Taylor ton fires England

Claire Taylor's superb unbeaten century helped England level the series © Getty Images

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England women bounced back in the best possible fashion after losing the opening one-day international, demolishing New Zealand in the second match at Lincoln University.

On the ground where they went down by 123 runs just 24 hours earlier, England romped home by nine wickets as they made short work of a target of 243.

Claire Taylor collected the match award for a magnificent unbeaten 111, sharing an unbroken second-wicket stand of 178 with Caroline Atkins to secure a first victory over New Zealand on these shores since 1982.

Atkins finished on 69 not out, her highest score for England, Sarah Taylor having made 36 at the top of the order.

Claire Taylor’s innings, which occupied 111 balls and contained 15 fours, extended her fine run of form; she hit 79 and 64 not out in the Ashes Test against Australia that preceded the trip to New Zealand, and 62 in the tour match against New Zealand A last week.

Earlier, Isa Guha underlined the positive impression she has made on tour with figures of 2-20 off 10 overs as New Zealand posted 242 for eight, while Charlotte Edwards and Laura Marsh collected two wickets apiece at a cost of 35 and 60 respectively.

The White Ferns’ total was built around Sarah Tsukigawa, who blazed 73 off 54 balls, while Nicola Browne weighed in with an equally aggressive unbeaten 45 late on.

Caroline Atkins, who made 69 not out, hit the winning runs for the tourists © DJM Images

For the second game in succession their top order stuttered, Guha having openers Ros Kember and Aimee Mason caught and bowled before Nicky Shaw removed Sarah McGlashan to reduce the hosts to 38 for three after they won the toss.

Captain Haidee Tiffin and Amy Satterthwaite’s 53-run stand for the fourth wicket checked England’s momentum, and Tiffen and Tsukigawa performed a similar job after Satterthwaite perished aiming across the line at Marsh.

Tsukigawa, who was dropped on 33 by Guha at long-on off Stephanie Davies, made England pay by striking five fours and two sixes during her stay at the crease.

She and Tiffen added 64 in little more than half an hour before the latter played on for 44 attempting to drive Jenny Gunn, winning her 50th one-day cap for England.

Gunn’s catch at deep midwicket accounted for Tsukigawa and gave Marsh a second, albeit expensive, wicket, but Browne made light of the loss of Sophie Devine and Katey Martin to smash four fours and a six in her entertaining 30-ball innings.

Atkins and Sarah Taylor laid the platform for England’s run-chase with an opening stand of 65 inside nine overs.

Though that was broken when Beth McNeill bowled Taylor, it proved to be New Zealand’s sole success with the ball.

Claire Taylor progressed at a run a ball for much of her splendid innings, passing three figures with a four through square-leg before Atkins hit the winning runs.

The sides meet at the same venue in the third game of the five-match series on Thursday.