England Women outgun New Zealand Women

Bridgetown, Barbados – Jenny Gunn was the chief wicket-taker, but Natalie Sciver was the wrecker-in-chief with a hat-trick, as England Women transformed the Women’s Twenty20 International Tri-Series into a two-horse race following a 19-run victory over New Zealand Women on Monday here.

Gunn was the most successful English bowler, taking 5-18 from her allotted four overs, but Sciver broke the backbone of her opponents’ batting, grabbing 4-21 from four overs including a hat-trick, as the New Zealanders were bowled out for 106 off the final ball of the innings, replying to the opposition’s 125 for eight in the fifth match of the tournament at Kensington Oval.

The result meant that England Women earned four points, moving to eight points, the same number as West Indies Women, but statistically second due to an inferior net run rate. New Zealand Women are third with four points with no chance of reaching the Grand Final.

West Indies Women and England Women will now meet in the final preliminary match on Thursday at the same venue, where they are now destined to meet in the Grand Final on Saturday.

New Zealand captain Suzie Bates led all scorers in the match with 46 and Sophie Devine made 25 to put the White Ferns on course for victory on 74 for one when they chased.

But a string of wickets crippled the New Zealanders’ pursuit, as they lost eight for 32 in 39 deliveries to end their hopes of making the Grand Final.

When Bates caught at long-off from the bowling of Gunn in the 18th over, the batting inexplicably collapsed, as Sciver removed Maddy Green for nine, as well as Erin Bermingham and Frances Mackay for ducks with the last three deliveries in her final over, the penultimate of the innings, to become the fourth woman to take a hat-trick in Women’s Twenty20 Internationals.

Gunn, leading the England side in the absence of the injured Charlotte Edwards, flattered, when she completed the demolition with another three wickets in the final over, finished with five scalps in a Women’s T20I for the second time.

Summarized scores: England 125 for 8 in 20 overs: Wyatt 37; Sciver 23
Nielsen 2 for 24; Ruck 2 for 27
New Zealand 106 all out in 20 overs: Bates 46; Devine 25
Gunn 5 for 18; Sciver 4 for 21

Result: England Women won by 19 runs

Points: England Women 4, New Zealand Women 0

POINTS STANDINGS
(After fifth match)

Note: Net run rate in brackets
1. West Indies Women 8 points (+0.417)
2. England Women 8 (+0.252)
3. New Zealand Women 4 (–0.506)