Amy Jones said she felt mentally refreshed after struggling in recent games, and that helped her score an unbeaten 92 to lead England to victory against New Zealand in Wellington.
England got off to a rough start in their chase, reaching only 79 runs for six wickets after 17 overs while chasing a target of 208 in the first ODI. But Jones and Charlie Dean turned things around with a partnership of 130 runs, leading England to a four-wicket win with 52 balls to spare.
Jones had been out of form recently, scoring only 23 runs in four innings during the T20 series. She hadn’t scored a fifty in international cricket for 28 innings since December 2022. But she said clearing her mind and focusing on the basics helped her shine in this match as England took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
“I’ve been thinking about areas I need to improve, especially staying till the end, which I’ve struggled with before,” Amy Jones said. “I realized I was trying too hard to hit boundaries and keep up with the run rate. But I play best when I react to the ball and stay calm.”
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Jones and Dean kept reminding each other to take it one ball at a time, which helped them stay focused. Dean also performed well, taking three wickets and contributing with the bat to support Jones. Together, they formed the highest partnership for the seventh wicket or lower in women’s ODIs.
The teams will now head to Hamilton for the remaining two ODIs. Jones said getting the win was a big confidence boost for the whole team, especially after facing tough circumstances during the match.