England secures victory, ending New Zealand’s campaign
The White Ferns have been eliminated from the Twenty20 World Cup following a defeat by England in their final pool match. England secured a nine-wicket victory, successfully chasing New Zealand’s total of 163 for six with 14 balls remaining. The match, held at the Oval, saw a crowd of 21,018, marking a record for a Women’s T20 World Cup group-stage fixture.
This outcome means that England has topped Group B and is likely to face either India or South Africa in the semi-finals, depending on the result of an upcoming Group A clash between Australia and India. The result also confirmed West Indies’ qualification for the semi-finals at New Zealand’s expense.
Kiwis’ batting effort and England’s dominant chase
New Zealand batted first, posting a score of 163 for six. Captain Melie Kerr was the top scorer for her side, contributing 42 runs from 34 balls. Sophie Devine, in her final international match, scored 30 from 14 balls, including three sixes. Suzie Bates also batted effectively, making 19 from 13 balls before being run out on the final ball.
Despite flashes of brilliance, New Zealand’s innings saw wickets fall in clusters, including a collapse from 70 without loss to 70 for three in the span of four balls. The loss of both Brooke Halliday and Sophie Devine in the 16th over further slowed their scoring. Charlie Dean’s direct hit from extra cover to run out Brooke Halliday was highlighted as a sharp fielding display by England.
England’s chase was spearheaded by an unbroken second-wicket partnership between Danni Wyatt-Hodge and Sophia Dunkley. The pair combined for an impressive 128-run stand, guiding England to victory. Wyatt-Hodge was named player of the match for her unbeaten 89 runs from 53 balls, while Dunkley remained not out with 49 runs from 38 balls. Wyatt-Hodge’s performance added to her strong form, bringing her tournament tally to 282 runs.
A brief rain shower interrupted play during England’s run chase, but the respite for New Zealand lasted only 15 minutes before England returned to complete the chase. Sophia Dunkley’s continued strong contributions, playing in place of the injured Nat Sciver-Brunt, presents a selection dilemma for England’s head coach, Charlotte Edwards, ahead of the semi-final, especially with Sciver-Brunt expected to return.
Farewell to cricketing legends
The defeat marked the end of the international careers for three prominent White Ferns players: Sophie Devine, Suzie Bates, and Lea Tahuhu, who are all retiring from international cricket. Devine played 316 white-ball games for New Zealand over a 20-year career. Tahuhu participated in 206 matches across 15 years, and Bates retires as the most capped and highest run-scorer for the White Ferns, accumulating 10,721 runs in her 369 games.
Devine’s final match showcased her powerful hitting, with three sixes in her 30-run innings. Bates also provided crucial impetus towards the end of New Zealand’s innings, scoring 15 runs off Freya Kemp’s 18th over. However, Devine’s bowling in the match was less effective, while Tahuhu’s final act in a New Zealand career that included 100 T20 international wickets was a leg-side wide. England players formed a guard of honour on the Oval outfield to acknowledge the retiring veterans after the match.
New Zealand’s captain, Melie Kerr, expressed disappointment with the team’s campaign, noting that missed catches in earlier games had been costly. The team’s hopes had been briefly reignited earlier in the day by Ireland’s historic win against West Indies, which offered New Zealand a lifeline if they could defeat England.
Source: rnz.co.nz
