England close in on semi-finals after smashing Scotland

A ruthless England thrashed Scotland by 10 wickets at the Women’s T20 World Cup to close in on a semi-final place.

Maia Bouchier (62no off 34) and Danni Wyatt-Hodge (51no off 26) powered England to an ask of 110 in just 10 overs, sharing the side’s first hundred opening stand in T20 World Cups since 2012.

The scale of the victory in Sharjah lifts Heather Knight’s team top of Group B, above South Africa on net-run rate, and they will reach the last four by beating West Indies in Dubai on Tuesday.

However, England could still qualify with a narrow defeat as their NRR is currently +1.716 compared to South Africa’s +1.382, giving them some margin for error.

England’s third win in a row was set up by the bowlers as they limited Scotland to 109-6, with spinner Sophie Ecclestone snaffling 2-13 and recalled seamer Lauren Bell 1-16.

Scotland, who have lost all four of their matches in their debut T20 World Cup, saw skipper Kathryn Bryce (33 off 28) and sister Sarah (27 off 31) top-score with the bat.

But their wayward bowling was brutally punished by England with Bouchier – dropped on 12 by Scotland spinner Olivia Bell – crunching 12 boundaries in a statement triumph for her side.

Bouchier, Wyatt-Hodge blast England to quick-fire win

Scotland needed every chance to stick as they set about defending such a small total but Olivia Bell shelled Bouchier off her own bowling in the second over of the chase.

By then, though, the England opener had already struck three fours – consecutively off seamer Rachel Slater from the first three balls of the innings.

Bouchier had stuttered against South Africa last time out with a sketchy eight off 20 balls, yet rebounded to post the highest individual score in this tournament, eclipsing Proteas skipper Laura Wolvaardt’s 59 against West Indies.

Bouchier’s final four clinched England’s victory with exactly half of the innings remaining, one ball after some comical Scotland fielding had led to overthrows and allowed Wyatt to notch her half-century from 26 balls, four deliveries brisker than Bouchier’s.

Scotland began promisingly if sedately with the bat as Sarah Bryce and Saskia Horley (13) put on 38 for the first wicket, but when Horley ballooned Nat Sciver-Brunt (1-20) to Ecclestone at mid-off at the end of the eighth over, the World Cup debutants lost regular wickets.

The pick of the dismissals was Sarah Bryce’s, with England wicketkeeper Amy Jones stumping the batter off Ecclestone after gathering a rising ball close to her throat.

England seamer Danielle Gibson (1-5) bagged a wicket in her first over of the competition, removing Ailsa Lister (11) after the Scotland player had mowed her team’s maiden six of the tournament, off England off-spinner Charlie Dean (1-26).

Plus, Lauren Bell inflicted a duck on Lorna Jack-Brown in the batter’s final match for Scotland before she becomes a full-time police officer – Jack-Brown castled heaving across the line.

It was England who put in an arresting performance, sending a message to their title rivals, notably favourites Australia, as they target a first T20 World Cup trophy since the inaugural edition in 2009.

‘We want to take the trophy now’

Player of the Match, Maia Bouchier: “We got told about net run-rate in the eighth over and it’s really important at this point in the tournament. We want to take the trophy now.

“We’re keeping an eye on everyone’s scores and putting ourselves in a really positive position but we’ve got to keep our calm and not think too far ahead.”

Scotland captain Kathryn Bryce: “It’s been a pretty tough tournament for us but a massive honour to be here and lead the team out. There can only be learnings that can be taken from it moving forward.”

What’s next?

England conclude their Group B campaign against West Indies in Dubai on Tuesday.

Watch build-up from 2.30pm on Sky Sports Cricket ahead of the first ball at 3pm or follow text commentary and video clips in our live blog.

Source : Sky Sports