England vs New Zealand: Lauren Bell takes five wickets as hosts secure series clean sweep

Lauren Bell’s career-best 5-37 set up England’s five-wicket win over New Zealand in the third one-day international at Bristol.

After afternoon rain delayed the start and reduced the game to 42 overs a side, the White Ferns were restricted to 211-8.

England slipped to 33-3 in reply but were rescued by Nat Sciver-Brunt and Amy Jones’ fifth-wicket stand of 90.

Sciver-Brunt finished with 76 not out and Jones made a run-a-ball 50 as England got over the line with 20 balls remaining.

The win secures a series clean sweep for England, with a five-match T20 series to follow, starting at Southampton on Saturday.

England’s triumph was instigated by Bell, 23, who bowled Sophie Devine for 43 for her first wicket, breaking a crucial third-wicket stand of 68 between the New Zealand captain and Amelia Kerr.

Kerr was then pinned lbw for 57, New Zealand’s only half-century of the series, before Brooke Halliday was caught behind for 31 and both Izzy Gaze and Lauren Down were caught at mid-on.

It was the visitors’ highest total of the series after being skittled for 156 and 141, but they still lost a flurry of wickets with four for 27 falling at the end of the innings.

An impressive powerplay with the ball then saw England’s middle order exposed for the first time this series, with Tammy Beaumont trapped lbw for a duck, Heather Knight caught and bowled for nine and Maia Bouchier falling for 19.

Sciver-Brunt was dropped on 63 shortly after Jones’ departure in the 31st over which added a few nerves, but she eventually paced her innings to perfection with Alice Capsey, unbeaten on 35, to calmly steer them to victory.