A ruthless England thrashed Scotland by 10 wickets in the Women’s Under-20 World Cup to book their place in the semi-finals.
Maya Bouchier (62 off 34) and Dani Wyatt-Hodge (51 off 26) forced England to 110 in just 10 overs to share the team’s first opening hundred in T20 World Cups since 2012.
The victory in Sharjah lifts Heather Knight’s side top of Group B on net above South Africa and they will secure a semi-final spot with a win over the West Indies in Dubai on Tuesday.
However, England will settle for anything other than a heavy defeat as their NRR is currently +1,716 compared to South Africa’s +1,382, giving them some margin for error.
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Bouchier wrapped up England’s win, one ball after a hilarious mix-up from Scotland
England’s third successive victory was set up by the bowlers as they restricted Scotland to 109-6, with spinner Sophie Ecclestone taking 2-13 and seamer Lauren Bell 1-16.
Scotland, who lost all four matches in their debut T20 World Cup, saw skipper Catherine Bryce (33 off 28) and sister Sarah (27 off 31) top scores with the bat.
But their wayward bowling was severely punished by England with Bouchier; In the 12th over, Scottish spinner Olivia Bell smashed 12 boundaries for her side’s win.
How Wonen’s T20 World Cup Group B?
Scotland needed every opportunity as they set out to defend such a small total, but Bell bombarded Bouchier with his own bowling in the second over of the chase.
Before that, however, the England opener had already hit three fours.
Bouchier had stuttered against South Africa last time out with a sketchy eight off 20 balls, but he bounced back against Scotland to record the highest individual score in the tournament, eclipsing Proteas skipper Laura Wohlward’s 59 against the West Indies.
Bouchier’s final four sealed England’s victory by exactly half an innings, one ball after a comical fielding in Scotland led to the collapses and allowed Wyatt to complete his half-century from 26 balls, four deliveries quicker than Bushey.
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Ailsa Lister smashes Scotland’s first six in T20 World Cup
Scotland made a promising start with the bat as Sarah Bryce and Saskia Horley (13) put on 38 for the first wicket, but when Horley bowled Nat Sciver-Brunt (1-20) to Ecclestone in the eighth over. ended with the World Cup debutants losing regular wickets.
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Amy Jones dismissed Sarah Bryce off the bowling of Sophie Ecclestone in Sharjah on Sunday.
Sarah Brycein was the pick of the dismissals, with England goalkeeper Amy Jones tripping Ecclestone after a rising ball collected her on the throat.
England seamer Danielle Gibson (1-5) took the first over of the contest, dismissing Ailsa Lister (11) after the Scotsman clobbered her team’s first six of the tournament off England’s Charlie Dean (1-26). )
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Catherine Fraser survived after Nat Sciver-Brunt hit the leg stump of the Scotland batsman but the bail was not lifted.
In addition, Bell bowled Lorna Jack-Browne for a duck in the last game of batting for Scotland before he became a full-time policeman;
It was England who produced a compelling performance, sending a message to their title rivals, especially favorites Australia, as they target a first T20 World Cup title since the inaugural 2009 game.
