England bowled out New Zealand for 80 in the third T20 at Hove as Charlie Dean’s side won the series 2-1 as the T20 World Cup approaches | Cricket news
England cruised to a T20 series win over New Zealand with a seven-wicket victory in Hove on Monday, having decided to play after a ferocious bowling attack had bowled their opponents out for just 80.
New Zealand were dismantled in 19.2 overs after electing to bat – losing five wickets for four runs in 20 balls from 29-1 in the sixth over – as England captain Charlie Dean (3-13) and all-rounder Dani Gibson (3-14) shared six wickets.
Seamer Gibson accounted for Kiwi captain Melie Kerr (5) and the equally dangerous Sophie Devine (0) en route to a career-best T20 international tally.
All five of England’s bowlers played their part, however, including left-arm spinners Linsey Smith (2-15) and Sophie Ecclestone (1-11).
Ecclestone, who didn’t play in a 14-run defeat at Canterbury and registered a miserable figure of 0-34 in the first T20 at Derby which his side won by seven wickets, threw Izzy Sharp a treat for a return to form ahead of next month’s home T20 World Cup.
England lost Alice Capsey (3) lbw, Sophia Dunkley (22) caught at mid-on, and Heather Knight (18) batted coolly until they finished in 13.5 overs, with Maia Bouchier (19no off 29) – absent from her team ahead of Frensrump’s World Cup runs – T20 (7no off 5) late cameo.
The hosts are now set to face India in a three-match T20 series, starting in Chelmsford on Thursday, before turning their attention to the World Cup, which is live. Sky Sports from June 12 to July 5.
England will hope regular captain Nat Sciver-Brunt (calf injury) is fit and firing for the big game, a player who has sat out all the matches with New Zealand and missed the India games.
Nat Sciver-Brunt is facing a battle to be fit for the T20 World Cup
New Zealand hit the mark in Hove as England’s bowlers shined
New Zealand were 11-4 in four overs en route to leveling the series in Kent at the weekend – Devine (87) and Maddy Green (56) put on 159 from 98 balls for the fifth wicket – but there will be no dramatic comeback from Sussex.
Devine was Hove’s fourth, hitting Gibson well to mid-on in the sixth over, four balls after Melie Kerr had pulled the same bowler at mid-on, at the crease.
Off-spinner Dean started a flurry of wickets by picking up the reverse Izzy Gaze (17 off 13), then trailed Brooke Halliday (2) lbw at review before Ecclestone dismissed Sharp with an arm ball after squeezing the batting area.
Green (14) and top scorer Jess Kerr (20) joined the Gaze in double figures, but then saw their innings ended by a superb dismissal from Bouchier at deep midwicket and a slow backhand delivery from Issy Wong (1-20) respectively.
Bouchier’s brilliant catch, off Gibson’s bowling, was part of a strong display of fielding.
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New Zealand openers Suzie Bates and Izzy Gaze both succumbed to back-to-back injuries in the Hove T20
Smith scored the first header of the day – Suzie Bates (3) caught back in the third over after being promoted to open on her return to the side – and the eighth, when the reduced Nancy Patel (2) was trapped lbw.
Dean polished off the innings by bowling Bree Illing (3) and a double-digit total for New Zealand would not be enough, allowing England to continue the chase.
Watch the Women’s World Cup T20 live in full on Sky Sports from June 12-July 5. Hosts England kick off the tournament on the opening night with a match against Sri Lanka at Edgbaston (kick-off 6.30pm).
