England win by seven wickets with 16 balls to spare
17.2 overs: England 140-3 (Capsey 74, Kemp 31) Capsey threads Mair for four to reach her highest T20I score, then cuts the next ball for four to complete an emphatic win over the world champions.
Two 21-year-olds made short of the work of the runchase, with Capsey hitting 74 from 51 balls and Kemp 31 from 20. Four hours ago Sophia Dunkley and Danni Wyatt-Hodge looked like England’s opening partnership at the World Cup; now I’m not so sure.
17th over: England 132-3 (Capsey 66, Kemp 31) Kemp lofts Melier Kee down the ground for another eye-catching boundary. Four singles in the over as well, so England need five to win.
16th over: England 124-3 (Capsey 64, Kemp 25) Kemp continues her classy cameo with two fours in three balls off devine. Both were fine shots, a steer behind square and a perfectly placed drive to between mid-off and extra cover.
Theer’s some rain falling at Derby but the umpires are keen to get the game done. England are only a few 13 runs away from victory.
15th over: England 113-3 (Capsey 63, Kemp 15) Kemp flashes a cut for four to bring up the England hundred. This kind of runchase, where you expect to win maybe eight times out of 10, is valuable experience for two 21-year-olds who are about to play the biggest tournament of their lives.
Capsey takes England closer with a devastating pick-up over midwicket for six. She enjoyed the experience sufficiently to play a very similar shot next ball. Six more!
14th over: England 94-3 (Capsey 50, Kemp 9) Illing goes around the wicket to Capsey, who crashes a brilliant square drive for four to move to 49. A single down the ground brings up a mature half-century from 43 balls, her fifth in T20 internationals. It ends a pretty poor run of 103 runs in 11 innings since Capsey’s last fifty two years ago.
Bree Illing bowled well, even if that last over wasn’t her best, and ends with figures of 4-0-19-2.
13th over: England 85-3 (Capsey 45, Kemp 6) Freya Kemp gets her first boundary – and England’s first since the eighth over – with a decisive sweep round the corner off Melie Kerr. Nicely played.
England need 52 from 42 balls.
12th over: England 78-3 (Capsey 43, Kemp 1)
Kemp is not out! In fact it was missing leg stump so New Zealand lose a review.
New Zealand review for LBW against Kemp!
This is an important moment. I suspect it’s umpire’s call and therefore not out.
WICKET! England 76-3 (Knight c Mair b Illing 19)
That’s the wicket New Zealand need! Knight edges the impressive Illing to short third and is well caught by Mair to end a boundaryless innings of 19 from 17 balls. Not too often you see a boundaryless innings with a strike rate of over 100.
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11th over: England 75-2 (Capsey 41, Knight 19) Capsey survives a Spandex-tight run-out review after the bowler Mair collects a throw from the deep and underarms it into the stumps. Capsey would have been out had it been a cleaner throw from Halliday, but Mair had to reach for the ball and then change direction.
No boundaries agian for England, but they’re scoring off almost every delivery and remain on course for victory.
Drinks: England need 68 from 60 balls
10th over: England 69-2 (Capsey 39, Knight 15) Sophie Devine, the only batter to strike at more than 130 tonight, has a go with the ball. It’s a good over for England, who take 10 runs off the target without needing to find the boundary.
With England needing 68 from the last 10 overs, it’s time for drinks.
9th over: England 59-2 (Capsey 36, Knight 9) Six balls, six singles in Melie Kerr’s second over. Level-headed batting from Capsey and Knight.
8th over: England 53-2 (Capsey 33, Knight 6) The new bowler Rosemary Mair is slashed for four by Capsey. Illing got a touch at short third but the ball got through and ran to the boundary.
England need 84 from 72 balls.
7th over: England 44-2 (Capsey 27, Knight 3) With the Powerplay done, Melie Kerr brings herself on to bowl some legspin. England are content to take five low-risk singles from her first over.
6th over: England 39-2 (Capsey 24, Knight 1) Capsey guides a low full toss past backward point for four. She took a few deliveries to have a look but she’s playing superbly now: 4 from the first 9 deliveries, 20 from the next 9.
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WICKET! England 33-2 (Bouchier b Illing 5)
Beautifully bowled! That’s a textbook left-armer’s dismissal from Bree Illing, a full-length inswinger that bowls Bouchier neck and crop.
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5th over: England 33-1 (Capsey 20, Boucher 5) Capsey gets England moving by taking 16 from Jess Kerr’s third over. It includes three boundaries: a fleet-footed scoop for four, a meaty thump down the ground for six and a tickle to fine leg.
4th over: England 17-1 (Capsey 4, Boucher 5) Suzie Bates, who was surprisingly unused with the bat, comes on to bowl some offspin. Bouchier pulls a full toss to deep square leg, where the diving Plimmer does well to save two runs. New Zealand have started excellently in the field.
3rd over: England 13-1 (Capsey 4, Boucher 1) Maia Bouchier comes in at No3. There might be a bit of rain on the way in Derby.
