17th over: England 79-4 (Sciver-Brunt 26, Jones 5) Jones gets her first boundary with a cracking shot, punching Devine through extra cover. England bat pretty deep, with Alice Capsey and Charlie Dean still to come, so New Zealand need to keep taking wickets. If they can get Sciver-Brunt in the next half hour, they’ll be favourites.

16th over: England 72-4 (Sciver-Brunt 24, Jones 0) Kerr has been expensive, conceding 25 from three overs, but that wicket makes it all worthwhile.

Beautifully done! Melie Kerr finally gets Dunkley with the googly; it bounced to brush the glove, with Dunkley late on her attempted cut, and was brilliantly caught by Izzy Gaze. Dunkley goes for 15 from 24 balls.

15th over: England 64-3 (Sciver-Brunt 19, Dunkley 12) Devine is bowling a nagging wicket-to-wicket line. She drifts too straight and is clipped fine by Dunkley, with the fielder on the edge of the circle doing very well to save four.

14th over: England 62-3 (Sciver-Brunt 18, Dunkley 11) Dunkley thumps Kerr back over her head for four, a shot of authority, and later in the over Sciver-Brunt pulls another boundary. She’s making it look easy, as she usually does: in her last 20 ODI innings she averages 79.

It’s a tie at Cheltenham! Astonishing stuff. Glamorgan are all out for 592 and I don’t know what else to tell you, especially as I’m supposed to be reporting on this game.