England Beat New Zealand Women In Last-Ball Thriller
Taylor top-scores with 51 in four-wicket win
England defeated New Zealand by four wickets off the final ball in a thrilling warm-up match in Chennai on Friday ahead of the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 India 2016.
Chasing New Zealand’s 130 for six, England scored 10 runs in the final over bowled by Suzie Bates, including the winning single by Natalie Sciver off the last delivery.
Bates had earlier hit 38 off 33 balls and Sophie Devine made 40 to shore up New Zealand’s innings after England won the toss and elected to field in the day-night match.
The pair put on 65 for the second wicket before Amy Satterthwaite boosted the total with a 14-ball 22 towards the end which included two boundaries and a six.
Seamer Katherine Brunt was the pick of the England bowlers, conceding just 15 runs while taking two wickets in her four overs. Left-armer Tash Farrant took one for 26.
England lost opener Amy Jones off the second ball of the innings, but skipper Charlotte Edwards and star batter Sarah Taylor put on 75 runs for the second wicket.
Edwards, the 36-year-old veteran leading her team in a fifth successive World Twenty20, scored 28 with two boundaries. Taylor made 51 before she was bowled first ball by Bates.
England were cruising at 75 for one in the 12th over when four wickets fell in the space of 26 runs to make it 101 for five in 16.1 overs.
Bates conceded two boundaries in the final over and even though she grabbed a wicket of the fifth ball with the scores tied, England squeezed through in the end.
The two teams will play each other again in a warm-up match in Chennai on Saturday.
The 10-nation Women’s World Twenty20 opens on 15 March with three-time defending champion Australia drawn alongside Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka in Group A.
Group B comprises Bangladesh, England, India, Pakistan and West Indies, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semi-finals.
England beat New Zealand by four wickets in Chennai
New Zealand 130-6, 20 overs (Suzie Bates 38, Sophie Devine 40, Amy Satterthwaite 22; Katherine Brunt 2-15, Tash Farrant 1-26)
England 131-6, 20 overs (Sarah Taylor 51, Charlotte Edwards 28, Lydia Greenway 23 not out; Suzie Bates 2-22, Lea Tahuhu 2-10)