WICKET! England 10-1 (Dunkley c Sharp b J Kerr 8)
That’s not a great shot from Sophia Dunkley. She got lucky when the previous ball teased two fielders before landing safely, but she went for another big shot and sliced it high to Izzy Sharp at point.
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2nd over: England 8-0 (Dunkley 6, Capsey 2) The left-armer Bree Illing shares the new ball. Dunkley walks down the track to an inswinger and is relieved to see an inside-edge fly past leg stump. A good start from Illing, everything on the money.
1st over: England 6-0 (Dunkley 5, Capsey 1) Jess Kerr starts with some good-length inswingers to restrict England’s openers – but then her last ball is a wide half volley that Dunkley puts away for four.
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It’s a quick turnaround and the players are back on the field. Jess Kerr will open the bowling to Sophia Dunkley.
England need 137 to win
20th over: New Zealand 136-7 (Sharp 26) That was a fine last over from Linsey Smith, who finishes with exceptional figures of 4-1-10-1. New Zealand’s total feels 20 or 30 under par.
WICKET! New Zealand 136-7 (J Kerr run out 5)
Jess Kerr is run out of the last ball of the innings.
19th over: New Zealand 131-6 (Sharp 25, J Kerr 1) Still no sign of Suzie Bates for some reason; Jess Kerr is the new batter.
Lauren Bell finishes another good spell with figures of 4-0-23-2.
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WICKET! New Zealand 130-6 (Green c Ecclestone b Bell 23)
After four slower balls in a row, Lauren Bell bowls a sharp bumper that Green hooks instinctively round the corner. Sophie Ecclestone takes a smart two-handed catch at short fine leg. That’s really good bowling from Bell.
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18th over: New Zealand 125-5 (Green 23, Sharp 21) Much better from New Zealand, with Sharp making room to thump Dean over midwicket for six. Green blasts a full toss for a one-bounce four to complete a good over for New Zealand; Dean finishes with figures of 4-0-29-2.
17th over: New Zealand 112-5 (Green 18, Sharp 13) Kemp bowls another boundaryless over, which suits England just fine at this stage. New Zealand have hit only one four in the last five overs.
16th over: New Zealand 107-5 (Green 16, Sharp 10) New Zealand continue to go after Ecclestone, with Sharp pull/sweeping four more. Ecclestone’s figures are 3-0-34-0.
15th over: New Zealand 98-5 (Green 14, Sharp 3) An excellent over from Gibson, bowling wicket to wicket, costs only three runs. England have taken control of the game since the dismissal of Devine.
14th over: New Zealand 95-5 (Green 13, Sharp 1) Izzy Sharp is the new batter.
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WICKET! New Zealand 94-5 (Halliday c Boucher b Dean 14)
Another one gone. Halliday lifts Dean down the ground, doesn’t get enough on it and is beautifully caught on the run by Bouchier. England’s fielding has been good tonight.
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13th over: New Zealand 93-4 (Halliday 14, Green 12) Green makes room to steer Bell expertly between backward point and short third for a boundary. New Zealand no longer have the intimidating power of Devine but they are inching towards a competitive score.
12th over: New Zealand 87-4 (Halliday 13, Green 7) Another rapid and thrifty over from Smith, who has outstanding figures of 3-1-5-1.
11th over: New Zealand 84-4 (Halliday 11, Green 6) With Devine gone, Sophie Ecclestone is brought back into the attack. Maddy Green reverse sweeps classily for the only boundary of the over.
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10th over: New Zealand 77-4 (Halliday 8, Green 1) Halliday reverse sweeps Dean nicely for four. New Zealand still have plenty of batting, including Suzie Bates at No8, so they can’t afford to keep playing aggressively.
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9th over: New Zealand 70-4 (Halliday 3, Green 0) That was the last ball of the over.
WICKET! New Zealand 70-4 (Devine b Gibson 45)
Well bowled Dani Gibson! Devine is bowled by a slower ball that snakes under the bat and kisses the off bail. Amy Jones wasn’t sure whether she had disturbed the stumps herself, but replays confirmed it was out. Devine goes for a thrilling 22-ball 45.
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8th over: New Zealand 63-3 (Devine 40, Halliday 1) Brooke Halliday takes a single off her first ball, which allows Devine to blast another comically emphatic slog-sweep for six. She’s peppering the short legside boundary at that end.
WICKET! New Zealand 56-3 (Gaze b Dean 12)
Terrific bowling from Charlie Dean. She started with three dot balls to Gaze, who succumbed to the growing pressure. She charged the fourth delivery, missed a hack across the line and was bowled.
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7th over: New Zealand 56-2 (Gaze 12, Devine 34) The left-arm seamer Freya Kemp comes on for Gibson. Devine hits her for consecutive fours, a tuck off the hip and a blast down the ground that just evaded the diving Gibson at long-on. Gibson may have got a touch but it was another extremely tough chance.
Devine, who looks in scarily good form, has raced to 34 from 17 balls.
Devine hits Ecclestone for three sixes in an over
6th over: New Zealand 45-2 (Gaze 10, Devine 25) Time for England’s best bowler, Sophie Ecclestone. And she’s still England’s best bowler despite disappearing for 18 in her first over. Sophie Devine slog-swept Ecclestone’s first ball for six, and then the third, and then the sixth! That’s outrageously good batting.
