First job done for England as they work through their pre-T20 World Cup checklist.
A crushing win in the Hove sunshine secured a seventh straight bilateral T20 series victory over New Zealand, with the next focus a three-match contest against India before opening their home World Cup against Sri Lanka at Edgbaston on June 12.
Positives from the 2-1 triumph over the White Ferns, in which a pair of seven-wicket successes sandwiched a 14-run defeat, included the captaincy of Charlie Dean as the off-spinning all-rounder stood in superbly for calf-injury victim Nat Sciver-Brunt.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Full highlights as England secured a series win over New Zealand with the home T20 World Cup looming
England hope Sciver-Brunt will be fit for next month’s World Cup and they will miss her batting if she is not – the 33-year-old has over 2,000 T20I runs, including 18 fifties – but they look to be in safe hands leadership-wise should she suffer any sort of setback.
Sky Sports’ Nasser Hussain said: “I can’t think of an occasion when England have bowled and fielded where they have lost the plot and Dean must take credit for a lot of that. Captaincy sits well on her shoulders and doesn’t weigh her down.”
‘Don’t judge England on how they played against New Zealand’
With left-arm spinner Linsey Smith and key seam bowler Lauren Bell forming a menacing combination in the powerplay; Alice Capsey slamming a 51-ball 74 not out as an opener in the first T20, and Dani Gibson and Freya Kemp able to operate as fully-fledged all-rounders after injury issues, England appear in good shape.
Gibson’s three-wicket haul in the Hove romp included Melie Kerr and Sophie Devine in the same over.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
England all-rounder Dani Gibson dismissed Sophie Devine, Melie Kerr and Maddy Green during an excellent performance in the series-deciding third T20 at Hove
However, Hussain offered words of caution, with the team having not won a global tournament since the 2017 50-over World Cup and often fluffing their lines under pressure in those intervening years.
Hussain said: “England beat sides convincingly but it is how you go against the gun players, how you go when the pressure is really on you. That’s when you find out about your cricketers.
“You will coast through games but then get to a semi-final or a final and suddenly an Australian, a South African or an Indian batting line-up is coming at you.
“Things are settling nicely but don’t judge England on how they have gone against New Zealand. India will be a different challenge.
“We have seen New Zealand collapsing at the top [of their batting line-up] but India have experience, Hundred experience – Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Richa Ghosh, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur – so that may be a better test.”
India’s Smriti Mandhana is part of a strong touring squad
Smith looks World Cup certainty – but what about the batters?
Hussain’s fellow pundit Tash Farrant feels India’s “world-class” spinners will give England a stiff examination, but is enthused by home tweaker Smith, who ended the New Zealand series with six wickets in three games at an average of eight and economy rate of just 4.16 runs an over.
If there were any doubts over Smith’s place following the emergence of 18-year-old Tilly Corteen-Coleman they have now evaporated.
She seems locked in to line up alongside fellow left-armer Sophie Ecclestone and off-spinner Dean in England’s best side.
Farrant added: “Smith has nullified any chat. She is a brilliant powerplay bowler and that combination with Bell swinging it away and Smith swinging it in is really good. Smith has also worked on her death bowling, bowling those little skimmers.”
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Linsey Smith was instrumental as England reduced New Zealand to 11-4 inside four overs of the second T20 at Canterbury
The big decision for England, then, could be how to complete the batting line-up.
We are yet to see Danni Wyatt-Hodge in an international kit this summer due to parental leave but she could return against India and if/when Sciver-Brunt also comes back, there is quite the logjam.
Farrant concluded: “There are only three spots between Wyatt-Hodge, Sophia Dunkley, Alice Capsey and Heather Knight as I think England have to play the two all-rounders in Kemp and Gibson.
“It is a bit of a battle and whoever is in form probably needs to play. Capsey has looked the most dynamic she has done for a long time so needs to be in there, for me.”
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
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.
England vs India fixtures
All times UK and Ireland, all live on Sky Sports
First T20 (Chelmsford) – Thursday May 28 (6.30pm)Second T20 (Bristol) – Saturday May 30 (2.30pm)Third T20 (Taunton) – Tuesday June 2 (6.30pm)
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).
