Sophie Devine’s stellar all-round display led New Zealand Women to clinch a narrow 3-run victory over England in the 3rd T20I encounter at Saxton Oval in Nelson on Sunday.
In pursuit of the 156-run target set by the Kiwis, England’s opening pair of Tammy Beaumont (scoring 37 runs from 34 balls) and Sophia Dunkley (failing to score from 3 balls) couldn’t provide the strong start they hoped for. Despite this, England’s Maia Bouchier’s brilliant innings of 71 runs from 47 balls, comprising 11 fours and 1 six, stood out. However, Bouchier’s individual effort was not supported by partnerships from other players, resulting in England falling short and finishing their innings at 152/8.
New Zealand’s bowling attack, spearheaded by Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates, proved instrumental in defending the target. Both Devine and Bates claimed two wickets each, while Hannah Rowe and Amelia Kerr chipped in with one wicket apiece.
Opting to bat first after winning the toss, New Zealand’s opening pair of Suzie Bates and Bernadine Bezuidenhout provided a strong start, forming a 44-run partnership. However, England’s Sarah Glenn and Danielle Gibson managed to break through their partnership, dismissing Bates and Bezuidenhout, respectively.
Following the early dismissals, Amelia Kerr and skipper Sophie Devine anchored the innings with a crucial 99-run partnership. Kerr scored 44 runs from 35 balls, including 3 fours, while Devine’s blistering knock of 60 runs from 37 balls, featuring 5 fours and 2 sixes, propelled New Zealand to a competitive total of 155/3.
In England’s bowling innings, Danielle Gibson and Sarah Glenn were the only wicket-takers, with Gibson accounting for three dismissals.
For her exceptional all-round performance, Sophie Devine was awarded the ‘Player of the Match’ title.
In summary, New Zealand’s balanced performance with both bat and ball secured them a hard-fought victory over England in the thrilling encounter.
