England cruised to a comfortable 27-run victory

Dunedin (BBC): England cruised to a comfortable 27-run victory over New Zealand in the first T20 in Dunedin.

Captain Heather Knight’s classy 63 from just 39 balls led the visitors to 160-4 after losing the toss, supported by Maia Bouchier’s unbeaten 43. White Ferns skipper Suzie Bates struck 65 in reply but struggled for middle order support as they were restricted to 133-5.

Seamer Lauren Bell starred in England’s dominant bowling performance with 2-29. England’s victory was impressive in the absence of key players Nat Sciver-Brunt, Danni Wyatt, Sophie Ecclestone and Alice Capsey, who are missing the first three T20s because of the clash with the end of the Women’s Premier League in India.

Opener Tammy Beaumont returned to the XI after an absence of more than two years from the T20 side, managing 15 in her 100th match in the format. Fellow opener Sophia Dunkley added a dynamic 32 from 24 balls before an entertaining partnership of 91 between Knight and Bouchier propelled England to their competitive total.

New Zealand fought admirably with the ball on a flat pitch but were let down in the field, with three dropped catches and a missed stumping. They were also without important players in usual captain Sophie Devine and Amelia Kerr because of the WPL, and their absence piled the pressure on Bates in the chase as the rest of the line-up struggled to counter England’s discipline in the middle overs.