England’s attack produced a dominant display to bowl New Zealand out and set up a commanding seven-wicket win in the third and final T20I at Hove.
England 81 for 3 (Dunkley 22, Bouchier 19*, Patel 1-7) beat New Zealand 80 (J Kerr 20, Dean 3-13, Gibson 3-14) by seven wickets. Dani Gibson delivered career-best figures of 3 for 14, while stand-in captain Charlie Dean took 3 for 13 as England responded strongly to their 14-run defeat in Canterbury on Saturday. New Zealand were dismissed for just 80 with five balls remaining in their innings.
That loss in the second match had been particularly frustrating for England because they had reduced New Zealand to 11 for 4 before the White Ferns recovered. This time, there was no repeat rescue act from Sophie Devine, or from anyone else in the visiting line-up. New Zealand slumped to 33 for 6 after another strong powerplay from Linsey Smith, who took 1 for 6 from her first two overs, before Gibson removed both Melie Kerr and Devine in a decisive burst.
Sophie Ecclestone came back into the side after missing the second game with a tight hamstring and bowled tightly for 1 for 11. Issy Wong also struck, bowling Jess Kerr, who top-scored for New Zealand with only 20, and finished with 1 for 20.
England did lose both openers during the powerplay, but the small target never seriously troubled them as they completed the chase with 6.1 overs to spare.
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For New Zealand, the result raised concerns in their final competitive outing before next month’s T20 World Cup, where they will defend their title. England, meanwhile, could face a sterner challenge when India arrive for a three-match T20I series beginning on Thursday, although they are still waiting for regular opener Danni Wyatt-Hodge and captain Nat Sciver-Brunt to return ahead of their home World Cup.
Déjà vu for New Zealand
New Zealand’s two openers both fell attempting premeditated reverse sweeps. Suzie Bates returned to the top of the order in place of Georgia Plimmer, having batted much lower in the series opener at Derby and missed the second match, as the White Ferns looked to avoid another early collapse.
But Bates made only 3 from 11 balls before she chipped the typically economical Smith straight to backward point. Izzy Gaze had earlier struck Wong for four and six through fine leg and long-on, but Dean introduced herself in the final over of the powerplay and made an immediate impact. Her third delivery turned in, beat the bat and hit the stumps.
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With New Zealand already under pressure, even softer wickets followed when Gibson struck twice in her opening over. Melie Kerr found Maia Bouchier at mid-on, before Devine, who had made 45 and 87 in her previous two innings on the tour, was left shaking her head after miscuing an attempted lofted drive to mid-off. Devine fell for a five-ball duck, and New Zealand had slipped from 29 for 2 to 30 for 4.
England Keep Applying Pressure
New Zealand needed experience from Maddy Green and Brook Halliday to rebuild the innings, but Dean trapped Halliday on the front pad. England’s acting captain reviewed smartly, and the decision was overturned for what proved to be a clear lbw.
Ecclestone then joined the wicket-taking effort with a fine delivery that disturbed Izzy Sharp’s stumps. New Zealand lost 5 for 5 across 3.1 overs, leaving England in complete control.
Gibson later returned to dismiss Green, helped by a composed catch from Bouchier, who ran from midwicket towards wide long-on. From 58 for 7, New Zealand’s lower order faded quickly. Smith took another wicket when Nensi Patel was given lbw while kneeling to sweep, although Patel did not review and replays showed the impact had been outside the line.
England Finish the Job
Alice Capsey again opened in the absence of Wyatt-Hodge, who is on maternity leave, but she could not repeat her unbeaten 74 from England’s convincing seven-wicket win in the first match at Derby. Capsey was lbw to Patel’s first ball, which pitched on middle and turned into the inside of her thigh pad.
Sophia Dunkley made 22 from 21 balls before mistiming a pull straight to mid-on off Bree Illing. New Zealand then missed a chance to dismiss Heather Knight on 4 when she swept towards deep square leg, where Halliday moved in and dived forward to take the ball low with both hands, only for it to spill out as she hit the ground.
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Melie Kerr later had Knight caught at backward point from a reverse sweep, but New Zealand had already left themselves with too much to repair after their batting collapse.
