England vs New Zealand: Maia Bouchier and Sophie Ecclestone star in hosts’ eight-wicket win

Maia Bouchier struck her maiden international century as England thrashed New Zealand by eight wickets at Worcester.

Bouchier, 25, hit the winning runs in England’s chase of just 142 which also brought up her hundred from 88 balls.

The opener hit 17 fours and added 73 for the first wicket with Tammy Beaumont in another one-sided contest that gives England an unassailable 2-0 series lead.

Earlier, spinner Sophie Ecclestone starred with 5-25 as New Zealand were skittled for 141 in 41.5 overs.

Amelia Kerr, who made 43, and Maddy Green with 30 were steadily building a platform at 114-3, before a woeful collapse of seven wickets for just 27 runs.

After being skittled for 156 in the opener, New Zealand’s batters were visibly short of confidence against slower bowling, with eight wickets falling to spin here to follow the seven at Chester-le-Street.

They played with little intent, crawling to 26-2 from the powerplay before Ecclestone crucially had skipper Sophie Devine stumped for 28 as she was threatening to accelerate.

Kerr and Green’s stand of 58 followed but then chaos ensued, with Charlie Dean pinning the latter lbw to spark the dramatic collapse which included a passage of four wickets for no runs.

England’s openers then tucked into plenty of loose bowling against a weary attack again tasked with defending a paltry total.

The only real challenge presented by the White Ferns was for Bouchier to reach her century in a race against time with the runs required to win, but Nat Sciver-Brunt calmly guided her to the milestone in an emphatic performance in a breakthrough year for the opener.

The three-match series continues at Bristol on Wednesday and is followed by five T20s.

More to follow.