England women defeat New Zealand to win ODI series

Sarah Taylor won the ODI player of the series accolade

England's women defeated New Zealand by five wickets in the final ODI, securing a 3-2 series victory.

The result means England's women have a double victory over their hosts, having also won the T20 international series.

Sarah Taylor top scored with 93, as England chased down the White Ferns' target of 230 with five overs to spare.

Captain Charlotte Edwards said: "I am delighted that we have ultimately been able to finish positively, with series victories in both the ODIs and T20Is."

She added: "I'm really pleased with how strongly and quickly we got back into this tour after a slow start.

"The manner in which the results have swung between the two teams across the eight matches shows what an exciting and enthralling tour this has been to play in."

Taylor took the player of the series accolade, and hit 93 from 99 balls before being run out by Amy Satterthwaite.

The wicketkeeper-batter told BBC Sport: "It's just nice to contribute.

"I know it's the back end of the tour, but it's been a tough tour for all of us - it's been a bit up and down, but it was nice to come away with a win.

"At the start of the tour it was looking a bit ominous and we knew that we had a point to prove, so coming here to win the T20 series and then the ODI series, we've done ourselves justice and played the kind of cricket we wanted to play."

New Zealand had led 2-1 after the first three ODI games, which counted towards the International Cricket Council Women's Championship, and qualification for the 2017 World Cup in England.

However, England's final two ODI victories did not count towards the ICC Championship.

Spinner Rebecca Grundy took her series best figures of 3-36 in the fifth ODI

Sarah Taylor hit 245 runs at an average of 61.25 in the ODI series

England are currently third in the International Cricket Council Women's Championship table