England ramped up preparations for their home T20 World Cup with a seven-wicket victory over New Zealand in the series opener at Derby as Alice Capsey scored a sparkling unbeaten half-century.
England are playing the White Ferns and then India in three T20 internationals each before beginning their World Cup campaign against Sri Lanka at Edgbaston on June 12, live on Sky Sports
Capsey (74 not out off 51 balls) led the way with the bat during Wednesday’s win as the home side reached their target of 137 with 16 balls to spare, taking a 1-0 lead ahead of games at Canterbury on Saturday and Hove on Bank Holiday Monday (both 2.30pm starts).
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The best shots from Alice Capsey’s unbeaten 74 as the 21-year-old guided England to victory in the first T20 against New Zealand.
Danni Wyatt-Hodge’s absence as she awaits the birth of her first child presented Capsey with an opportunity to open and the 21-year-old went to strike seven fours and three sixes, sharing a third-wicket stand of 43 with Heather Knight (19) and then an unbroken 64 off 35 balls with Freya Kemp (31no off 20) for the fourth.
Capsey mixed power and innovation with slick footwork while amassing her highest T20I score to date and has now staked a real claim to open at the upcoming World Cup.
Other positives included the economical bowling of left-arm spinner Linsey Smith (1-10) and off-spinner Charlie Dean – standing in as captain once again for Nat Sciver-Brunt (calf) – bagging 2-29.
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Lauren Bell gets England off to the perfect start in Derby as she dismissed New Zealand’s Georgia Plimmer with the first ball of the match
Those efforts, plus a slick fielding performance – not always England’s strong suit – and Lauren Bell’s 2-23 – which included bowling Georgia Plimmer from the first ball of the match after England elected to field – restricted New Zealand to 136-7.
Sophie Devine top-scored for the tourists with a rollicking 45 off 22 balls, a knock that featured four mighty leg-side sixes.
Three of Devine’s maximums came in Sophie Ecclestone’s 18-run first over, the sixth of the innings, with England’s senior spinner leaking 34 runs from a wicketless three overs at an eye-watering economy rate of 11.33, perhaps a concern as the World Cup looms.
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New Zealand’s Sophie Devine smashed four sixes before she was bowled by England all-rounder Dani Gibson
Confidence-boosting win for England ahead of World Cup
Sophia Dunkley (8) and Maia Bouchier (5) – the latter a late addition to the squad following the withdrawals of Wyatt-Hodge and Sciver-Brunt – fell cheaply with the bat, although Bouchier did produce a fine catch earlier in the evening as England’s fielding excelled.
Bouchier’s diving grab on the run at long-off to remove Brooke Halliday (14), came after Bell had used all of her 6ft frame to pouch Kiwi captain Melie Kerr in the deep and before Ecclestone smartly snaffled a pulling Maddy Green (23) at short fine leg.
Capsey enjoyed her elevation to the opening position
Izzy Sharp (26no off 20) pounded New Zealand’s fifth six of the innings, but the away side lacked punch once Devine was bowled by all-rounder Dani Gibson (1-21) at the end of the ninth over.
It was a real surprise that Suzie Bates – who will join Devine and Lea Tahuhu in retiring after the T20 World Cup – did not bat, considering she has more runs in women’s T20Is (4,717) than anyone else.
England have not won the T20 World Cup since the inaugural edition in 2009, which was also on home soil, with three runners-up finishes since then, all coming against Australia (2012, 2014 and 2018).
But they look in decent shape to contend this time around – if they can sharpen up in a few areas and get Sciver-Brunt back fit, with the skipper to sit out the remaining New Zealand T20s and also the clashes with India.
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Player of the Match Capsey reflects on her match-winning innings in the Midlands
Capsey: I’ve been working on different areas of my game
Player of the Match, England’s Alice Capsey (74no off 51 balls):
“With this England team at the minute there’s such competition for spots – any opportunity you get, it’s always nice to take it. Anything pace-on was really nice to hit.
“[I’ve put in] lots of hard work. That three-month block at the beginning of the year was amazing for skill development. I’ve worked on some different areas of my game.
“I just felt confident at the crease – really calm – and I think that showed. I was two off eight balls but had the composure to know I could catch up and really believe that.”
Where does Capsey fit in?
Sky Sports Cricket’s Tash Farrant:
“That was clinical from England. They won emphatically and Capsey has really staked her claim.
“I don’t know where she’s going to fit in the side, with Freya Kemp and Dani Gibson as well, but she’s showed she should be there.”
‘England can be proud of performance’
England captain Charlie Dean:
“It’s brilliant to start the series like that. Bell and Smith were great up front with the ball and everyone else chipped in.
“With the bat, it looked to be in the balance for a long time, but we stuck at it. To finish with two batters not out – Alice [Capsey] and Freya [Kemp] were exceptional.”
“To put on a performance like that is something that we can be really proud of.”
England vs New Zealand results and schedule
All times UK and Ireland; all games live on Sky Sports
First T20I (Derby) – England win by seven wickets 🔴 🔵Second T20I (Canterbury) – Saturday May 23 (2.30pm) 📅Third T20I (Hove) – Monday May 25 (2.30pm) 📅
Watch the Women’s T20 World Cup live in full on Sky Sports from June 12-July 5. Hosts England kick off the tournament on opening night with a game versus Sri Lanka at Edgbaston (6.30pm start).
