England women lift title in style by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Scorecard:	England Women v New Zealand Women
Player:	LS Greenway, CM Edwards, KL Pulford, LA Marsh, KH Brunt
Event:	ICC Women's World Twenty20 2009

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DateLine: 21st June 2009

 

A brilliant spell of fast-medium bowling by Katherine Brunt and excellent support from other bowlers made sure England first restricted New Zealand women to a pathetic 85. Then good work with the willow by wicketkeeeper-batswoman Sarah Taylor and probably the best batswoman in the world, Claire Taylor, made sure England lift the ICC Women's T20 World Championship in style.

 

Chasing a meagre 86 to win, England openers Sarah Taylor and Charlotte Edwards started off slowly but steadily. They knew they had the comfort of playing a few low-scoring overs and they did just that. The duo put up 19 runs in a little over three overs before the English skipper was cleaned up by Sian Ruck, courtesy an indipper.

 

Another wicket fell soon after with Sarah Taylor falling to Kate Pulford after having scored 23. Her knock was studded with three hits to the fence.

 

After the fall of Taylor's wicket, Beth Morgan and Claire Taylor added 31 runs and brought England within sniffing distance of the World Cup. Then a couple of wickets again gave New Zealand a slight ray of hope, but with the kind of batting performance they had put in and the total their bowlers had to defend, the ask was too much.

 

The Englishwomen finally reached the winning total with three overs to spare and six wickets in hand.

 

Earlier, after winning the toss and electing to field, England tasted success in the very first over. Suzie Bates was out stumped off Laura Marsh as she tried to hit one over the top.

 

The big wicket though came next as New Zealand skipper Aimee Watkins, was cleaned up, courtesy a booming inswinger by Brunt. Brunt looked to be in great form as her first three overs went for only six runs and when she returned to bowl her last over, two more wickets, those of the dangerous looking Lucy Doolan (14 off 19 balls) and Rachel Priest, further decorated her figures.

 

Brunt's spell read 4-2-6-3 as New Zealand were tottering at 23/4 after eight overs. Wickets continued to fall and it looked like a procession was taking place at Lord's.

 

The worst for the White Ferns though was that these wickets fell without even a semblance of any acceleration. Testimonial to this was the fact that 59 deliveries out of the first 16 overs were dots.

 

Finally, even though Pulford, who surprisingly came in well down the order, and Sophie Devine did hit a few boundaries to finish off, New Zealand could only manage a paltry 85.