Cricket: White Ferns decimated by England in Twenty20 Tri-Series

Sophie Devine top scored for the White Ferns with 23. Photo / Getty Images

The White Ferns suffered a 54-run loss to England in their Twenty20 Tri-Series match on Sunday morning.

It was a different situation for a New Zealand side who scored a world record 216 against South Africa at the same ground in Taunton, Somerset, earlier in the week as runs were much harder to come by.

Chasing 173, the White Ferns struggled with the bat and were dismissed for 118 from 18.3 overs.

Maddy Green and Suzie Bates (23 each) top-scored for the team, and were among the five to score in double figures.

Opener Sophie Devine got the run chase off to a fast start - sending the second ball of the innings over the rope for six, with the side scoring nine runs in the first over.

The second over started the same way for Devine - another six off the second ball - before she fell for 13 two balls later.

Bates and Katey Martin tried to follow on from Devine's start, but when Bates fell in the sixth over, the gates opened for the English bowlers - Sophie Ecclestone the pick of them with figures of 4-18 from four overs.

With the win, England punched their ticket for the final despite losing to South Africa earlier in the day on the first end of their double-header.