England v Pakistan – Second T20
Northampton
England romped to an easy win, thus taking an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
Jon Lewis made only one change to the Edgbaston side, Nat Sciver-Brunt replacing Freya Kemp as expected.
Lauren Bell had assured us that the team would continue its aggressive approach to the game, and Maia Bouchier confirmed it, taking ten runs of the opening over, including two fours. Danni Wyatt added another boundary next over, but the doubts reappeared as she wafted airily at the first ball of the third and was bowled.
Armies of critics then took to their keyboards to query where Tammy Beaumont was at that moment. They wonder when Wyatt will ever put a series of decent scores together.
Alice Capsey played some chancy shots, but survived. Then in the fifth over she struck five fours, even if they didn’t all come off the middle of the bat.
At least the first powerplay, 48-1 off 6, was a great improvement on the previous game. Bouchier (30) and Capsey (31) built a useful partnership, but it wasn’t all-out attack. Memories of last week’s 41-4 may have played their part.
Bouchier’s end came from an outstanding piece of fielding by Diana Baig at extra. Bouchier drilled the ball so hard she expected it to damage the boundary boards, but Baig pulled off a remarkable stop and returned the ball accurately to the keeper while on her knees. Bouchier was still in mid-ocean.
It was a comfort to English eyes seeing NS-B restored to the top order, and she added another 31 off 12 balls fewer than Capsey. But somehow the batting couldn’t take the game away from some resourceful Pakistan bowling. Neither Heather Knight (4) nor Amy Jones (15) could add big runs at pace, and it was left to Dani Gibson (18*) for the second time to add some vital runs with Sophie Ecclestone (7*) right at the end. Jones was dismissed at the start of the last over (127-6). Five balls later the total had reached 144-6.
The other notable achivement for the visitors was Nida Dar’s second wicket, which took her total past the then world record holder, Megan Schutt. Slower than slow bowling can be the very devil to combat successfully.
Once more England’s total looked vulnerable till we saw the limits of the Pakistan batting. In a second limp performance, only three batters reached double figures; nobody made 20.
This makes it difficult to asses the true worth of the England bowling. Bell took 2-20, including a screamer of a catch by Wyatt square on the off. Then the spinners got to work, this time Charlie Dean went wicketless, her place in the success column being taken by Capsey. She took a wicket with her first delivery of the series, Aliya Riaz skying an attempted drive to Sarah Glenn at backward point. In the same over Baig went for another drive, mistimed it and lobbed it to Ecclestone at mid-on.
At the other end Glenn was her usual miserly self, taking 2-10, and Ecclestone finished the job with 3-11 inside three overs.
After ten overs Pakistan were looking hopeful at 66-5, the same total as England’s, but with the tell-tale loss of four more wickets. 13 runs later they were all out.
Lewis is now faced with important decisions. Does he give his reserves the chance to get some proper exercise in the third and last T20? If he doesn’t, then we may wonder at his selection policy. He must surely check over the rest of his squad in preparation for bigger hurdles in Bangladesh.
Scores:
England 144-6
Pakistan 79
England won by 65 runs
Teams
England
Maia Bouchier, Danni Wyatt, Alice Capsey, Natalie Sciver-Brunt, Heather Knight (captain), Amy Jones (wk), Danielle Gibson, Charlie Dean, Sophie Ecclestone, Sarah Glenn, Lauren Bell
Pakistan
Sidra Ameen, Gull Feroza, Sadaf Shamas, Muneeba Ali (wk), Nida Dar (captain), Aliya Riaz, Fatima Sana, Diana Baig, Waheeda Akhtar, Nashra Sandhu, Sadia Iqbal
