Sophia Dunkley's timely half-century and Freya Kemp and Dani Gibson's boundary blitz helped England defeat Scotland by 38 runs, maintaining their undefeated start to the Women's T20 World Cup.
Due to captain Nat Sciver-Brunt's calf injury, Dunkley was called up at No. 3 for her maiden tournament match, but she made good on her return to the England team with 57 off 37 balls. On a beautiful summer's evening at Headingley, that provided Kemp and Gibson with a great starting point for their uninterrupted sixth-wicket partnership of 61 off just 21 balls as the hosts reached 200 for 5.
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| In place of the injured Nat Sciver-Brunt, Sophia Dunkley scored 57 off 37 |
Former England left-arm spinner Kirstie Gordon, who returned to Scotland before this World Cup, got off to a strong start with a wicket on the first ball on her way to 2 for 30. But her side was far less secure in the field than they had been in their spirited seven-run defeat to the West Indies earlier in the week, with a flurry of blunders costing them.
With a formidable task ahead of them, Scotland got off to a strong start, matching England in the powerplay, but Sophie Ecclestone's two wickets in nine balls put her team on the right track.
Gordon gives me headaches in the morning
Scotland made early progress against the opposition, much as they had done against the West Indies. Amy Jones's half-hearted drive looped up to extra cover after Gordon flung the match's opening ball outside of her off stump. A diving Megan McColl joyfully caught the offering low to the ground as it dipped right in front of her.
When Dunkley swept Kathryn Bryce to short fine leg on 4 in the third over, and Priyanaz Chatterji used her left hand to make what would have been a fantastic diving catch, they very nearly had another. However, as she went to ground, she spilt the ball, and Dunkley then hit the second ball over wide long-on for six.
It wasn't until after the power play that Gordon was reintroduced into the assault, and she hit first ball once more. When her great buddy Dunkley established her rhythm, Danni Wyatt-Hodge was limited to a supporting role. She was on 7 off 11 balls when she chipped to Kathryn Bryce at mid-on after reaching for a short ball outside off.
Dunkley takes action
After a poor summer in which she scored just 98 runs in six Twenty20 International innings against New Zealand and India with a maximum score of 26, Dunkley was ignored for the tournament's opening two games. However, she hit three fours in four balls from Gabriella Fontenla and another from Kathryn Bryce in the following over, suggesting that her early reprieve had sparked something.
By the end of the power play, England was 51 for 1, and Dunkley was undefeated on 47 off 25 balls. As a wave of fielding mistakes swept through the Scotland camp, she kept riding her luck. She chopped a wide one from Chatterji through point to get her half-century off 33 balls. Dunkley finished her knock by taking out Hannah Rainey on the boundary at deep backward square while shuffling over her stumps to slog-sweep Kathryn Bryce.
England locates their finishers
Rainey, who replaced injured left-arm seamer Rachel Slater in the Scotland XI, delivered a gem on top of off stump to Alice Capsey, who had contributed a 40 from 25 balls. A new combination met at the crease and lit up the night when Heather Knight selected a short, beautiful leg off Chatterji.
After both players battled back stress injuries last year, England had been waiting for the Kemp-Gibson union. The pair began peppering the boundaries when England was 139 for 5 in the middle of the 17th over, leading their team to the 200-mark for the fourth time in this version of the T20 Women's World Cup and only the fifth time by any team overall.
As Kemp bookended a four off a full toss with sixes down the ground and slog-swept into the bleachers, Kathryn Bryce gave up 20 off the 18th over. Then Gibson entered the next over, which was bowled by Gordon. He instantly hit a stunning 86-meter maximum straight down the ground and into the second tier of seats after hitting back-to-back fours. With her sixth boundary in 11 balls, Gibson ended the innings and set the score for Scotland's response.
Rainey, who replaced injured left-arm seamer Rachel Slater in the Scotland XI, delivered a gem on top of off stump to Alice Capsey, who had contributed a 40 from 25 balls. A new combination met at the crease and lit up the night when Heather Knight selected a short, beautiful leg off Chatterji.
After both players battled back stress injuries last year, England had been waiting for the Kemp-Gibson union. The pair began peppering the boundaries when England was 139 for 5 in the middle of the 17th over, leading their team to the 200-mark for the fourth time in this version of the T20 Women's World Cup and only the fifth time by any team overall.
As Kemp bookended a four off a full toss with sixes down the ground and slog-swept into the bleachers, Kathryn Bryce gave up 20 off the 18th over. Then Gibson entered the next over, which was bowled by Gordon. He instantly hit a stunning 86-meter maximum straight down the ground and into the second tier of seats after hitting back-to-back fours. With her sixth boundary in 11 balls, Gibson ended the innings and set the score for Scotland's response.
Too much work
When Ecclestone pinned back Kathryn Bryce's middle stump while she was trying to sweep, she achieved her 150th wicket in Twenty20 Internationals. Ecclestone took the pace off one that spun sharply to beat the bat and crash into the leg stump, but Darcey Carter, who had made a half-century while battling cramp against the West Indies, was looking good again.
Once more, Gibson and Kemp worked together to eliminate McColl, who was picked out just inside the deep square leg barrier. Then, with a beautiful back-cut over point for six against Lauren Bell, Sarah Bryce produced a promising 34 off 24. However, it turned out to be Scotland's highest score when she holed out to Gibson at deep midwicket off Smith. On the final ball of the game, Pippa Sproul, who had replaced Ailsa Lister in the lineup, was run out.
When Ecclestone pinned back Kathryn Bryce's middle stump while she was trying to sweep, she achieved her 150th wicket in Twenty20 Internationals. Ecclestone took the pace off one that spun sharply to beat the bat and crash into the leg stump, but Darcey Carter, who had made a half-century while battling cramp against the West Indies, was looking good again.
Once more, Gibson and Kemp worked together to eliminate McColl, who was picked out just inside the deep square leg barrier. Then, with a beautiful back-cut over point for six against Lauren Bell, Sarah Bryce produced a promising 34 off 24. However, it turned out to be Scotland's highest score when she holed out to Gibson at deep midwicket off Smith. On the final ball of the game, Pippa Sproul, who had replaced Ailsa Lister in the lineup, was run out.
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