Womens cricket: Ferns level series

The White Ferns have levelled the Twenty20 Rose Bowl series one-all after beating England by four runs in the second match in Hampshire.

Suzie Bates and Sara McGlashan got the White Ferns off to a rollicking start after they won the toss and elected to bat.

The pair knocked up 105 runs for the second wicket, before McGlashan fell for 47 off 33 deliveries.

Bates followed soon after for a well-compiled 68 off 55 with her dismissal sparking a collapse that saw them crumble from 125 for two to finish the innings on 147 for eight.

It was a shaky start to the England reply with Sarah Taylor hitting a delivery straight down the wicket only to have Nicola Browne get a touch and deflect it onto the stumps leaving Charlotte Edwards stranded at the non-striker's end.

The early set back didn't deter Taylor who swung away at one end but batsmen came and went at the other. The wicketkeeper batsman went on to hit 73 off 66 balls in a lone hand for England as they fell just short.

Sian Ruck was the standout bowler taking three for 15, while fellow seamer, Amy Satterthwaite, chipped in with two for 17.

Speaking after the match, captain Aimee Watkins said: "Our first match was a rusty performance, one that we had to quickly improve on as a win was needed to stay in the series in game two.

"Today's game had many twists and turns, the first half of our batting was outstanding, but we finished poorly.

"We started our defence very well in the first six overs to have England 28 for four but a combination of good batting and poor bowling got England back in the match.

"It was pleasing to finish well and win the game under real pressure.

"We need to see improvement in all areas of the game, as we feel we are only running at around 65 per cent overall. We have a great opportunity to put this right and win the series," she concluded.

The series decider will be played at the County Ground, Hove tomorrow (NZ time).