T20 match at Millfield
On the same day as the full England side were taking on South Africa at Chelmsford, a back-up XI saw off New Zealand with some ease.
The White Ferns’ innings had a very familiar look. At the top of the order Sophie Devine (69) and Suzie Bates (48) added 93 together. Once Devine was out (130-2), the remaining batters added only 32 more runs.
Tammy Beaumont, captaining the A team, and Bess Heath, took the attack apart, adding 160 inside 15 overs for the second wicket. 60 of Heath’s 84* came in boundaries. Savagery is one way to describe things. The only casualty was opener Marie Kelly, who fell second ball caught at deep mid-wicket; her second mishap in succession as she tries to establish herself at representative level.
The reverse is true of Heath. Her stickiest moment came when Beaumont produced a mid-on pile- driver aimed straight at her gullet She finished in a heap on the ground, fortunately unscathed. That is why some umpires have taken to wearing helmets.
Scores:
New Zealand: 162-6
England A: 164-2 (Beaumont 74/40; Heath 84*/51)
England A win by 8 wickets
The teams;
England A
AN Davidson-Richards, LL Filer, DR Gibson, KL Gordon, BAM Heath (w-k), M Kelly, GEA Potts, GE Scrivens, LCN Smith, MK Villiers, TT Beaumont (captain)
New Zealand:
SW Bates, SFM Devine (captain), ML Green, HM Rowe, RA Mair, BM Halliday, EJ Carson, CL Green, HNK Jensen, FC Jonas, JT McFadyen (w-k), GE Plimmer, LM Tahuhu, I Gaze
