Cricket: McNeill claims 6 wickets

Beth McNeill hypnotised England with her medium pacers as New Zealand opened their international women's cricket season with a 123-run victory yesterday.

McNeill claimed six wickets for 32 as England collapsed to be all out for 138 off 40.3 overs in pursuit of the White Ferns' 261 for nine at Lincoln near Christchurch. The Cantabrian had never taken more than two wickets in 14 previous matches for her country but had the tourists tied up in knots throughout a brilliant 10-over spell.

England had reached 75 for two when McNeill was introduced and immediately claimed the key wicket of captain Claire Taylor for 27, the first of eight wickets to fall for 63 runs.

The second match in the five-game series will be played at Bert Sutcliffe Oval today.