Thu. Sep 19th, 2024
Occasional Digest - a story for you

England chased down New Zealand’s target of 104 for the loss of just three wickets in the fourth T20 at The Kia Oval to continue their unbeaten summer.

Having opted to bat, New Zealand failed to set a defendable total, posting only 103-8, with England spinners Sarah Glenn (4-19) and Sophie Ecclestone (2-16) tearing through their batting line-up after the powerplay.

The tourists reached 33-0 without loss, but Glenn dismissed Georgia Plimmer and Amelia Kerr in the seventh over, starting a collapse that saw New Zealand slip to 52-5.

Izzy Gaze and Maddy Green put on 28 for the sixth wicket, before Glenn broke their partnership with her second two-wicket over, before the White Ferns managed just 19 runs from their final three overs to limp past the hundred mark.

England raced to 54-0 after five overs in reply, but lost Sophia Dunkley (26 off 16 balls) in the powerplay after she skied to Suzie Bates, and then Danni Wyatt and Alice Capsey to successive balls to fall to 73-3.

But the experienced pair of Nat Sciver-Brunt and captain Heather Knight, who added 31 in 26 balls, saw England home in the 12th over.

England now lead the T20 series 4-0, having already beaten their opponents 3-0 in the preceding ODIs, after they won all five completed matches without reply against Pakistan in May.

The final match of the series takes place at Lord’s on Wednesday at 18:00 BST, and will be broadcast live on BBC Two and iPlayer.

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