All-round Sciver-Brunt, Ecclestone set up England's 4-1 series win over New Zealand

Posted By on March 29, 2024

England 138 for 5 (Knight 35, Sciver-Brunt 31, A Kerr 3-30) beat New Zealand 136 for 6 (Gaze 51*, Ecclestone 3-30, Sciver-Brunt 2-24) by five wickets

Nat Sciver-Brunt and Sophie Ecclestone were devastating with the ball as England secured a clinical five-wicket win over New Zealand in their final T20I for a 4-1 series victory. The pair shared five wickets between them, with Sciver-Brunt making the early breakthroughs which had the home side reeling, and Ecclestone claiming three to ensure England faced a modest target.
An unbeaten half-century from 19-year-old Izzy Gaze had earlier rescued New Zealand from 69 for 5. She shared a 56-run stand for the sixth wicket with Brooke Halliday, but in reply, Sciver-Brunt and Heather Knight put on a 57-run stand of their own from 64 for 3 to bring England within touching distance of victory. The sides next meet in a three-match ODI series beginning in Wellington on Monday.

England’s devastating duet

Sciver-Brunt and Ecclestone returned to international duty in the fourth T20I after playing in the WPL. England won that match to take an unassailable 3-1 lead, and the duo made a massive impact in the fifth. Sciver-Brunt claimed a wicket with the fifth ball of the match, and had two in seven deliveries when she removed Bernadine Bezuidenhout and Amelia Kerr, as the hosts stumbled to 10 for 2 inside three overs.

It wasn’t long before Charlie Dean, who finished as the series’ leading wicket-taker with seven, accounted for Suzie Bates. Ecclestone then entered the attack immediately after the powerplay to great effect for England. She had Georgia Plimmer caught by Danielle Gibson with her second delivery to make it 31 for 4, before taking a stunning return catch low to her left to remove Maddy Green just as New Zealand had started to breathe via a 38-run partnership between Green and Halliday.

Full report to follow…

Source: ESPN Crickinfo

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