England Women v New Zealand 2nd T20I at Hove on 4th September (night)
Wearing her 100th Cap, ‘White Ferns’ skipper Sophie Devine started the match full of optimism, needing just 24 runs to pass her 2500-run (T20I) milestone.
Afterwards, commentators said that ‘Ferns’ were ‘impressive in the field;’ skipper Devine played a good skipper’s fifty; and the match deservedly went ‘Ferns’ way, to level the series 1-1.
As seen on BBCTV ‘i-player’ (commentators from 5Live Sport-Xtra included Henry Moeran, Georgia Elwiss, Emily Winter and remote guest Alex Hartley) also cricket social media (Valkerie Baynes for ESPN-cric-info); the ‘Ferns’ played an unchanged team.
England were skippered for a 3rd time by Natalie Sciver. Freya Davies replaced Katherine Brunt. Debutante Maia Bouchier received her 1st cap. Before the match, ‘Ferns’ skipper Sophie Devine received her 100th cap and wanted ‘a positive result in a milestone match.’
*3 wickets of England’s wickets fell inside their power-play.
*Tammy Beaumont (13) was first to go, bowled by Jess Kerr’s in-swinger to leg stump.
*Sophie Devine’s next over took two 2 wickets as Natalie Sciver (4) was caught by Hannah Rowe; and Amy Jones (0) was caught by Thamsyn Newton for a golden duck.
*Danni Wyatt built two partnerships, the first with Sophia Dunkley (21 from 19) who fell for a soft dismissal, caught-and-bowled by Leigh Kasperek.
*Wyatt’s second partnership enabled Maia Bouchier (25) to post the ‘highest debutant score in T20I’ including 3 ‘fours’.
*Both Maia Bouchier and Danni Wyatt went within 3 balls of each other, to Hannah Rowe’s bowling.
*Commentators said that England’s senior ‘big name players’ had let them down. Also, they’d ‘lost too many wickets:’ for the last 5 overs, more wickets fell than ‘fours’ hit.
*’Ferns’ reply got off to a dream start at (43/1 power-play vs England’s 36/3)
*Once POTM Sophie Devine (50 runs from 41 balls) chalked-up 24 runs needed to pass her 2500-run milestone in T20I she was dropped at ‘fine leg’ by Sarah Glenn off Sophie Ecclestone.
*3 balls later, Devine hit fellow skipper Sciver over the hospitality box roofing for ‘six’
*Sophie Devine’s ‘fifty’ included 4 ‘sixes’ and 2 ‘fours’
*At mid-way, ‘Ferns’ were 58/2; and 114/4 by the 100 ball benchmark (16.4ov) needing 14 runs from 20 balls.
*Mady Villiers made the scorecard four times: firstly, running out Suzie Bates; secondly catching Sophie Devine from Tash Farrant’s bowling; thirdly when she caught-and-bowled Maddy Green. Also fourthly, catching Brooke Halliday from Sarah Glenn’s bowling.
*Summarising the match, commentators noted that ‘Ferns’ scores were level-pegging after 12 overs (73/2 vs 78/4.) The match became exciting, with doubting commentators not easily convinced that ‘Ferns’ were going to win.
Result: New Zealand Women 128/6 beat England Women 127/7 beat by 4 wickets (with 10 balls remaining)
England W 127/7 (20 ov 6.35 runs-per-over); Dani Wyatt 35(29), Maia Bouchier 25(24) Sophia Dunkley 21(19), Tammy Beaumont 13(15); NZ bowling: Hannah Rowe 2/12, Leigh Kasperek 2/20, Sophie Devine 2/28, Jess Kerr 1/23 ; Fow: 1-20, 2-25, 3-25, 4-61, 5-105, 6-106, 7-113.
New Zealand W 128/6 (18.2/20 ov, 6.98 rpo); Sophie Devine 50(41), Maddy Green 21(19), Amy Satterthwaite 11(15); England bowling: Tash Farrant 2/32, Mady Villiers 1/8, Sarah Glenn 1/24, Freya Davies 1/25; Fow: 1-31, 2-68, 3-100, 4-107, 5-115, 6-124.
Official match scorecard at https://www.icc-cricket.com/match/31733#scorecard
Next match: 3rd T20I at Taunton on 10th September https://www.icc-cricket.com/match/31734#teams
