BRIDGETOWN, Barbados — Charlotte Edwards was the anchor, but Tammi Beaumont was the heroine, leading England Women to a comfortable five-wicket victory over New Zealand Women in the second match of the Women’s Twenty20 International Tri-Series on Wednesday here.
Edwards, the England Women captain, struck just two boundaries in a top score of 42 from 56 balls, as her side successfully chased a modest 110 for victory in their first match of the tournament under the lights at the historic Kensington Oval.
But Beaumont scored 29 from 23 balls and hit winning runs to earn the Player-of-the-Match award, after putting on 41 for the fifth wicket with Edwards that put the English firmly on track for victory.
“It felt good to go out there and put in such a good performance to get our team over the line in the first match of the tournament,” said Beaumont.
“Charlotte set the tone by building a long innings and I was just able to come in at the end and knock the ball around and take us to victory.”
The result handed England four points, the same number as West Indies Women, the other side in the tournament, who also beat the White Ferns in the opening match of the series by 23 runs two days earlier.
Windies Women and England Women face off on Friday in a crucial match at the same venue, where the New Zealanders will return to action on Monday against the home team.
Bates had similar carried the batting for her side, stroking four fours in 48 from 51 balls, as New Zealand Women reached 109 for six from their 20 overs, after choosing to bat.
No other New Zealander reached 20, as Natalie Sciver ended with 2-16 from three overs and Holly Colvin finished with 2-22 from four overs.
England were steady without being spectacular, but were 56 for four after 11 overs before Beaumont joined Edwards and they eased the tension.
After Edwards was dismissed, Beaumont held her nerve and formalised the victory with five balls remaining, when he drove inside-out through wide mid-off for her s second four in 29 from 23 balls which also included a six.
Earlier, Bates and Sophie Devine gave the White Ferns a steady start, but England bowled with discipline and the New Zealand Women’s batting surrendered wickets at crucial stages to slow their momentum.
Bates put on 31 with Devine and 35 with Amy Satterthwaite, but the struggled to 99 for three with two overs remaining and were restricted to just 10 runs in the last two overs to give England the edge.
SCOREBOARD
NEW ZEALAND (20 overs maximum)
*S. Bates c Gunn b Sciver 48
S. Devine c Winfield b Colvin 13
A. Satterthwaite c Sciver b Colvin 12
N. Browne b Gunn 12
+R. Priest c Edwards b Sciver 7
M. Green run out (Winfield) 4
K. Perkins not out 1
M. Nielsen not out 0
Extras (b1, lb4, w7) 12
TOTAL (6 wkts, 20 overs) 109
E. Bermingham, R. Candy, S. Ruck did not bat
Fall of wickets: 1-31, 2-66, 3-86, 4-99, 5-107, 6-109
Bowling: Farrant 4-0-12-0; Hazell 4-0-27-0; Gunn 4-0-18-1 (nb1, w1); Colvin 4-0-22-2; Sciver 3-0-16-2 (w6); Wyatt 1-0-9-0
ENGLAND WOMEN (target: 110 off 20 overs)
*C. Edwards c and b Bates 42
L. Winfield lbw b Bermingham 7
+S. Taylor lbw b Bermingham 6
L. Greenway c Bates b Browne 9
N. Sciver b Browne 3
T. Beaumont not out 29
D. Wyatt not out 6
Extras (lb1, w8) 9
TOTAL (5 wkts, 19.1 overs) 111
J. Gunn, D. Hazell, H. Colvin, N. Farrant did not bat
Fall of wickets: 1-17, 2-29, 3-52, 4-56, 5-97
Bowling: Ruck 2-0-10-0 (w1); Bermingham 4-0-23-2 (w3); Candy 4-0-25-0 (w1); Browne 4-0-18-2; Nielsen 3-0-18-0; Bates 2-0-16-1
Result: England Women won by five wickets (5 balls remaining)
Points: England Women 4, New Zealand Women 0
Toss: New Zealand Women
Player-of-the-Match: T. Beaumont (England Women)
Umpires: G. Brathwaite, P. Nero
TV umpire: J. Wilson
Match manager: M. Jones
Reserve umpire: R. Willoughby