Alice Capsey’s Unbeaten 67 Secures England’s Series Win

Alice Capsey’s unbeaten 67 guided England to a tense six-wicket victory over New Zealand in the third T20 international securing a 3-0 lead in the five-match series. Sophie Ecclestone impressed with 4-25, restricting New Zealand to 141-8. Lauren Filer (2-17) and Sarah Glenn (1-14) also bowled notable spells. New Zealand’s Sophie Devine finished unbeaten on 58 off 42 balls. Suzie Bates supported her with a score of 38. England started shakily, losing Maia Bouchier for a first-ball duck but Capsey and Sophia Dunkley (35) steadied the innings with a 66-run partnership. Nat Sciver-Brunt, captaining in Heather Knight’s absence was dismissed without scoring.

However, 19-year-old Capsey showed maturity, leading England to victory with four balls to spare. Capsey signaled England’s charge with a towering six off Amelia Kerr when they needed 28 runs, and Freya Kemp’s quick 16 off eight balls further accelerated the chase. Capsey hit the winning runs with a streaky shot and a misfield. England experimented with their lineup, resting Knight and Danni Wyatt, allowing Sciver-Brunt to captain and Dunkley to open.

Alice Capsey’s controlled innings, her highest T20 score for England, demonstrated her growing maturity. “I love batting number three; it is the best place to bat in T20,” Capsey told Sky Sports. Sciver-Brunt praised the team’s depth, noting their calmness under pressure. “With the bowling attack we have, it’s easy to rotate players. The calmness they showed was special,” she said.

New Zealand captain Sophie Devine expressed encouragement with her team’s competitive spirit, despite the loss. “Our batters showed intent, and the group’s fight was commendable,” Devine stated, emphasizing the team’s progress ahead of the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh. The fourth match is scheduled at Kia Oval on Saturday at 18:30 BST.