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5th over: New Zealand 27-2 (Gaze 10, Devine 7) Dani Gibson, one of two seam-bowling allrounders in the team along with Freya Kemp, replaces Lauren Bell. She almost strikes second ball when Devine cuffs a short ball just wide of the diving Bell at mid-on. In fact it goes down as a dropped catch because Bell got a touch, but it was a seriously tough chance.
The ball runs away for four, and later in the over Gaze clatters a lower-risk boundary through extra cover.
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4th over: New Zealand 16-2 (Gaze 5, Devine 1) Sophie Devine is in at No4. She misses a slog sweep and is hit on the pad; England enquire for LBW but that would have swung past leg stump.
WICKET! New Zealand 13-2 (M Kerr c Bell b Smith 8)
A big wicket for England. Melie Kerr tries to blast Linsey Smith over the top but doesn’t clear Lauren Bell, who takes an excellent running catch at mid-off.
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3rd over: New Zealand 13-1 (Gaze 4, M Kerr 8) Gaze plays the first shot of authority, clouting a short ball from Bell through midwicket for four. She’s beaten by the next ball, then misses a premeditated ramp that is spilled by Jones for a bye.
That brings Kerr back on strike; she lifts Bell sweetly to deep backward square for a one-bounce four. A much better over for New Zealand.
2nd over: New Zealand 2-1 (Gaze 0, M Kerr 2) No surprise to see Linsey Smith share the new ball with her stump-threatening left-arm spin. It’s a fine first over, a maiden to Gaze that includes a couple of false strokes.
1st over: New Zealand 2-1 (Gaze 0, M Kerr 2) The New Zealand captain Melie Kerr clips her first ball through midwicket for a couple. But she’s beaten by the next two deliveries, the first after walking down the track.
It’s been a scruffy start form New Zealand, and Izzy Gaze is almost run out without facing off the last ball of the over. She was sent back by Kerr and was barely in the frame when Bouchier’s throw from backward point bounced past the stumps.
WICKET! New Zealand 0-1 (Plimmer b Bell 0)
Gone first ball! Georgia Plimmer, shaping to cut with an angled bat, drags Bell back onto the stumps to give England the perfect start.
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England captain Charlie Dean flicks the ball to Lauren Bell, who will open the bowling. She’s the only specialist seamer in the team.
Team news
Alice Capsey opens for England in the absence of Danni Wyatt-Hodge, who is awaiting the birth of her first child. Maia Bouchier, who is not in the World Cup squad, takes Sciver-Brunt’s place at No3. There’s no place yet for Tilly Corteen-Coleman.
New Zealand make one change from their win over South Africa at Wellington in March: Bree Illing replaces Lea Tahuhu.
England Dunkley, Capsey, Bouchier, Knight, Kemp, Gibson, Jones (wk), Dean (c), Ecclestone, Smith, Bell.
New Zealand Plimmer, Gaze (wk), M Kerr (c), Devine, Halliday, Green, Sharp, Bates, J Kerr, Mair, Illing.
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England win the toss and bowl
Charlie Dean says Nat Sciver-Brunt’s absence is “pretty precautionary” and that England aren’t worried. Oh, and that England would like to field first.
Melie Kerr says New Zealand would also have bowled.
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There’s been a bit of rain in Derbs today but tonight’s forecast is good, so we should get a full game.
Every cricket-loving parent will know the feeling. Not a feeling, exactly, more a tiny flicker of hope. A ridiculous, irrational hope that the gods who once reached down and gently kissed the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Ellyse Perry might one day do the same to your little sprog.
You hold your breath the first time you wrap their chubby hands around a plastic bat. You start dreaming absurd dreams when you softly lob a tennis ball in their direction and they accidentally smoke one into the couch.
Maybe, despite all available evidence, despite the fact that you were, at best, a middling club cricketer with an exaggerated pull shot and a weakness against anything spinning away, maybe your child will be different.
In all likelihood they won’t become the next superstar. And that’s fine. Because what you’re really hoping for has little to do with fame or contracts or Test caps. What you’re really hoping for is that they fall in love with the game.
Preamble
England haven’t played a T20 international in the last 10 months. Tonight’s match against the world champions New Zealand at Derby is the first of at least 11 T20s in the next six and a half weeks. England will hope it’s 13 games, because that would mean reaching the final of the upcoming T20 World Cup.
England Women have never failed to win a Women’s World Cup as hosts: 1973, 1993, 2009 and 2017. “No pressure, then!” joked their coach Charlotte Edwards when reminded of that particular statistic.
Before the tournament begins on 12 June, England have two three-match series against New Zealand and India. It’s a chance for Edwards to work out her World Cup team while also looking at alternative options such as Alice Capsey behind the stumps.
Edwards may finalise her best XI, but she won’t see it in action: the captain Nat Sciver-Brunt has been ruled out of both series with an increasingly worrying calf injury. Charlie Dean will deputise.
The match starts at 6.30pm BST.
