Capsey fires England to win over New Zealand in first T20

England ramped up preparations for their home T20 World Cup with a seven-wicket victory over New Zealand in the series opener at Derby as Alice Capsey scored a sparkling unbeaten half-century. England are playing the White Ferns and then India in three T20 internationals each before beginning their World Cup campaign against Sri Lanka at Edgbaston on June 12, live on Sky Sports Capsey (74 not out off 51 balls) led the way with the bat during Wednesday's win as the home side reached their target

Danni Wyatt-Hodge's absence as she awaits the birth of her first child presented Capsey with an opportunity to open and the 21-year-old went to strike seven fours and three sixes, sharing a third-wicket stand of 43 with Heather Knight (19) and then an unbroken 64 off 35 balls with Freya Kemp (31no off 20) for the fourth. Capsey mixed power and innovation with slick footwork while amassing her highest T20I score to date and has now staked a real claim to open at the upcoming World Cup. Other positives included the economical bowling of left-arm spinner Linsey Smith (1-10) and off-spinner Charlie Dean - standing in as captain once again for Nat Sciver-Brunt (calf) - bagging 2-29. Lauren Bell gets England off to the perfect start in Derby as she dismissed New Zealand's Georgia Plimmer with the first ball of the match Those efforts, plus a slick fielding performance - not always England's strong suit - and Lauren Bell's 2-23 - which included bowling Georgia Plimmer from the first ball of the match after England elected to field - restricted New Zealand to 136-7. Sophie Devine top-scored for the tourists with a rollicking 45 off 22 balls, a knock that featured four mighty leg-side sixes. Three of Devine's maximums came in Sophie Ecclestone's 18-run first over, the sixth of the innings, with England's senior spinner leaking 34 runs from a wicketless three overs at an eye-watering economy rate of 11.33, perhaps a concern as the World Cup looms. New Zealand's Sophie Devine smashed four sixes before she was bowled by England all-rounder Dani Gibson Confidence-boosting win for England ahead of World Cup Sophia Dunkley (8) and Maia Bouchier (5) - the latter a late addition to the squad following the withdrawals of Wyatt-Hodge and Sciver-Brunt - fell cheaply with the bat, although Bouchier did produce a fine catch earlier in the evening as England's fielding excelled. Bouchier's diving grab on the run at long-off to remove Brooke Halliday (14), came after Bell had used all of her 6ft frame to pouch Kiwi captain Melie Kerr in the deep and before Ecclestone smartly snaffled a pulling Maddy Green (23) at short fine leg. Izzy Sharp (26no off 20) pounded New Zealand's fifth six of the innings, but the away side lacked punch once Devine was bowled by all-rounder Dani Gibson (1-21) at the end of the ninth over. It was a real surprise that Suzie Bates - who will join Devine and Lea Tahuhu in retiring after the T20 World Cup - did not bat, considering she has more runs in women'sT20Is (4,717) than anyone else. England have not won the T20 World Cup since the inaugural edition in 2009, which was also on home soil, with three runners-up finishes since then, all coming against Australia (2012, 2014 and 2018). But they look in decent shape to contend this time around - if they can sharpen up in a few areas and get Sciver-Brunt back fit, with the skipper to sit out the remaining New Zealand T20s and also the clashes with India.

Key points

• Danni Wyatt-Hodge's absence as she awaits the birth of her first child presented Capsey with an opportunity to open and the 21-year-old went to strike seven fours and three sixes, sharing a third-w…
• Capsey mixed power and innovation with slick footwork while amassing her highest T20I score to date and has now staked a real claim to open at the upcoming World Cup.
• Other positives included the economical bowling of left-arm spinner Linsey Smith (1-10) and off-spinner Charlie Dean - standing in as captain once again for Nat Sciver-Brunt (calf) - bagging 2-29.
• Lauren Bell gets England off to the perfect start in Derby as she dismissed New Zealand's Georgia Plimmer with the first ball of the match Those efforts, plus a slick fielding performance - not alw…
• Sophie Devine top-scored for the tourists with a rollicking 45 off 22 balls, a knock that featured four mighty leg-side sixes.