Dean’s four-wicket haul seals thriller for England
> Young off-spinner delivers key spell in second ODI appearance > Wyatt returns to salvage total with 63 on way to 2-0 series lead
Charlie Dean marked her second outing in an England shirt with a four-wicket haul to guide England home in a low-scoring thriller at New Road, beating New Zealand by 13 runs.
The 20-year-old off-spinner took four for 36 after Danni Wyatt, returning to England’s one-dayinternational side for the first time this summer, salvaged England’s below-par innings with a 72-ball 63.
It was an unusual, topsy-turvy match affected in no small part by a lengthy rain delay. New Zealand will ultimately rue missing an opportunity to capitalise on a bowling performance that skittled England for less than 200. That the visitors find themselves 2-0 down in the fivematch series followed an improbable turn of events. Twenty-four overs into the chase, at 111 for four, they were odds-on to overcome England’s 197 with some ease.
However, the original requirement of 87 runs from 26 overs, with six wickets in hand, was soon revised to 72 runs required from 18 overs. When the teams left the field, New Zealand had been ahead, according to the Duckworth-lewisstern method; when play resumed, they were behind.
Such are the vagaries of cricket, the English weather and the indecipherable formulas we so often place our trust in. It was a potent combination of factors that did for the tourists, aided by a healthy dose of their own fragility with the bat.
Wyatt’s return to the ODI fold was a successful one on many levels. Having arrived at the crease with England 85 for five, not only did Wyatt finish unbeaten, she played with a composure and match awareness that England have long been seeking. It was an innings England’s middle order might pay attention to, having lost four wickets for 26 runs.
That Wyatt even had the opportunity to reach her half-century relied heavily on Tash Farrant, usually seen opening England’s bowling, but who combined to form England’s highest partnership of the innings. Remarkably, it was for the 10th wicket. That 51-run stand, the match’s only half-century partnership, helped England recover from a precarious 146 for nine.
There was a bit of luck involved, too (it is cricket, after all), as Wyatt’s earlier 33-run partnership with the opener Lauren Winfield-hill (39 from 66) was prematurely ended by a comical mix-up. It took the television umpire to judge that Wyatt had not left her crease following the commotion and it was Winfield-hill, at that stage the more fluent of the pair, who had to depart.
An earlier version of Wyatt may have floundered under the pressure. Not this one, as she quickly played with a freedom and intent crucial to England’s revival.
England will be concerned that, in the four ODIS when they have batted first this summer, they have been bowled out on each occasion.
Here, there were 39 balls left when the last wicket fell. Thank goodness, then, for England’s bowling. Dean and Kate Cross, fast establishing herself as England’s attacking spearhead, ensured that batting problems were quickly covered over.
Having already taken a maiden wicket on debut, Dean was introduced into the attack after the rain break to make use of the skiddy conditions. She mopped up. Two lbw decisions, one bowled and one stumped reflected an accuracy and skill that England will hope might partner the left-arm spin of Sophie Ecclestone for many years to come.
For Cross, it was another accomplished display. Dismissing three of New Zealand’s top four was just reward for a bowler who now has 31 wickets at an average of 17 since the start of 2019.