England boost World T20 hopes by cruising to title
Taylor outstanding in seven-wicket victory Excellent spin squeezes life out of New Zealand
Another final, another England win. This time it was far more comfortable than the World Cup victory over India last year, after New Zealand did little to challenge England’s strong batting line-up in the Twenty20 tri-series final.
A target of 138, on a good pitch with a quick outfield, was knocked off with 17 balls to spare by a clinical England who look settled and comfortable in T20 cricket.
This tournament has been a good warm-up for the World T20 tournament in the West Indies in November and England have shown they are real contenders for a second global tournament in 18 months.
Their attack is balanced and has left-arm variety in both spin and pace to back up the experience of new-ball bowlers Anya Shrubsole and Katherine Brunt.
The batting combines power and unorthodoxy and their fielding was sharp here. Wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor was outstanding again, with a reflex catch off Leigh Kasperek and a back-handed run-out attempt of Amelia Kerr.
“We don’t get to practise finals often and with the World T20 coming up, the calmness about the group was good,” said captain Heather Knight. “The bowlers were a bit unlucky in the first five overs and the way we fought back and contained them in the middle were really good signs for us.
“The bowling has been the highlight for me. We have adapted well on different surfaces as well, which is important because in the West Indies we will face different pitches.”
This match was a chance to test their nerve in a final and they could have wilted when New Zealand’s openers, Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates, hammered 55 off the first five overs. But the tourists lacked the nous to back up the boundaries and never recovered from losing their openers, slumping from 55 for one to 118 for eight.
England took wickets with poor balls but it was the pressure from excellent spin that squeezed New Zealand and led to errors, with Sophie Ecclestone and Danielle Hazell taking four for 46 off eight overs. They just lacked England’s batting depth.
Danielle Wyatt hit 50 off 35 balls, accelerating after a slow start. A soft-handed touch gliding fours through third man was matched by flexing muscles when necessary as England cruised to their target.
Tammy Beaumont, who finished as the tournament’s top run-scorer, hit strongly down the ground and reverse swept to find the gaps in a way New Zealand could not.
Wickets fell but it did not matter. Taylor was bowled by the delivery of the day, a googly from Kerr that beat her between bat and pad. However, a sweltering afternoon, which forced Essex to bring in a back-up ice cream van for the 2,000 crowd, ended early when Nat Sciver drove the winning four.
“I don’t think we are favourites [for the World T20],” said Knight. “I think it is hard to look past Australia or West Indies, who are defending champions playing at home, but I think we will be up there.”