New Zealand’s Struggles Continue as Sarah Glenn Propels England to 4-0 Series Lead
New Zealand vs England (W) 4th T20I updates: In the fourth Women’s Vitality T20I at The Kia Oval, England comfortably beat New Zealand by seven wickets, increasing their lead in the series to 4-0.
With 51 balls remaining, England defeated New Zealand at 103 for 8, thanks to Sarah Glenn’s outstanding four-wicket effort.
New Zealand 103 for 8 (Gaze 25, Green 24, Glenn 4-19) lost to England 104 for 3 (Dunkley 26, Wyatt 26) by seven wickets
With one match remaining on their tour of England, Sarah Glenn’s four-wicket haul prevented New Zealand from losing. Earlier in the day, the hosts won the fourth Twenty20 International at The Kia Oval by seven wickets with 51 balls remaining.
Leg-spinner Glenn claimed four wickets in a Twenty20 International for the third time as the White Ferns collapsed to 103 for 8 in their 20 overs, and England easily won the run chase, mainly because of a 54-run opening partnership between Sophia Dunkley and Danni Wyatt.
This dead rubber was lost, as was the fight New Zealand shown in the third game in Canterbury, where England triumphed by six wickets with four balls remaining to take a 3-0 lead. The White Ferns achieved 33 in the powerplay, but without losing, despite a strong start by Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer, who has only twice reached double figures in six innings this tour.
However, Glenn came into the field in the seventh over and had an instant impact, causing a disastrous collapse. Ahead of Wednesday’s last match at Lord’s, England leads the T20I leg 4-0 after winning the ODI series 3-0.
In the third match of this series, Alice Capsey made a match-winning 67 not out. When questioned if she was disappointed that she wasn’t able to use more of her off-spin in an England team full of elite spinners, she replied in the negative. Playing second fiddle, or lower, to world No. 1 Sophie Ecclestone, sharp off-spinner Charlie Dean, and “Glenny doing Glenny things,” Capsey was more than at ease.
After New Zealand finished the powerplay at 33 without losing a wicket, Glenn bowled Plimmer with a straight delivery that clattered into middle stump on the next ball. Glenn’s third ball was a half-tracker, and Amelia Kerr’s eyes lighted up so much that she smashed it straight to midwicket, where Capsey did her bit, swallowing the easy catch to give Glenn her second wicket in three balls and stifling a giggle.
With Sophie Devine sliced in half by Dani Gibson’s breathtaking inswinger that smashed into middle and off, New Zealand was down 40 for 3, and it appeared as though their batting woes that have dogged them this series would persist. Ecclestone set Bates up with two slower balls, then pushed one through faster and rattled the stumps, making their hopes much less. Stopped the flow of wickets, and after 10 overs, the White Ferns were 46 for 4, having scored just three boundaries.
In mid-off, Brooke Halliday spooned a straightforward catch to Gibson, setting up Ecclestone for her second and sending New Zealand reeling. Maddy Green chipped to mid-on and Jess Kerr was bowled by one that skidded through with ample of top-spin, capping Glenn’s four-wicket haul with another double-wicket over. England now faces a modest run chase after Izzy Gaze, the White Ferns’ leading scorer with 25, was run out off the final ball of the innings.
In the second over, Eden Carson had a tough opportunity at point off Wyatt, on 2, but was unable to hold on. Dunkley, Wyatt’s opening partner, was finding the boundary with ease as well. He dismissed four fours, three of them consecutively off Lea Tahuhu, through mid-off, through backward square leg, and pulled through square.
When Dunkley was on 19, Amelia Kerr made another difficult run, this time from midwicket off her sister, Jess. With 50 runs remaining and all the time in the world, Dunkley and Wyatt had already sliced through more than half of the mark when she pushed Tahuhu high to Bates at cover for a 15-ball 26.
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This time, Capsey fell cheaply, bowled by Amelia Kerr for just nine runs, and Wyatt holed out to Fran Jonas off the following ball from Carson. However, England just required 31 runs off 77 balls at that point. England’s strength was demonstrated by Nat Sciver-Brunt, who hit back-to-back fours against Amelia Kerr to bring up the winning runs.
More evidence of England’s depth—which has been highlighted throughout New Zealand’s tour with enough in-form players—and struggling opponents—to allow a mixing and matching of playing XIs with T20 World Cup preparation as the primary goal—was provided by Dunkley’s partnership with Wyatt at the top of the order.
Through the weight of runs in regional cricket, Dunkley fought her way back into the starting lineup after being benched for the majority of Pakistan’s trip earlier in the English summer in order to regain her batting rhythm. While Wyatt was rested in Canterbury, Dunkley made a strong case for herself to be selected for the World Cup with a good 35 off 26 balls.
This time, Dunkley got the hosts off to a great start, and Maia Bouchier, who had enjoyed a fantastic ODI series against the White Ferns, made way. After missing the previous game, Knight made a comeback, finishing the match undefeated on 14 points.
Glenn and Ecclestone had them covered while Lauren Bell and Linsey Smith, who came back into the side to replace a resting Dean, went wicketless. Freya Kemp, on the other hand, had an outstanding cameo batting with Capsey in Canterbury, going 16 not out.
