Poor England beaten as New Zealand level T20 series

May 23, 2026 No Comments

Poor England beaten as New Zealand level T20 seriesFigure caption, Smith gives England a dream start as she picks up three early wicketsByFfion WynneBBC Sport journalist at CanterburyPublished23 May 2026, 17:41 BSTUpdated Just nowSecond T20, Canterbury New Zealand 170-5 (20 overs): Devine 87 (57), Green 56*; Smith 3-25England 156-6 (20 overs): Bouchier 38 (33); Patel 2-25New Zealand won by 14 runs; series level at 1-1Scorecard

England suffered a disappointing 14-run defeat as Sophie Devine’s brilliance levelled the T20 series for New Zealand at Canterbury.

England’s bowlers started magnificently in scorching conditions, restricting New Zealand to 11-4, but Sophie Devine and Maddy Green added a record-breaking 159 for the fifth wicket to take the White Ferns to a competitive 170-5.

All-rounder Devine blasted 87 from 57 balls before she was run out from the final ball of the innings, with Green finishing 56 not out in support.

Devine whacked six sixes and five fours as England’s bowlers and fielders struggled under pressure in all-too-familiar scenes.

Linsey Smith dominated the powerplay as she finished with 3-25, removing opener Georgia Plimmer and skipper Melie Kerr for first-ball ducks, but the stunning recovery saw New Zealand take the momentum into the second innings.

Though England started their chase positively, Sophia Dunkley was the first to throw away her start and fell for 26 from 18 balls.

After Alice Capsey was out for 22, Heather Knight and Maia Bouchier added 43 for the third wicket but their cautious approach saw the run-rate climb and the pair fell in consecutive balls in the 16th over to all-but seal the win for New Zealand.

Explosive all-rounders Dani Gibson and Freya Kemp were tasked with scoring 30 from the final two overs, but they were dismissed for 12 and 14 respectively as England finished on 156-6.

The series decider takes place at Hove on Monday, when even hotter conditions are expected.

Destructive Devine shows her class

Watch the best shots as Devine hits 87 to help New Zealand fight back against England

New Zealand will be a team in transition at the end of this summer’s T20 World Cup, when they will be defending their title, and veteran Devine showed exactly how big a gap she will leave in their batting line-up with one of her greatest knocks.

Their disastrous start saw Izzy Gaze bowled by Lauren Bell in the first over, before left-arm spinner Smith had Plimmer caught and bowled and Kerr missed a sweep to be pinned lbw.

Brooke Halliday was caught at long-off for three and England were in complete control at the end of the six-over powerplay, having their opponents 29-4.

But Devine used all of her experience to put the pressure back on England. She clubbed Charlie Dean for back-to-back sixes to hit England’s captain out of the attack – she bowled just the one over which went for 14.

That meant all-rounders Kemp and Gibson had to bowl their full allocation, both conceding 34 from four wicketless overs, while Issy Wong bowled went for 24 from her three.

Devine masterfully shuffled around her crease throughout, often ending up in a heap on the ground, but it was effective in throwing the seamers off their lengths.

The pair rotated the strike throughout, forcing England’s fielders to fumble and misfield often, and Bouchier dropped a simple catch off Devine at long-off in the final over which saw another nine runs added afterwards.

England impressed all-round at Derby in the first game but this was a timely warning from one of the world’s best in some of the quality they will encounter on home soil next month.