We are set for a heavyweight battle at the Oval in London as hosts England take on defending champions New Zealand in what is the third game of the day and the last game from Group B. England have already won 4 games out of 4, and so far, the only team to make it to the semi-finals officially. New Zealand are hanging on by a thread as they need West Indies to lose to Ireland for them to have an opening into the semis spot.
England will once again be led by Charlie Dean, with Nat Sciver-Brunt having resumed training, but the hosts won’t risk her since the team has already reached the last 4. The White Ferns have been far from their best but have managed back-to-back wins after back-to-back losses to keep their campaign alive. They will keep an eye on the West Indies vs Ireland happening before that and will know their fate by the time that game ends. It’s a heavyweight clash, and we can’t wait for it to begin.
Overview
The stage is set for the battle of the heavyweights in Group B as hosts England and defending champions New Zealand do battle at the Oval in what is the last game of a triple-header and the last of Group B as well. This is also going to be the first game played at the Oval in London for this year’s edition, and it is a big-ticket game on paper for sure.
England have already qualified for the semis after winning all four of their games. Defending champions White Ferns have won two out of the four games. Their qualification for the semi-final is dependent on the result of the West Indies vs Ireland match. If the West Indies lose, then the Kiwis need to simply win their game against England. White Ferns are already ahead of the West Indies in terms of NRR.
Kiwis played their last game against Scotland, in which the former won by six wickets. Batting first, Scotland scored 131/7 in their 20 overs on the back of Darcey Carter’s unbeaten 70-odd. Kiwi skipper Amelia Kerr picked up three wickets while Sophie Devine took two scalps. Lea Tahuhu picked up one wicket, and with that, she completed 100 WT20I wickets.
In reply, the Kiwis struggled and were reduced to 26/3 in the sixth over. Then Izzy Sharp and Brooke Halliday added 101 runs for the fourth wicket. Sharp got out after making 62 off 43 balls while Halliday made an unbeaten 41. She took her side over the line in the chase before the end of the penultimate over.
England, meanwhile, has looked every bit like a genuine title contender. The hosts have been clinical in all departments, registering comprehensive victories to sit comfortably at the top of Group B. In their last game against West Indies, at Lord’s, England registered a 38-run victory. Batting first, England posted a total of 186/7 on the scoreboard. Danni Wyatt-Hodge made 65 off 42 balls, and with that, she became the leading run-scorer in the ongoing WC. But on Friday, she was overtaken by Scotland’s Darcey Carter.
Heather Knight also scored 43 off 26 balls at the back end of the innings to take her side’s score above the 180-run mark. In reply, they restricted the West Indies to 148/5 despite a smashing, unbeaten half-century from Chinelle Henry. Sophie Ecclestone and Lauren Bell were economical in their respective spells as they gave less than six runs an over. Skipper Charlie Dean took two wickets with her off-breaks.
England’s regular skipper, Nat Sciver-Brunt, is recovering from a recurrence of a left calf strain. The ECB has confirmed that Nat won’t be a part of the New Zealand game. Historically, England has had an upper hand over New Zealand in head-to-head WT20Is. This will be only the third Women’s T20 World Cup match between these two nations.
If New Zealand lose this game, then it will be the last time that we will be seeing the famed Kiwi trio of Sophie Devine, Suzie Bates and Lea Tahuhu playing in international cricket. The stage is set, and it remains to be seen as to who shall emerge victorious in this big-ticket clash.
Head-To-Head
The Head-To-Head in Women’s T20Is overall favours England as they lead the meetings 34-9. In the T20 World Cups, they have met twice and both times England has won. In the last 10 matches, it is 9-1 in the hosts’ favour, with the teams meeting very recently in a 3-match bilateral series, which England won 2-1.
Pitch & Weather Report
The Oval is a balanced pitch that is good for both batters and bowlers. The ball comes nicely onto the bat because of the good bounce and pace. Batters can play their shots freely on this pitch. Fast bowlers may get some advantage in the early overs. Spinners can take more wickets in the middle overs. Batting first or chasing does not make a big difference here. Scores while batting first and second are almost the same. An average total here is around 160 to 170 runs.
The weather in London for this day/night match should be pleasant. The temperature is expected to be around 17 to 19 degrees Celsius. 50% chances of humidity during the match time may help fast bowlers get some swing with the new ball. There is a small chance of rain, but a full match is still expected to go without any interruptions.
Probable/Possible Playing XIs of both sides
Here, we will try to predict the probable playing XIs of both sides.
England XI: Amy Jones (wk), Danielle Nicole Wyatt-Hodge, Sophia Dunkley, Alice Capsey, Heather Knight, Freya Kemp, Danielle Gibson, Charlie Dean (c), Sophie Ecclestone, Linsey Smith, Lauren Bell.
New Zealand XI: Amelia Kerr (c), Isabella Gaze (wk), Izzy Sharp, Sophie Devine, Brooke Halliday, Maddy Green, Suzie Bates, Jess Kerr, Nensi Patel, Lea Tahuhu, Bree Illing.
Key Players to watch out for ahead of this clash
Danielle Wyatt-Hodge: She has been England’s best batter in this tournament and the leading run-scorer for them. Danielle Wyatt-Hodge has been in red-hot form and will look to build momentum and continue that journey going forward. She will want to bring her A-game and be in control of the proceedings when she comes out to bat so that she can deliver another solid knock for her side.
Sophie Ecclestone: Sophie Ecclestone is England’s number one spinner, and for good reason. She started the tournament cold and was not in her best form. But as the matches have gone on, she has got better and better with time. With this match being against New Zealand, Ecclestone loves the battle with them and will want to fire on all cylinders to give her team the upper hand in this contest.
Amelia Kerr: New Zealand’s captain, Amelia Kerr, is also one of the most dependable and best all-rounders going around at the moment. Amelia is doing a great job with the ball in hand, taking regular wickets at will. It is with a bat in hand that she will want to contribute more to New Zealand. She came out to open the batting in the previous game, but she missed out. For New Zealand to win, Amelia needs to have a good day in both aspects of her game.
Lea Tahuhu: In what could be her final appearance for New Zealand, Lea Tahuhu will want to make a mark and end her career on a high. Tahuhu has been a long servant of New Zealand cricket, and she will want to put in an exclamation mark and end it on a high note. She is a skilful bowler and would like to end her journey on a high.
Key Stats and Trivia to look forward to ahead of this clash
- England lead New Zealand 2-0 in T20 World Cups, the wins coming in the 2009 final and the 2012 semis.
Predicted/Possible Outcome of the Match
This is a heavyweight clash, and it’s quite tough to call as anything can happen in T20 cricket. The team that plays better on the day and night shall win. But looking at the current form, history and on paper, it is safe to say that England will start this match as overwhelming favourites and looks likely to go into the semi-finals unbeaten. It will take a miracle and an out-of-the-skin performance from New Zealand to upstage them. It’s a must-win for the White Ferns, provided West Indies lose to Ireland earlier in the day.
Let’s see how things unfold in the day’s last clash at the Oval in London.
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