White Ferns fall short during emotional day | Hawkes Bay Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Hawkes Bay

With seven squad members having an affinity with Christchurch, there was nothing the White Ferns wanted more last night than a victory.

But it wasn't to be against the touring England side who clinched the Twenty20 women's international cricket series 3-0 in Auckland.

As the rain took hold, with eight balls to spare and the run rate running away, the New Zealanders lost to England by 10 runs after the Duckworth-Lewis Method kicked in.

In fairness to England, rain or no rain, the Suzie Bates-skippered White Ferns were staring down the barrel of defeat on the foundation of some pressure-cooker bowling from the tourists.

"It was definitely disappointing because we put ourselves in a position to win," Hawke's Bay-born Sara McGlashan said last night just before she and her teammates lined up with England before the deciding Black Caps versus South Africa T20 at Eden Park.

The women, earlier at their hotel, had observed a two-minute silence at 12.51pm as part of a national mark of respect for those who perished in the February 22 earthquake.

"It was a pretty emotional day for the girls with the earthquake [remembrance]," said the Central Districts Hinds batsman who left Napier several years ago to work for New Zealand Cricket in Christchurch.

The other members of the White Ferns squad with Christchurch connections include vice-captain Amy Satterthwaite, Frances Mackay, Lea Tahuhu, ex-CD Hind Rachel Candy, ND rep Morna Nielsen, Otago rep Katey Martin, coach Gary Stead and manager Tina Ryan.

Bates won the toss yesterday and had England padding up for a gettable 108-6 in 20 overs.

No 4 Lydia Greenway resurrected the innings with 26 from 42 balls while No 7 Jenny Gunn, on 30 (26) and Susie Rowe 15 (14), were the unbeaten batsmen.

The body language of the Charlotte Edwards-led England wasn't good as poor running and calling, mistimed shots and a dose of bad luck saw them on the back foot with four of the top five dismissed cheaply.

That is not to take the shine off a fine bowling display, especially from Candy, who was the pick with 1-14 from four overs. The next most frugal were Lucy Doolan with 0-18 and CD's Kate Broadmore with 0-21, all from four overs, and fast bowler Tahuhu, who took 1-15 from three overs.

Mixing quick and slow bowlers at each end also paid dividends.

However, it's unforgivable for spittle shiners to gift 10 wides and three no balls which, in the context of the game, were costly after New Zealand reached 90-7 in 18.5 overs when play was abandoned.

McGlashan ruled out the crosswind as a factor for the extras, claiming they had talked about keeping things tight but it was frustrating watching balls stray down the leg side.

It was something they would address before the next two T20s in Invercargill at the weekend.

The New Zealand international cricketer of the year top-scored with 20 runs from 28 balls with openers Mackay and Otago Sparks' Bates, scoring 19 (18) and 19 (29), respectively, starting with fervour.

Nevertheless, none of the White Ferns found the 120-130 per cent-plus strike rate required to win a T20 match they should have done with conservative ease. Neither did England.

"They were pretty big boundaries to hit fours and sixes so we had to work on twos and threes," the 29-year-old said.

While the middle-order didn't muster partnerships of any note ex-CD player Liz Perry, unbeaten on four runs from as many balls, needed to muscle up to find the rope and so did Candy, who spinner Danni Hazell trapped for a golden duck.

On the fielding side, the Ferns have produced some magic with McGlashan yesterday taking a diving catch to dismiss game two hero and opener Laura Marsh for a golden duck.

Mackay also ran out Firebirds import Sarah Taylor for four after picking up a shot hit to her off her own delivery before directing it towards the stumps, with an advancing Taylor stranded off the chalk.

However, a circumspect McGlashan said the White Ferns need to do the basics well.

"Everyone in the camp is positive because we're one win away from creating that momentum."