May 5, 2024
England beat New Zealand in final World Cup warm-up

England beat New Zealand in final World Cup warm-up

England spinner Sophie Ecclestone bowls in the Women's T20 World Cup warm-up against New Zealand
Spinner Sophie Ecclestone bowled four overs after being protected on Monday because of a slight injury
ICC Women’s World Cup warm-up, Cape Town
New Zealand 114-9 (20 overs): Bates 36 (35); Ecclestone 3-19, Cross 2-10
England 118-5 (13.5 overs): Dunkley 60* (38); Jensen 2-20, A Kerr 2-24
England won by five wickets
Scorecard

England comfortably beat New Zealand by five wickets in their final warm-up to ensure they will go into the Women’s T20 World Cup on a positive note.

After opting to bowl first, England restricted the Kiwis to 114-9 from their 20 overs, with Sophie Ecclestone claiming 3-19 and Kate Cross 2-10.

England then chased the target in 13.5 overs, with opener Sophia Dunkley making an unbeaten 60 from 38 balls.

Their opening game is against West Indies on Saturday (13:00 GMT).

England used 11 players, having used 12 in their opening warm-up win over South Africa on Monday, with captain Heather Knight, all-rounder Nat Scriver-Brunt, opener Danni Wyatt and bowler Lauren Bell rested.

New Zealand started well, sharing 33 for the first wicket, before Kate Cross, who went wicketless on Monday, removed Sophie Devine and Bernadine Bezuidenhout in successive balls to end the fifth over.

Suzie Bates, who top-scored with 36, shared 26 with Georgia Plimmer before both fell in the space of 11 balls and from there England squeezed and restricted.

Spinners Sarah Glenn and Charlie both took a wicket each, as did Katherine Sciver-Brunt, but England will be most pleased about Ecclestone’s return after she played as a specialist batter on Monday.

Lauren Winfield-Hill failed to capitalise on her opportunity at the top of the innings, making just seven, but England broke the back of the chase when Dunkley shared 47 with Alice Capsey, who made 28 off 13 balls.

They were 94-2 but lost stand-in captain Amy Jones (12), Maia Bouchier (one) and Katherine Sciver-Brunt (one) in quick succession, before Dunkley and Ecclestone saw them over the line.

Source link