Sophie Ecclestone impresses with bat and ball in defeat for England Ladies, who will play full New Zealand facet in three ODIs and as many T20s; Captain Heather Knight says 30-run loss will “sharpen her facet up” for challenges forward
Final Up to date: 16/02/21 7:22am
Sophie Ecclestone scored a half-century and took two wickets
England Ladies tumbled to a 30-run defeat to a New Zealand Ladies XI in Queenstown of their second warm-up recreation earlier than going through the total White Ferns facet in three ODIs and as many T20s.
Heather Knight’s facet misplaced 12 wickets making 286 in reply to their hosts’ 316-5, with fifties for Danni Wyatt (54), Sophie Ecclestone (52) and Lauren Winfield-Hill (51) coming in useless as Claudia Inexperienced snared 5-56.
Recognised batter Winfield-Hill got here in at No 12 as England, who had been 133-7 within the twenty fourth over, gave their full facet a runout.
England seamers Kate Cross (0-64) and Freya Davies (1-65) took a battering, going at over eight runs an over, as the house facet, led by Natalie Dodd (91) and Brooke Halliday (79 off 56) topped 300.
Opener Dodd struck eight fours earlier than being dismissed by Katherine Brunt (1-39), whereas Halliday matched that tally of fours and in addition nailed three sixes earlier than she fell to Sarah Glenn (1-43).
Left-arm spinner Ecclestone, together with seamer Brunt, was the choose of the England assault, taking 2-38 from her eight overs, eradicating Hayley Jensen (47) and Lauren Down (30).
England had won their opening warm-up against the same opposition by 20 runs, with Nat Sciver scoring 75 – however the all-rounder didn’t bat for her facet within the second follow fixture.
England start a three-match ODI collection towards New Zealand in Christchurch from February 23, earlier than a three-match T20I collection begins in Wellington on March 3.
England captain Heather Knight chats to her facet in Queenstown (Pic credit score – ECB)
Knight: Defeat will sharpen us up
England captain Heather Knight mentioned of her facet’s defeat: “I would a lot reasonably a warm-up recreation like that than one the place you win simply. Credit score to them, they gave us a little bit of a humbling.
“We had been slightly bit off the tempo in various areas. We did some actually good things however, getting again into the groove of 50-over cricket, you need to do these issues for lots longer, and extra persistently.
“As bowlers it’s essential to discover that consistency to construct strain and as batters it’s essential to go on and rating these massive scores.
“I suppose the preparation we have had earlier than New Zealand has been powerful, as a result of we have clearly come out of an English winter with out with the ability to prepare correctly after which straight into a few warm-up video games
“However, for my part these two video games have been actually good preparation and so they’ll actually sharpen us up for that first ODI after we should be hitting our straps towards New Zealand in every week or so.
“It was excellent actually – precisely what we wanted to have the ability to sharpen up and get match-ready as a result of clearly we’ve not performed ODI cricket for a very long time.”
