Sophia Dunkley stepped up in Nat Sciver-Brunt’s absence earlier than an astonishing blitz from Freya Kemp and Dani Gibson steered England to a 38-run win over Scotland on the Ladies’s T20 World Cup.
Dunkley was dropped on six, 43 and 45 to amass 57 in her first look of the event after changing England captain Sciver-Brunt, who has reinjured her left calf and also will miss Wednesday’s conflict towards the West Indies at Lord’s.
However England’s imposing complete of 200 for 5 owed a lot to Kemp and Gibson, with the powerhouse batting all-rounders placing on an unbroken 61 off 21 balls, together with 58 in a boundary-laden final three overs.
Kemp’s 39 not out off 16 balls and Gibson’s unbeaten 30 off 11 demonstrated England’s middle-order firepower, underpinning a 3rd win from three Group B matches to creep nearer to the semi-finals.
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Prime scoring
Scotland’s fielding was ragged, particularly on the boundary as they struggled to stem England’s scoring, and though Kathryn Bryce’s facet landed a couple of punches of their very own in entrance of an 11,419 crowd, a document for a ladies’s match at Headingley, they settled for 162 for seven.
Sophie Ecclestone claimed two for 23 after stand-in skipper Charlie Dean made the breakthrough, whereas Gibson and Kemp collected a wicket apiece and England now doubtless want only one extra win to achieve the knockout section.
Scotland suffered their second defeat from three matches, regardless of gradual left-armer Kirstie Gordon making the proper begin for them.
Gordon switched allegiances to her nation of start in December, having made 5 appearances for England on the 2018 event, and instantly confirmed her former facet what they have been lacking by dismissing Amy Jones, who limply prodded to extra-cover from the primary ball of the match.
Impressed
Having been reprieved within the third over when Priyanaz Chatterji couldn’t maintain on to a diving probability at quick fine-leg, Dunkley went on a tear and dominated a 51-run stand with Danni Wyatt-Hodge, who fell for seven after miscuing Gordon to mid-on.
Dunkley was then put down by a leaping Katherine Fraser within the deep and Megan McColl at backward level – a extra routine probability – and went to her first T20 fifty in 9 innings earlier than holing out.
Alice Capsey impressed with a quickfire 40 and Heather Knight made 25 however England nonetheless had work to do on 141 for 5 after 17 overs.
Kemp kickstarted England’s cost with two sixes off Bryce whereas Gibson thumped two fours and a six off Gordon, who leaked 21 from her final allotment having taken two for 9 from her first three overs.
Chatterji additionally got here in for some punishment because the England batters took 11 boundaries from the final 17 deliveries, the final of them from Gibson a flayed 4 by the covers from the ultimate ball.
Tightened the screw
Gibson, although, blotted her copybook by dropping Fraser – a tricky probability over her shoulder – within the first over of Scotland’s reply.
Fraser made use of her let-off to belt 23 in 13 balls to briefly hassle England however she then missed a sweep and was bowled by Dean.
The event hosts then tightened the screw after the powerplay as Ecclestone castled Bryce and Darcey Carter, each of whom missed heaves throughout the road.
Sarah Bryce top-scored with 34 whereas Gordon made 23 not out and Pippa Sproul 27 however Scotland’s hopes had lengthy since evaporated.
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