England Women reach final without breaking sweat

England Women, the only unbeaten side at the ICC World Twenty20 2012, progressed serenely into Sunday’s final with a comprehensive seven-wicket triumph against New Zealand. Having restricted the opposition to 93 for 8 from 20 overs, England cruised home with 16 balls to spare.

Charlotte Edwards led the way with a sprightly 37-ball 33, and Sarah Taylor and Lydia Greenway applied the finishing touches with a 40-run partnership. Greenway fell to the reverse-sweep with one needed, but New Zealand just didn’t have the runs on the board to give England serious jitters.

New Zealand’s day was summed up by an incident in the closing stages. Frances Mackay should have had Taylor stumped, but discovered to her mortification that she had bowled a back-foot no-ball. What should have been a wicket became a free hit.

Morna Nielsen had taken a stunning catch at mid-off to send back Laura Marsh, and Sophie Devine’s leap to snaffle Edwards at backward point was no less special, but though the slow bowlers got sharp turn at times, there were too many loose deliveries for England to put away.   

New Zealand’s innings never got out of first or second gear. It lost Suzie Bates to the fifth ball of the match, as Greenway – perhaps women’s cricket’s answer to Jonty Rhodes – dived, stopped and threw to the wicketkeeper to catch her well short.

The first four of the innings, off an edge, came only in the fifth over. Katherine Brunt tied New Zealand down at one end with pace, while the Danielles, Hazell and Wyatt, gave nothing away with their off-spin even though the Power Play was in operation.

Devine finally succumbed to frustration, slog-sweeping Wyatt to deep mid-wicket. Mackay shuffled across to Anya Shrubsole and was trapped in front, while Holly Colvin, who got both turn and bounce, had Sarah McGlashan stumped.    

Amy Satterthwaite held the innings together, but needed 39 balls for her 30. She also struck three of the six fours that New Zealand managed as England’s bowlers controlled proceedings. Nicole Browne and Katey Martin chipped in with cameos towards the end, but there were still full tosses and long hops that went unpunished. Both Wyatt and Colvin finished with identical figures of 2-15 and once New Zealand failed to pick up early wickets, the chase became a formality.