Cricket
Englands beat Scotland by 10 wickets at the Women’s T20 World Cup on Sunday.
SHARJAH (United Arab Emirates) (AFP) – Openers Maia Bouchier and Danni Wyatt-Hodge put on an unbeaten century partnership as England hammered debutants Scotland by 10 wickets at the Women’s T20 World Cup on Sunday.
England restricted Scotland to 109-6 in 20 overs after left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone returned figures of 2-13 in a disciplined bowling attack in Sharjah.
England romped home with 10 overs to spare as Bouchier hit 62 off 34 deliveries, earning herself player of the match honours as her team closed in on a semi-final spot.
A third successive win sent England top of Group B ahead of South Africa, who have three wins out of four, and the West Indies.
England face the West Indies on Tuesday in Dubai to decide the two semi-finalists from the group.
“Just try and win, exactly the same way we have approached (the tournament so far),” skipper Heather Knight said of their last group game against the West Indies.
“You want to keep winning, keep that momentum and we want to go again, get some momentum and make it to the semis.”
Scotland, who ended winless after qualifying for the tournament for the first time, and Bangladesh had already bowed out of the 10-team competition.
“Pretty tough tournament in general but a massive honour to be here and to be leading the team out in a tournament like this,” skipper Kathryn Bryce said. “Only learnings to be taken from here.”
Bouchier came out firing and started the chase with three successive fours, reaching her fifty in 30 balls with another boundary off Katherine Fraser.
Wyatt-Hodge smashed 51 off 26 balls in a commanding display by the 2009 champions.
Scotland made a strong start to their innings with Sarah Bryce steering the team to 38-0 in the eighth over before medium-pace bowler Nat Sciver-Brunt broke through.
Sciver-Brunt dismissed opener Saskia Horley for 13 and Ecclestone soon had Bryce stumped for 27 to slow Scotland.
Kathryn Bryce, Sarah’s elder sister, then attempted to take on the attack with her 28-ball 33, but her departure saw Scotland slip further as wickets fell regularly.
Lorna Jack-Brown was bowled for a duck by Lauren Bell in the batter’s last international match and after the loss walked off the field with tears in her eyes.
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