To Chelmsford for the first of the T20 double header, the first game being England Women vs New Zealand Women for both teams first match in the Quadrangular series.
England won the toss and Charlotte Edwards decided to bowl first, with Arran Brindle making her comeback and the move looked good as New Zealand captain Amy Watkins was bowled for nought by Katherine Brunt in the first over, 1-1. Brindle bowled a tight over and after three NZ were only 8-1. Laura Marsh dropped a return catch from Amy Satterthwaite in the next over as she and Suzie Bates looked to be building a solid total. All that was about to end with Holly Colvin in the 8th over as Satterthwaite hit one to Danielle Wyatt for 14 and in her next over Bates was well caught at square leg by Claire Taylor for the top score of 23 to leave NZ 44-3 at the halfway point.
The innings then waned a bit and although Liz Perry was dropped at long-off, next ball Sara McGlashan chipped a catch back to Colvin and next over a mix-up allowed Colvin to throw from pont to keeper Sarah Taylor to run out Perry. Then 10 runs off the 15th over bowled by Jenny Gunn meant New Zealand might reach a good total but then Lucy Doolan was stumped by Sarah Taylor off Brindle for six and then Nicola Browne was lbw to Danielle Hazell for 13 three balls later to make it 67-7. Rachel Priest tried a bit hit and was brilliantly caught by a diving catch at deep midwicket by Lydia Greenway off Brindle. Hazell bagged her 2nd wicket and the innings ended when Sian Ruck was yorked by Brindle in the last over to leave New Zealand 83 all out, Colvin finishing with 3-17 and Brindle 3-11.
The difference between the sides was obvious as Browne, bowling the first over, went for 13 as Edwards and Marsh looked to get there quickly. Marsh was especially punishing was fours over midwicket and then a glorious smash over cover off Kate Broadmore. 42 came off 5 overs before Marsh gave the hard working Ruck her first wicket in an eventual wicket-maiden over. Edwards and Claire Taylor then took over the scoring and found the gaps off Ruck, Watkins and Bates as England were 67-1 after 10.
Taylor was unluckily run out backing up by some athletic fielding off her own bowling by Watkins, but it only delayed the inevitable as Edwards became the first woman to score 1000 international T20 runs and along with Greenway, they finished the came with a four off Bates in the 14th over to win by eight wickets. The pick of the bowlers was Ruck with 1-17 off her four overs.
Colvin was awarded with the match award for her bowling and fielding and for them it is off to Bristol for the 2nd matches in the Quadrangular series. For us it was Essex vs Hampshire up next.
