Charlotte Edwards credits Amy Jones’ match-winning knock against New Zealand - 'The best I've seen her play'

Charlotte Edwards has given high praise to Amy Jones for her role in England’s opening one-day international win over New Zealand and also credited her “outstanding” partner Charlie Dean.

Jones scored 92 runs from 83 balls as the Warwickshire batter put together a combined 130-run partnership with Dean, as England sealed a four-wicket victory.

England were on the brink of defeat when they fell to 79-6 and chased a target of 208, but the inspired performances from Jones and Dean helped England claw their way back into contention and get over the line.

“They kept calm in a situation when their backs were against the wall,” former England captain Edwards told TNT Sports.

“They stuck to their positive approach and I think that’s the best that I’ve seen Amy Jones play. She made her debut in 2013 and to think how far - it’s taken her 10 years now to play those types of innings, and like she said, those match-winning innings.

“It’s a hard role to have, but she was brilliant today and ably supported by Dean who was outstanding.”

Edwards does not feel Dean, who put together a knock of 42, gets enough credit for her input on the side.

“She doesn’t, on the eye she isn’t going to hit sixes, but today she played the situation really well,” she added.

“Today, the situation required her to build this partnership with Amy Jones and she did so brilliantly, she will be really chuffed I think.”

Ebony-Jewel Rainford-Brent feels Jones’ performance will be “right up there” in terms of her best moments in cricket.

“It was interesting when they asked where it ranked for her, and she said ‘Oh, it’s up there’,” Rainford-Brent said on TNT Sports.

“This is actually a really important innings for her - it's her second-highest score first and foremost.

“She hasn’t got 100 internationals, but of her 70 she’s scoring about one in five, but we were saying how high potential she is and we feel like this is her at her best."

Rainford-Brent added: "This is right up there. When her hands are pumping and she looks relaxed, she hits the ball so cleanly.

“That is the Amy Jones she needs to harness more and if she can bring that, not one in five but maybe two, two 50s in five, maybe get that hundred over the line.

“Then we’ll start talking about her because she deserves it, she’s a very high-quality player and that was a really important innings.”

Edwards expanded on her praise of Jones and labelled her wicket-keeping skills as “the best in the world”.

“We’ve all seen today how good she is,” Edwards said. “I think what probably frustrates people who have seen her a lot, is that you want to see more of those match-winning performances.

“She’s had opportunities to do that but hasn’t quite grasped them. But her wicket-keeping is outstanding, she’s the best in the world.

“But I think her being able to do what she has done today for England will hold her in good stead, and the team moving forward, because you need players at number seven who can play those types of innings.”

- - -

TNT Sports presents the premium live sports rights previously carried by BT Sport including the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League, Gallagher Premiership Rugby, Investec Champions Cup, EPCR Challenge Cup, MotoGP, Cricket, UFC, Boxing and WWE. The streaming home for TNT Sports in the UK is discovery+, where fans can enjoy a subscription that includes TNT Sports, Eurosport and entertainment in one destination. You can also watch TNT Sports through BT, EE, Sky, and Virgin Media.