New Zealand win rain-hit match after Satterthwaite ton

Amy Satterthwaite's 117-ball 137 powered New Zealand women to 309 for 4 - their sixth highest total in ODIs - before Pakistan women's chase was interrupted by rain in the 35th over to give the home side a victory by 60 runs in Lincoln, by the D/L method.

After New Zealand won the toss and chose to bat, captain Suzie Bates (34) and Rachel Priest (27) put on 53 for the first wicket. They were dismissed within 15 runs of each other, before Satterthwaite and Katey Martin put together a 150-run partnership, New Zealand's highest for the third wicket. Martin's 65 - her third half-century in four matches - was followed by Sophie Devine's 29-ball 34 as New Zealand scored 91 runs in their last 10 overs.

Four Pakistan bowlers went for over six runs per over, and nine wides were conceded in the innings. Maham Tariq, Sana Mir and Sadia Yousuf took a wicket each.

Pakistan's chase was pegged with Ayesha Zafar's dismissal in the fourth over, before rain stopped play. After play resumed, Nahida Khan (33) and Nain Abidi (45) stitched together a 76-run partnership for the second wicket, before they were both dismissed in successive overs as Pakistan slumped from 85 for 1 to 85 for 3. Bates bowled Nida Dar soon after, to pick up her second victim, but rain intervened again in the 35th over bringing the game to a close with Pakistan on 142 for 4 - 61 runs behind the D/L-adjusted target of 203.

Satterthwaite, whose score was the fourth-highest by New Zealand woman cricketer, said she kept track of such milestones but did not get carried away with them. "I'm certainly aware of them - anyone who knows me, knows I look at the stats a little bit, but it's not something I tend to hold on to," Satterthwaite said. "You just want to go out and perform your role and if that means you end up with a milestone then it's an added bonus."

Satterthwaite credited her rich vein of form to a more relaxed approach. "I think probably being nice and relaxed is something I've worked on in domestic cricket. I wanted to be relaxed and focus on my strengths and what I can do. And then if a bowler bowls a bad one, you hit it."

The win gave New Zealand a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. The results of the next three matches will count towards points for the Women's Championship, in which New Zealand are currently fourth and Pakistan seventh. The top four teams in the Championship will gain direct entry into next year's World Cup in England.