Alice Capsey powered England to a six-wicket victory over New Zealand, with just four balls remaining, to secure a T20I series win at The Spitfire Ground in Canterbury.
Capsey (67no) steered the ship and reached her half-century motoring on at a run a ball, with six fours and one six helping her to a career-best score for England.
There was also a decisive knock from Freya Kemp (16no) that helped her side over the line – passing the tourists’ 141-8 – as she added 11 runs in the 19th over.
Fran Jonas (2-23) took two key wickets in two balls for the White Ferns to dismiss Sophia Dunkley (35) and Nat Sciver-Brunt (0) but will rue a mis-field in the final over that clinched England the win and put them 3-0 up in the five-match series.
Sophie Ecclestone (4-25) had earlier laid the groundwork for England with her four-fer, two wickets coming in the eighth over, checking New Zealand’s batters as they set the hosts a target of 142.
England headed into the match with a 2-0 lead in the series and, as their World Cup preparations continued, skipper Heather Knight was granted a rest along with Danni Wyatt and Lauren Bell, Dunkley, Lauren Filer and Kemp coming into the side.
They will now aim for wins at The Oval and Lord’s to secure the series whitewash.
Composed Capsey the difference as New Zealand drop catches
It was a tough start for England in their chase of 142 as Maia Bouchier (0) fell lbw to the first delivery of the innings from Hannah Rowe (1-16), the 0-1 scorecard leaving her side with work to do.
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England are off to the worst start after Maia Bouchier was trapped for a duck on the first delivery of the innings
That work was taken on by Capsey and Dunkley as they formed a strong partnership, bringing up England’s half-century at the end of the powerplay.
New Zealand finally got their big breakthrough in the ninth over as Dunkley and Sciver-Brunt fell in successive deliveries from Jonas, the latter lbw for a golden duck as England were reduced to 66-3.
From there, Capsey took the game on, and, after adding 11 runs in the 11th over, she was saved by a clever review of an lbw dismissal in the 12th over, England requiring 60 runs from 50 balls as the match got tense.
Amy Jones (19) then enjoyed some luck as she was dropped by Georgia Plimmer in the 14th over and Sophie Devine in the 16th over as fielding became New Zealand’s Achilles heel.
Motoring on, Capsey brought up her 50 from 50 deliveries but the pressure was on as the match went down to the wire and Jones was run out to leave England on 120-4.
With a target of 17 runs in 12 balls Kemp came in and made her mark, adding 11 runs in the 19th over, Capsey then hitting the match-winning four as Jonas’ error ended the White Ferns’ chance of getting the win.
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England secured their third T20 victory after Fran Jonas mis-fielded Alice Capsey’s slice, resulting in the ball rolling to the boundary
Ecclestone shows her class with four-fer
After winning the toss and choosing to bowl, it was not long before England dented the New Zealand start, Filer (2-17) removing Plimmer (0) for a duck as Sciver-Brunt took a nice catch, putting the visitors on 5-1 in the first over.
Suzie Bates (38) was playing with intent and four boundaries in one Kemp (1-38) over moved New Zealand quickly onto 47-1 at the end of the powerplay, a four from Kerr (23) bringing up the half-century after 6.1 overs in what was their most productive start so far in the T20I series.
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Sophie Ecclestone breaks New Zealand’s momentum with the vital wickets of Suzie Bates and Amelia Kerr in the same over
Despite New Zealand batting well, just one over from Ecclestone changed the game as she removed the strong partnership of Bates and Kerr, reducing their total to 62-3, her ripper of a delivery against the latter a highlight.
With New Zealand on 68-3 at the halfway mark of their innings, Sarah Glenn (1-14) picked her moment as Sciver-Brunt took her third catch to remove Brooke Halliday (9), a screamer of a catch from Glenn from a Filer delivery then dismissing Maddy Green (5) and reducing New Zealand to 96-5.
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Sarah Glenn takes a sensational diving catch to remove Maddy Green
Ecclestone then showed why she is the world’s best spinner with a superb delivery that demolished Isabella Gaze’s (2) stumps before a perfect yorker from Kemp took out Rowe (0) for a duck.
New Zealand captain Devine (58) found some rhythm near the back end of the innings as she picked up a great half-century, clattering a Kemp delivery for six in the 18th over, but her partners kept falling around her, Leigh Kasperek (1) completing Ecclestone’s four-fer as New Zealand finished their innings 141-8, a score England just managed to chase.
What they said: We showed our strength in depth
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Nat Sciver-Brunt hailed her side’s ‘depth’ and ‘calmness’
England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt…
“I would’ve liked a bit more from myself but the depth that we’ve got I felt confident.
“It got nervy but the calmness they showed was great.
“Putting ourselves under pressure like that, you don’t want to do that too often, but learn from it and take it to Bangladesh would be perfect.”
Player of the Match, Alice Capsey…
“We obviously got off to a good start and we were feeling good. We were sticking to our plans. Kemp came in and that second to last over was outstanding.
“We were both in the zone and it was nice to get over the line.
“I love batting at No 3, it’s the best place to bat. I feel like I’ve got a good understanding of my game. At the end of the day, I just want to win for England.”
What’s next?
Saturday 13th July 6:30pm
England and New Zealand now head to The Oval on Saturday July 13 for the fourth T20I. You can watch it live on Sky Sports Cricket from 6.15pm (first ball 6.30pm). Stream the series contract-free with NOW.