Kiwis edge out England by 27 runs, enter final

Chennai, Mar 3 (UNI) New Zealand women set up a clash for the title with traditional rivals and defending champions Australia with a slender 27-run win against England in the final match of the round robin league in the Quadrangular tournament here today.

At the IIT Chemplast, New Zealand who hit up 267 losing nine wickets in the stipulated 50 overs after putting into bat, dismissed a fighting England for 240 in 45. 2 overs, thanks to some fine bowling by their medium pacers Louis Milliken who claimed 4-42 and Sophie Devine who got 3-38. New Zealand finished on top of the league table with 21 points from six matches, while England drew a blank losing all their matches.

England, who were tottering at 82 for six after 19 overs, offered some fight with a seventh wicket stand of 49 runs between Charlotte Edwards (42, 56 balls, six fours) and Lynsey Asken (68, 71 balls, 11 fours and a six) and another stand of 73 off 55 balls for the ninth wicket between Asken and Isa Guha (26, 37 balls, three fours).

They will fight it out for the third position with host India on March 5. India who were in the second position in the points table, were beaten by the Aussie eves today.

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