England's international summer officially kicks off on Sunday, May 10, when the Women's side takes on New Zealand in the first One Day International (ODI) at the Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street.
England have not played an international game since their 2025 World Cup semi-final defeat at the hands of South Africa towards the end of October 2025. The series will also see them with a new captain in Charlie Dean, with Nat Sciver-Brunt unavailable for selection after sustaining a calf injury.
New Zealand, on the other hand, come into this series after beating South Africa 2-1 on home soil. Their last ODI was back in April when they defeated the visitors by 66 runs in Wellington.
ENG W vs NZ W: Match Details
| Match | England Women vs New Zealand Women,1st ODI,England Women vs New Zealand Women 2026 |
| Date and Time (IST) | Sunday, May 10, 3:30 PM (IST) |
| Venue | Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street |
| Broadcast and Live-Streaming | Sony Sports (TV), SonyLIV (Streaming - App and Website) |
Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street: Pitch Report
The Riverside Ground, like any other ground in England, does offer assistance to the fast bowlers early in the innings, thanks to the weather conditions. The side winning the toss, however, should decide to bat first and make the most of the fresh wicket. In men's ODI, the average first innings score at the venue is 242.
ENG W vs NZ W: Head-to-Head ODI Record
| Matches Played | 86 |
| Won by ENG W | 47 |
| Won by NZ W | 37 |
| Tied / No Results | 2 |
| First Meeting | July 14, 1973 (NZ win) |
| Last Meeting | October 26, 2025 (ENG win) |
ENG W vs NZ W: Predicted Playing XIs
England Women:
Amy Jones (WK), Kira Chathli, Heather Knight, Alice Capsey, Emma Lamb, Charlie Dean (C), Danielle Gibson, Issy Wong, Sophie Ecclestone, Linsey Smith, Lauren Bell
New Zealand Women:
Melie Kerr (C), Suzie Bates, Georgia Plimmer, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Isabella Gaze (WK), Izzy Sharp, Jess Kerr, Nensi Patel, Rosemary Mair, Molly Penfold
ENG W vs NZ W: Probable Best Performer of the Match
Probable Best Batter: Melie Kerr
New Zealand captain Melie Kerr has been in sensational form with the bat ever since he took over the captaincy earlier this year. During the second ODI against South Africa, the right-handed batter scored an unbeaten 179 to help her side chase down 347, the highest in the women's game.
Probable Best Bowler: Lauren Bell
Following a successful stint in the Women's Premier League, Lauren Bell went on to represent Hampshire in two Metro Bank One Day Cup matches. She had an excellent start to her summer, taking a career-best 5 for 22 against Durham in Southampton. The 25-year-old will once again be tasked to lead England's seam-bowling attack.